With Performances Culled From Four Different Live Shows, “The Blues To The Bush” Chronicled What Were To Be Some Of John Entwistle’s Final Major Shows With The Who.

Released by the now defunct MusicMaker.com in 1999, “The Blues To The Bush” was a live double album that documented four of the band’s final major shows with John Entwistle. The first two took place at the House Of Blues in Chicago on the 12^th and 13^th of November, and the other two found the ‘Oo back at home, rocking the Empire Theatre in Shepherd’s Bush during Christmas. The surviving trio (with Pete playing electric guitar from start to finish for the first time since 1982) was augmented by long-serving keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick and no other than Zak Starkey on drums. Zak was actually encouraged to play the instrument as a child by Keith Moon (whom he referred to as “Uncle Keith”), and “The Blues To The Bush” was the first official product in which he could be heard drumming with the band.

The idea was that people could buy the full set or one CD or the other only, and also rearrange the tracks as they saw fit.

The tracklist itself was a predictable selection of straightahead classics along with some curveballs like “After The Fire” and “Getting In Tune” thrown in with a lot of gusto. I must admit I bought the album on their strength alone, and because there was nothing I wanted more than listening to a live version of “You Better You Bet” (I am yet to get my hands on a copy of “Join Together”).

As it turned out, the live “You Better You Bet” was the absolute highlight of an otherwise spotty set.

The two main problems are that: A) The bass is undermixed all the way through, and (I feel awful for saying it, but the truth is the truth) B) Roger’s voice sounds shot on most numbers. Compare the version of “I’m A Boy” featured on this set with the one found on “Live At Leeds”, for example. He only sounds like himself on “You Better You Bet”, and when they unleash warhorses like “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Baba O’ Riley” (in which Zak’s performance is second to none) and “My Generation”.

Also, the fact that customers could actually choose which songs to buy (and set down their very own running orders) leads to all tracks fading in and out. That invariably lessens the continuity of the whole album.

At any rate, “The Blues To The Bush” features an extended solo by John Entwistle on the always-astonishing “5.15”. That sets the bar somehow higher – certainly, high-enough for fans of the band to want to have the album.

Obviously, with MusicMaker.com long dead and gone, getting an original copy is harder than not laughing at Liam Gallagher’s recent comments that Beady Eyes is way better than Oasis in its prime. Yet, copies are found on eBay and related marketplaces every now and then. I have seen the amount they retail for, and I frankly wouldn’t pay that much. I got my copy right when the album was issued, and even then I was reluctant to “call it a bargain… the best I ever had”. And not even the fact that “The Blues To The Bush” has become one of the band’s final documents with John Entwistle changes that, I am afraid.

Rating: 6.5/10

A classic rock & roll image, the cover of The Who's epoch-defining album was chosen over a shot featuring Keith Moon on wig and corset (!).

The monolith depicted on the cover of Who’s Next is found on Sheffield. You might know that already, but what you might not know is that the monolith is surrounded by lots of similar constructions. Have a good look at this video, shot by a fan:

The photo was taken by Ethan A. Russell.

And I hate bringing rock & roll myths down, but the band members did not really urinate on the monolith. Rainwater was tipped from an empty film canister to create the intended effect.

A Double Album, "The Kids Are Alright" Was The Companion Piece To One Of The Most Memorable Rock & Roll Biopics Ever

The soundtrack to Jeff Stein’s highly-adored biopic is a double album made up of live highlights. Of course, the terms “live” and “highlight” are the bywords when we are talking about The Who with Keith Moon sitting behind the kit.

The version of “A Quick One” at the Rolling Stones’ Rock & Roll Circus leads the charge. The Who stole the show that day, to the point that the Stones (aware that they had been outplayed) later tried to sell the movie to The Who so that they could release it as their Rock & Roll Circus. Personally, I like the version which is included on the “Live At Leeds” album even better. But in any case, both cuts showcase what a demolishing live band The Who was during the “Tommy” period.

That is also underlined by the three songs from Woodstock which are included – all three are “Tommy” numbers (“Pinball Wizard”, “Sparks” and “See Me, Feel Me”) and they are all terrific. They can also be found on the original “Woodstock” soundtrack. The version of “Sparks”, incidentally, is also featured on “Almost Famous” – it is the song that makes the main character realize his destiny of becoming a music journalist.

