You Said What To The Who For How Many Peanuts?
I’m calling on you for help, dear readers. I have only come here seeking knowledge, things they would not teach me of in college.
I spoke yesterday of Noel Gallagher’s Top 10 Bands of All Time list. I love those lists, even when they’re absolutely horrible. My list, were I to make one, would look different than Noel’s but that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about one of the bands on his list: The Who.
I’ve gone on record as having never “gotten” The Who and I’m tired of getting those looks from you people (you know Who You Are). So I’m ready to re-visit them. I’m ready to take a chance on them, but I don’t know where I should start. Is there a compilation that properly introduces them to someone starting from the ground floor? Should I go with one of their albums first instead? Which one?
Make your case. Let’s see if it takes this time.
Filed under: Tags: Musical Musings and Random Ramblings
(you know Who You Are)
wow! you can see me all the way up here?
damnation!
i think, because you’re a live album kinda guy, that you should start with Live at Leeds.
it’s big. it’s loud. it’s huge!
Damnation, indeed.
I am a fan of live albums, no question. That’s one I had in mind as a possibility. That would certainly introduce me to one aspect of the band: the loud, huge, bombast of it all. That’s a point in its favor.
What about the track list for that one? Do I get a good helping of the band’s essential songs? Underneath the mega-wattage of it, will I be able to get a sense of Pete’s songwriting.
you get some early, pop-oriented things like “I Can’t Explain” and “Substitute”…bits and pieces of “Tommy” which includes a really nice “Amazing Journey/Sparks” combo, and then a blistering, almost metal take on “My Generation”.
it’s really the band at or near the top of their game.
Consider this officially taken under advisement. Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ve never become a die-hard Who fan with all the albums and memorized lyrics and a selection of hardback biographies on the shelf, like I have with Springsteen and the Beatles and others…
BUT I think a great starter record for the Who is the one that I started with, Who’s Next.
There’s not a bad song on it, and if you’ve listened to any classic rock/hard rock radio for any period of time, then you know all the songs on it already:
1. Baba O’Riley
2. Bargain
3. Love Ain’t For Keeping
4. My Wife
5. The Song Is Over
6. Getting In Tune
7. Going Mobile
8. Behind Blue Eyes
9. Won’t Get Fooled Again
Just a GREAT GREAT album, full of well-known Who songs that I think represent the band’s sound well. What more could you want?
it’s always been tough for me to decide when Pete hit the songwriting peak. it’s either Who’s Next or Quadrophenia.
i picked Live at Lees for josh because it’s not as hit-laden, being from the earlier period.
i just drove to work and abused my ears with this cd. man, i’d forgotten about the 15 minute My Generation with the long, nearly metallic suite of instrumental bits from Tommy. brutal.
I did a little reading yesterday and the consensus seems to be Leeds and Who’s Next. I might grab both and start there.
Thanks Matt and Mark. I appreciate the input.
let us know how it goes! I have Live at Leeds in my library and have never given it the attention it deserves; I think I know how I’ll spend my afternoon at work…
matt, you have the original Leeds or the reissue?
What?! Don’t “get” The Who? Dude . . . you may have just had your Rocker card revoked.
I’m going to second Mark on Live At Leeds. If you can’t “get” The Who here, you never, ever will. It MUST be first. They are a fire-breathing monster at Leeds. And, really, all you need to do is get the single-disc set. Adding Tommy on the deluxe is fine for die-hards, but it muddles what is a PERFECT live album in shorter form. Let me put it this way: I love this band but can’t remember the last time I listened to the Tommy disc. It’s unnnecessary.
After that, the essentials are, obviously, Who’s Next and Quadrophenia. Screw Tommy. It might have been the first “real” concept album with a story, but it’s bloated – there are some great songs, but there’s a lot of filler. Quad is the shining jewel in The Who’s catalog – an incredible, beautiful, complex story that never gets old and solid songs all the way through. And then you need By Numbers. And then Who Are You . . . and Sell Out. Those are the true Who essentials, IMO. I can’t live without them.
And then check out Townshend’s Empty Glass – The Who album that should have been.
All of these albums are good all the way through – put ‘em on, loud, and enjoy. They had one of the best long stretches of any band I know besides The Beatles.
oh right, i forgot that they also put out the full concert version of this. yes josh, get the single disc set.
also, if you somehow become a fan of the very early pop stuff, Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy is pretty good.
…and you know how much i hate compilations!
still, Leeds is the thing.
it will make your speakers fall over and beg for mercy.
It goes against my nature to get an abbreviated version of a show. If it’s better with half the shit gone, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it?
heh, this is weird but you have to understand the history of this recording. the very first lp release was a single lp, having less content on it than the current single cd release.
of course, the shortened version was first released on cd, then the expanded disc came out many years later (which we’re recommending), and then the two-disc (which i don’t even have).
i guess way back when, they didn’ t want to make this a double (or even triple) lp.
Also, it’s important to note that the Tommy portion of the show falls right in the middle of the concert, but has to be presented by itself on disc two, with the rest of the concert flowing as one “show” on disc one. You really are not missing anything by not having Tommy, trust me. Despite my not being a big fan of this album, this live album is SO much tighter without it and with the awesome “Amazing Journey/Sparks” set in the middle of the single-disc version. Trust me on this one – I’m a completist and usually want the full shows, but it is not necessary here. If this is to be your introduction to The Who, I have to insist on the single disc – the deluxe is bloated in all the wrong ways (and reportedly the sound of the single disc is far superior to the deluxe – I’m going to pick up a copy to find out soon, but mostly because I miss this lineup of songs.)
For songwriting, Quadrophenia. As for Live At Leeds? Arguably the greatest live album ever made.
-Glen
Naturally, I bought the deluxe edition of Leeds and Who’s Next. I read about the sound quality of both sets and heard mixed things, so I threw my hands up and went for the big now. I just couldn’t help myself. I had to do it. I’m used to bloated live albums, so I think I can make my way through this. If the Tommy is on Disc 2, I should be able to get a feel for what you guys are talking about.
We’ll see if you guys can drag me into this whole Who thing.