Pete Townsend

The Who: The Road to “Tommy”

Episode 10

Episode date - December 7, 2018

How Music Changed
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    To understand the Who, you should consider that its de facto leader, Pete Townshend, needed to think significantly ahead in terms of the band’s direction. His ideas from 1967-68 are what eventually becomes the band’s next project in 1969.

    This was especially true in the months before the release of “Tommy”. Townshend needed to come up with a ‘theme’ – by now a necessity for him in regard to providing a source of inspiration – and then develop material, all while trying to maintain the band in its present state.

    It was a very uncertain time for the band, and this show features new music that had generally been intended for use in an opera that was percolating in his brain, along with a few other contemporary bits, including the band’s remarkable performance at the Rolling Stone’s ‘Rock and Roll Circus’, and Townshend’s production work for a few musicians that he admired.

    Featured tracks include;

    Glow Girl

    Little Billy

    Magic Bus

    A Quick One While He’s Away

    Accidents

    Something in the Air

    My Way

    Faith in Something Bigger

    Young Man Blues

    Cousin Kevin Model Child

    Pinball Wizard (demo)

    Dogs Part Two

    Channel 150 - The Who