Likewise, the album includes the cataclysmic performance from “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” that earned Moon the moniker of “British Patent Exploding Number”. It is not really a “live” number (they are playing over a track which was prerecorded), but it has the full dialogue introduction in which the guys drive Tommy Smothers crazy.

And three songs are featured from two concerts which were specifically scheduled for the film. The first took place at Kilburn and it was a major disaster. The one track from that concert which found its way here proves it, as the band struggles through “My Wife”, arguably John Entwistle’s best stage number alongside “Heaven & Hell” and one that they seldom got wrong. For years, fans have joked that the live version of “My Wife” recorded at that gig was only included on “The Kids Are Alright” as a way to show that the band could have days off, just like everybody else.

The second show that was arranged for the movie was a different story, though. The band played to a hand-picked audience at Shepperton, on the week Pete Townshend had turned 33. The excellent versions of “Baba O’ Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” found here come from that show (the band’s last with Keith).

The album also has some studio cuts like “Magic Bus”, “I Can See For Miles”, “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” and “Long Live Rock”. That was an early ’70s track which was meant to be issued as a single after “Let’s See Action”, “Join Together” and “The Relay” had run their courses – a plan that never came to fruition. That was quite disconcerting, specially when we remember that a full rock revival was taking place back then. With its sassy lyrics and back-to-basics sound, “Long Live Rock” would have been a much better single. Well, it finally got its own release as this soundtrack’s first radio cut.

“The Kids Are Alright” hit the theaters shortly after Keith Moon’ tragic demise. The movie had Keith as the undisputed protagonist of its brightest scenes. So did this soundtrack album. It was to be a difficult ride for The Who from this point onwards. The kids weren’t alright any longer. But they were still there for all of us. Yet, they tried to communicate with a younger audience that was not really receptive to what they were saying. How loud they were playing was all that mattered to them. And when that happens, when a band performs in front of an audience that has stopped listening, its ability to say something meaningful is affected.

Rating: 7.5/10

"Thunderfingers: The Best Of John Entwistle" Gathers Together The Standout Tracks From John's First Five Solo Albums. Special Emphasis Is Placed On "Smash Your Head Against The Wall" (1971) and "Whiste Rhymes" (1972).

Not many would guess it, but the first member of The Who to issue a solo album wasn’t Pete Townshend. It wasn’t even Roger Daltrey. It was no other than John Entwistle, the stolid Ox, the man who anchored the sound of the band onstage to a degree that surpassed anything ever did in the history or music before (or since, for that matter).

The fact that Entwistle was the first band member to put a solo record out is not that surprising if you begin digging into the story of the band. He was “discovered” as a songwriter at the time of the “A Quick One” sessions, when manager Kit Lambert signed everybody to Essex music to get a meaty advance. The terms of the contract necessitated every member of the band write two songs for the forthcoming album, and John came up with the enduring “Boris The Spider” and the hysterical “Whisky Man”. From that point onwards, he would continue honing his skills and providing one or two tracks for each subsequent Who album.

Yet, his songs could never dominate a Who record. His approach differed drastically from Townshend’s. Pete was more of a traditionalist, while John was an absurdist. Had he ever taken the major writing credit for a Who album, the shift in style would have been too abrupt. Only die-hards would have gotten it.

That is why his songs were mostly relegated to B-sides. And album filler. Only one Entwistle song was ever released as a Who A-side, and that was because the album was masterminded by John. The song “Postcard” was the lead single off “Odds & Sods”, The Who’s “official bootleg”. John was asked to compile it while the other members of the band were occupied by film and stage projects.

So, it could be said that his frustration at having his own material relegated time after time gave birth to his solo career. But Keith Moon once remarked something that had more than an inkling of truth: John did not want The Who to record many of his songs. He was afraid they would “ruin” them to some extent.

John’s solo career started in 1971 with the album “Smash Your Head Against The Wall”, and ended in 2000 with the soundtrack “Music For Van-pires”. This compilation doesn’t get that far – it was issued in 1996, and it covers up to “Too Late The Hero”, the album that was his last solo offering for more 15 years (an unreleased ‘80s album named “The Rock” would surface the same year this compilation was issued).

The first thing you must realize is that the solo Entwistle doesn’t rock as hard as you might expect or hope. Any person who is looking for the headbanging fun of his Who classics like “My Wife”, “Boris The Spider” and “Success Story” would be disappointed. He only rocks that hard on the opening song, “My Size” (which is nothing but the revenge of “Boris The Spider”). Elsewhere, there are a lot of songs that nod to vintage rock & roll like “Roller Skate Kate” (complete with an Elvis impersonation) and Mad Dog (where he has a female trio taking the lead). There are even all-out acoustic songs like “What Are We Doing Here?”, whereas the album has a grim ending in the shape of two songs from “Too Late The Hero” (“Fallen Angel” and the title track). Joe Walsh guested on that album, and it was a mostly a doom-laden effort dealing with personal and professional failure – John’s marriage was on the rocks, while his abilities as a composer were waning – and he knew it.

What this compilation provides in spades, now, is his unflinching dark humor. Songs like “Made In Japan”, “I Found Out” and “Pick Me Up” will have you in stitches from start to finish. And “I Believe In Everything” and “Drowning” have an approach that bends more towards irony than outright humor. And they flesh out the album pretty well.

Finally, I must mention that the packaging is quite good, with liner notes provided by Who specialist Chris Charlesworth and track by track commentary by the Ox himself. Does it get any better than this? Yes, it does. There is a picture of John sporting a moustache a la Cantinflas. Geez. And as if that wasn’t eerie enough, there is another of him in leather pants. Double geez.

Do I recommend purchase of this compilation: Yes
Do I feel like digging deeper in his catalog after listening to it: Yes

Now that I have finished reviewing all the albums that The Who released during its original run, the time is ripe for individualizing the five studio records of the guys I can’t do without. As I always say, this is just a matter of personal tastes. I have to say it again because having included “Face Dances” at the expense of “Who Are You” or “Tommy” could end up in me being lynched. I am just highlighting the albums I can connect with the most. You can let us all know what you think by posting a comment below with your own favorites.

1- Who’s Next

The Who’s most consistent album from start to finish, and that is specially remarkable considering the tensions it caused within the band, the friction with their longtime managers and the risks that they took by embracing new technology so openly. If you listen to classic rock stations, you already know more than half of the songs on offer here – “Baba O’ Rile” (aka “Teenage Wasteland”), “Behind Blue Eyes”, Won’t Get Fooled Again”…

And the ones that you don’t know are no B leaguers in any sense (“Getting In Tune”, “The Song Is Over”, “Going Mobile”…)

2- Quadrophenia

A very problematic album turned to be a timeless work about identity – Pete Townshend’s key theme, and one that few have investigated as thoroughly as him. The 1996 remaster put everything in a mix as balanced as that of “Who’s Next”, making listening to this double album as pleasant to the ear as it is to your intellection.

3- Face Dances

How good would a poppy Who sound? The answer lies in this album, the first with Kenny Jones onboard. It produced their last chart hit, the dynamite “You Better You Bet”. But it also had some great songs in the shape of “Don’t Let Go The Coat” and “Another Tricky Day”. In each and every case, Roger’s delivery is more nuanced than usual. It is a pleasure to listen to him on this record. And the remastered CD is a true gem.

4- The Who By Numbers

A dark album, but also one of the most elaborate lyrical workouts of Pete with the band. The songs were clearly meant for a solo disc, hence the wordiness that somehow annunciates his solo oeuvre. It is a dark album, so be careful.

5- The Who Sings My Generation

One of the most inspirational debuts ever, this was one of the few ‘60s discs that a ‘70s punk could enthuse about without receiving a good kicking. Moon steals the show, but Pete and John do not really lag behind – Townshend shows a knack for voicing the thoughts of others, and Entwistle shows the kids what a bass solo sounds like on the title track. Roger still has some way to go, and that is why I can’t rank this higher.

Honorary mention: Live At Leeds

This should actually be placed at the top of the preceding list, but since I decided to include only studio albums that wasn’t to be. Still, no list of great Who works is complete without this mammoth of a live disc, issued at a time in which performances went down on tape as they were – no fancy editing or overdubbing. The Who sound impeccable because they were impeccable. And bestially unstoppable at the same time.

Read what I had to say about the original LP here.

The remastered “Odds & Sods” was issued in 1998, effectively becoming the final Who album to be expanded and reissued (leaving aside “My Generation”, which as I am sure you know remained in Shel Talmy’s grip). There was a lot of curiosity to see what was going to be added, and how it would be presented. Well, as it turned out the album length was more than doubled (it went from 11 to 23 tracks), and the new “Odds & Sods” was presented in chronological order. Now the album started with “I’m The Face” and finished with “Water”.

Led by Jon Astley, the archivists unearthed three true gems. The first two were from the sessions for Who’s Next: “Time Is Passing” and “Love Is For Keeping”. Of course, every self-respecting Who fan knew “Time Is Passing” from Pete’s version on “Who Came First”, but The ‘Oo’s version did not lag behind in any sense, and it evinced a gentle vocal by Roger at the time he was truly at the top of the Totem. And the song was fantastic even when it was only half the song – the channels that were meant to be on the left side were missing. As I explained when reviewing “Who Came First”, some bootlegger found them and put the full version together. Good luck if you can find it…

The “new” version of “Love Is For Keeping” was the electric take mentioned on the booklet of the reissued “Who’s Next”. Lesley West (from Mountain) played electric with Pete, and the result was equally as satisfying as “Baby Don’t You Do It” from the bonus-fortified “Who’s Next”.

The final true discovery was to be an outtake from “Quadrophenia“, “We Close Tonight”. But there was something strange about it – the song was credited to Pete but vocals were handled by John and Keith. That was something rare indeed, and the uber developed bass line just makes the question mark on who really composed it stand all the more noticeable. Personally, I think that “We Close Tonight” was the one song John wrote for “Quadrophenia”, and that he eventually chose to discard since he feared it summarized the whole opera in one song.

Elsewhere, collectors were certain thrilled to hear the “Cousin Kevin” demo – originally sung by Keith, the final version on “Tommy” was to be sung by everybody but the effervescent drummer, and have the opposite tone from the demo. There was also a (lame) version of “Young Man Blues” which was recorded at around the same time, and some Eddie Cochran numbers that were considered for “Sell Out”. Those were the live powerhouse “Summertime Blues” and the lesser-known “My Way”.

Finally, a rare acetate provided two early rare recordings of “Baby Don’t You Do It” and “Leavin’ Here”.

By their mere nature, both the original and the remastered “Odds & Sods” could never be more than documents for fans that would do just anything to get their hands on those performances. If anything, some of the “new” tracks just showcased how injudicious was “30 Years Of Maximum R & B” put together, as both “Time Is Passing” and “Love Ain’t For Keeping” could have lent the boxed set just that little more oomph. The same went for “We Close Tonight” – it beat the unreleased demo of “The Real Me” with Kenney Jones hands down.

At the end of the day, this was just a parallel story, and like most parallel stories only those who knew every chapter and incident that had originally taken place could get to the end of it with a satisfied mien, scratch their chins and mumble “So, that was it”. I made this album one of my final Who acquisitions. I advise you to do the same. It doesn’t transmit the sense of brilliance of the band, but (as long as you know the records) it does give you a framework for understanding it more wholly. Most of all, some of the songs show them having real fun in a studio. The story of the band was to be somehow grave from a certain point onwards. It is priceless to be reminded that they could have a good time together, the four of them in the same room. And that is what I bet many fans will treasure as far as this album goes.

Rating:

Original album: 6.5/10
Remastered CD: 7.5/10

"Odds & Sods" Was Compiled By John Entwistle In 1974 At The Band's Behest, In Order To Buy Time For A "Proper" Who Album

“Odds & Sods” was an album of rarities that The Who had John Entwistle assemble while the members of the band were engrossed in other film and career projects. The year was 1974. John came up with an album that had “I’m The Face”, The Who’s very first single from 1964 (when they were known as The High Numbers), a song that was always very popular onstage like “Naked Eye” (from an aborted post “Who’s Next” EP) and the tune that had inspired “Lifehouse”, “Pure & Easy”. That was by far the most notable omission on the finished “Who’s Next” (remember, the band did not choose the songs that were featured – Glyn Johns did), and its inclusion on an official album was long overdue

Two other songs from that troubled but incredibly fruitful period include “Put The Money Down” and “Now I’m A Farmer”. The first is actually every bit as good as any other song Pete wrote about performers and fans. The jawbone synthesizer is also noticeable, if only because it gives Keith a chance to play around the beat like only he could do in his prime. The song also has one of Roger’s most bestial screams ever, I am a bit perplexed that the fact is seldom mentioned.

On the other hand, “Now I’m A Farmer” is a jumble of a song, jumping from a rockier tune to a silly folksier number back and forth and back and forth, and with Keith Moon impersonating an old farmer at the end. The song was even shortly considered for inclusion on “Tommy” right before the band decided to make it a double album – that was a time when they also thought about including “Young Man Blues” on the deaf, dumb and blind boy’s opera.

Entwistle’s one contribution to the album was “Postcard”, a song about the band’s life on the road which was fine, although only devoted fans got the full joke.  (There’s kangaroos and we’re bad news in Australia/Thrown off the plane for drinking beer/So long on the plane it drove us insane/So long on the plane). The song was to be the one and only Entwistle-penned composition to be issued as a Who A-side.

Of course, the album also had “Long Live Rock”, the song in which the band was to remind every punk and tough guy that was to come afterwards that “We were the first band to vomit in the bar/and find the distance to the stage too far”. The song was eventually issued as a single to promote “The Kids Are Alright” in 1979.

“Odds & Sods” also had some early stuff like “Little Billy”, a song that the American Cancer Association had commissioned Pete to write, but which they eventually rejected since they found it too gross for its intended audience – children. The song was also notable for having Keith Moon play a hi-hat.

Likewise, the album had “Faith On Something Bigger”, self-touted by Pete as one his worst acid-fueled compositions. I beg to disagree, seeing that the companion pieces to that period were songs like “Dogs”, and that was released as a single.

Far more substantial was “Glow Girl”, a song that constituted the true womb of Tommy, with its reincarnation ending and the lines “It’s a girl, Ms. Walker, It’s a girl”. If anything, the song showcased how Pete had labored at the famed opera and how the finished piece came from just everywhere. Townshend stated his outright enthusiasm for the inclusion of the song on “Odds & Sods” upon being interviewed by the NME when the album was issued. That interview, incidentally, is used as the accompanying text for the remastered “Odds & Sods” that saw release in 1998. The new version had more than twice the number of tracks the original album had, and you can read about it in part 2 of this review.

Read Part 2 of this review: the remastered “Odds & Sods” scrutinized.

This Compilation Surfaced In 1996, And It Coincided With The Remastered Series

This was the single disc compilation that accompanied the remastered series that were issued in the ‘90s. The disc has 20 tracks, and many were the remastered versions that the forthcoming CDs were to include.

On the whole, the compilers did a very good job. All the early non-album singles minus “Call Me Lightning” and “Dogs” are included. From “Tommy“, we have “Pinball Wizard”. From “Who’s Next” we have “Baba O’Riley” and Won’t Get Fooled Again” (both unedited). Beside, two of the three Lifehouse leftovers that were issued as singles are here. They are “Let’s See Action” and “Join Together”. We are missing the final one, “The Relay”. It is a loss, but not a great one. The best thing about it is Moon’s funky drum track. But the other two singles were the real deal, and they proved it on the charts.

“Quadrophenia” is represented by just the one track, “5.15” (also unabridged). Finally, we have the ineluctable “Squeeze Box” (it was a top ten hit after all), an edited “Who Are You” and the full length “You Better You Bet”. The song is unremixed. You can tell because the background vocals are not as crisp as on the reissued “Face Dances”.   

A selection that can stir some controversy is “Boris The Spider”. The song was a fan favorite, retained in every concert they played with John. But it was never released as a single, and its inclusion just opens the discussion regarding other songs fans love that could have been included like “Bargain” or “Slip Kid”.

Two serious omissions: “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Love, Reign O’er Me”.

A warranted omission: any track from “It’s Hard”.

In any case, this CD is a far better deal than the “30 Years Of Maximum R & B” boxed set. Geez, that didn’t even have the studio version of “Substitute”, available here in the best quality up to that date.

On a side note, this was the second Who CD I ever bought, right after “Who’s Next”. It is a very even compilation, but two more good ones were yet to come: the “Ultimate” set (made up of 2 CDs that included all the tracks featured on this single disc, and many of the omissions that were listed above) and the “Then & Now” disc (2004), including two unreleased tracks that were surprisingly good.

Personally, I find this a very good summation of the band’s career. Those wanting all the hits will have to go for the “Ultimate Collection” (which was issued in 2002, incidentally), but if all that you want is an (extensive) sampler of the band and the peaks they could reach, this will play the part perfectly. And it will also leave enough questions unanswered so as to entice you to buy the individual albums.

Would I recommend purchase of this compilation: Yes
Do I feel like digging deeper into their catalog after listening to it: Yes

Recorded In 1970 At The Isle Of Wight, The Who's Legendary Performance Was Finally Issued In 1996

It may sound incredible –  nay, it is incredible – but a live rendering of Tommy by the original lineup was not released until this double album was issued in 1996. The one landmark live disc by the band bypassed Tommy almost entirely. And the one “official” release that had a full performance was as diluted as it could ever possible be – it was part of the “Join Together” box set, with a trillion guest chirping in and a backing band as huge as to render the three surviving members irrelevant.

That was the reason everybody flocked to this when it was issued in 1996. We all had our appetites whetted the previous year, as a video of the performance was released by Murray Lerner. Although it was not the full performance, it sufficed to send everybody counting the days until a live CD was issued. And we didn’t have to wait that long, fortunately.

When pitched against “Leeds” (the obvious comparison) the disc does not fare that well in terms of sound. The main problem to me is that Moon is nowhere as well miked, and the drums sound flat. The whole concert you listen to “tock, tock, tock” as if a table was being knocked. And speaking of Moon, he is not entirely in as the show starts – he gathers pace and starts hitting hard as the “Tommy” set is nearing.

The “Tommy” set. Whenever this album is discussed, that seems to be all there is to be said. The truth is that if you compare the other live performances found here with their “Leeds” counterparts they are mostly inferior – “Substitute” in particular is incredibly punchless. The one exception is the live version of “Young Man Blues”, as the Isle Of Wight interpretation blows any other into the ionosphere.

A nice find of the Isle Of Wight album is “I Don’t Even Know Myself”. The song was only played live for a short time, and it is a definitive rarity. And this 2-disc set also has “Water”. I am a bigger fan of other versions (the one provided as a bonus track on the remastered “Who’s Next” springs to mind), yet I know many to whom the song can’t last less than 8 minutes. They will be quite pleased with the one found here, then.

But make no mistake, the album is a must owing to the energy-sapping performance the guys put all through the concert. “Tommy” live is every bit as legendary as we all have read, and you get to see how some snippets like “There’s A Doctor” take a life on their own onstage (they were dull on record). And I must say that after listening to “Tommy” as performed here, my appreciation of the original album was bolstered considerably. And the maxim “Every show from the Tommy-era would make a great live album” is proven to be true.

Rating: 8.5/10

The "Tommy" Movie Saw Release In 1975. Ken Russell Directed It, And He Modified Several Key Aspects Of The Plot.

An absolute abomination of a movie, “Tommy” (1975) was directed by the ever-controversial Ken Russell. That was the director Pete Townshend actually wanted owing to his artistic background. Pete also thought having Ken along for the ride would free him for having to explain the story ever and ever again, but he was wrong – Russell needed him no less than any other director that the band and (specially) their managers had approached for years on end to get this thing together.

In any case, Ken was to rewrite the whole story, and a major shift took place, as Tommy’s drama was situated outside his family (the lover kills the father here, rather than the other way around) and the film mainly revolves around the attempt to market and sell the deaf, dumb and blind boy’s vision to the world. In other words: Ken Russell’s Tommy is the original work without any innocence or magic. I could barely enjoy the original album, and the little appreciation I had for it stemmed from those two attributes. I don’t need to tell you how much I suffered through the entire running time of this travesty of a movie.

In case you don’t know, this is a musical – there is not an actual line of dialogue spoken. And Daltrey’s best lines are sung by film stars Oliver Reed and Ann Margret. Cameos come from a zillion musicians (Eric Clapton as the Preacher, Tina Turner as the Acid Queen, Elton John as the Champ) and actors like Jack Nicholson (he plays the Doctor).

Another Poster For The "Tommy" Movie.

The worst thing about the movie is that it fragmented the band further on after the unsuccessful Quadrophenia tours. If you want to pinpoint the moment Tommy became an albatross around their necks, look no further than this train wreck assembled by Ken Russell. Another sad fact is that since the Who were involved, they were dragged down into the mire as far this pompous movie went.

Highlights? Keith Moon playing the unsettling Uncle Ernie. Elton John playing “Pinball Wizard” (he appears backed by The Who, but the track actually featured his stage band). Elton’s version of the bally table hymn was to be a hit, in fact. You can watch these clips on YouTube. There is no need to go hunting for the whole movie at all. If you loved the original album, it is going to mar your perception of it. And if you couldn’t ever really listen to it to begin with… enough said.