We’re redesigning the site. We’ll be back in a “bit”.
You can still access WhoTabs and Baba’s Bootlegs, the rest of the site is temporarily down while we get things back in order
In the mean time – check out some videos we’ve found around the web
And see what we’ve been posting on Facebook!
Concert of the day
On June 2, 2007 The Who played the Rose Bowl in Southampton, Hampshire
Our friends at The Who Concert Guide have the setlist here: www.thewholive.net/concert/index.php?id=1698
I created a playlist of the audience videos I found on YouTube here:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhxp0oHBb9in4hxp3pPx7caPR8eP9fpq
Ticket and Poster courtesy of Gary Currell
Brilliant evening.
Concert of the day
On June 2, 2001 John Entwistle played Atlantic City, New Jersey at The Shell Trump Marina Casino
Visit our friends at The Who Concert Guide for the setlist here: www.thewholive.net/concert/index.php?id=1373
Convicted Felon Marina.
And Trump probably still hasn't paid him
Article of the day
On June 2, 1977 Rolling Stone magazine carried an article titled "Who's still angry? Roger Daltrey is" by Mick Brown
Images courtesy of Chuck Lenz
You can read it here: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/whos-still-angry-roger-daltrey-is-247354/
Video of the day
On June 2, 1975 Roger went to Shepperton Studios for the first day of a two-day shoot of music videos to promote his second solo album, Ride a Rock Horse.
Great song!
Who’s the backing band??
👍👍
Brill jimbo the mod 😀😎
Article of the day
On June 2, 1968 Paul Nelson writes a long rave review of The Who Sell Out in The New York Times.
Transcription:
'Rock Is Too Serious,' Say The Who
IT may or may not be true that "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has made the themeless rock LP all but obsolete, but certainly no one can minimize the intluence of The Beatles masterwork in terms of album conceptualization, intellectualism and structure. Although
the death notices for the random ock collection may be greatly exaggerated, it is more than coincidence that such recent releases as The Who Sell out (Decca DL 74950) and The Vanilla Fudge’s The Beat Goes On (Atco SD 33-237) fit squarely into the mainstream of the new “concept album” genre.
Whether this growing trend in pop music toward formalism is positive or negative is arguable. Some say that too much emphasis on the cerebral can only kill the basic joy and vitality of the music, while others see the new intellectualism as the coming of age for rock as an art form. Obviously, this question of Art with a capital A has no answer. Either side can be right or wrong depending on the ammunition used to attack or repel. Pro: The Who appear to wear their classicality naturally so the trend seems both inherent and logical. Con: The rigorous pseudo intellectualism of The Vanilla Fudge positively overwhelms any free-flowing niceties the group might otherwise present.
Ironically, Peter Townshend, the lead guitarist for The Who and one of rock’s most brilliant and influential songwriters, takes a curious and often pragmatic position on the growing formalism. He feels that “there’s no bloody youth in music today.” One of the groups main purposes in “The Who Sell Out,” said Townshend when I interviewed him, was “to lighten up, to take away some of the seriousness which seems to hang around the band, which isn’t really there … We wanted to change the fact that so many fans approach us so seriously.”
Why then, the “concept” approach?
“It’s got a slight formalism because we thought we needed a form throughout the album to make it stand up within the terms of the other albums coming out today. Having a form for an album seems to be what is happening, and we wanted a form for ours which would be … very humanistic.
“Our title, ‘The Who Sell Out’ is not meant tin the usual terms of ‘selling out’ or sales. It refers to the fact that we’ve ‘sold out’ to a concept of advertising . We’ve got commercials on the album which we composed about genuine products like Heinz Beans, Medic, Odorono, and stuff like that. We’ve written songs about them and stuck them in. And that led to another idea: that of making the whole album into a radio program.”
The “Radio London” format comes complete with all the accoutrements of Top-40 radio: the aforementioned commercials, station identifications, never-a-silent0moment sound montages, an express-train pace. This mock unity casts a lovely satiric spell over most of the record.
Some of the depth and humor is apparent in the ideas Townshend has on the use of commercials within the LP:
“Some of them are short and some of them take the length of proper songs. The most successful one is the one I wrote, I think. It’s called ‘Odorono.’ This is the nearest to the idea which I originally had, which was to make songs about real products — but real songs as well, you know. It’s about a more is apparent in the ideas a star. She’s taking an audition and an impresario is coming to see her about of of her jobs and everything goes fantastically well.
“What arises out of it is the fact that the impresario is quite a fantastic guy and that another relationship occurs. She’s singing, he’s watching, and they kind of fall in love. He rushes backstage to congratulate her and it looks like she’s all set not only for stardom but also for true love. And then, underarm perspiration cut the whole thing out. And, you know, without getting too serious about it because it’s supposed to be very light, that’s life. It really is. That really is life.”
Townshend’s textual craftsmanship and the musical inventiveness of The Who are clearly illustrated in “Odorono”. Written in the language of the dime romance (with such cliches as “She was happier than she’d ever been” and “He really was quite handsome,” the song utilizes some ironic choral work (“Triumphant!”) and a wonderfully apt and economic guitar figure which comments on the action from the outside and provides sharp Brechtian distancing. In “Real” Townshend’s brilliant philosophical parable, the repetition of legend-simple verses
Real, the more of my
religion
To me, the center of the
earth
sets up mythological tensions as real pragmatism defeats Real idealism with a straight-forward announcement by the underlings that seekers are crazy and should be abandoned, especially for personal gain.
There are other fine songs. “Armenia City in the Sky” surpasses its beautiful title, while “I Can See for Miles” proves once again that Keith Moon is perhaps the best drummer in rock. “I Can’t Reach You” is very moving, as is the lovely “Sunrise” (“You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise”), accompanied by a single acoustic guitar. “Cobwebs and Strange,” that Charles Ives-like marvel from the “Happy Jack” album, re-appears in slightly altered form for baked beans!
The Who have always created perfect and true children’s songs. Sentimental but no saccharine, they blend nostalgia with psychology to build a tough-tender, child-like magic that consistently refuses the targets of the hack, soft-focus idylls. The best of these songs — and my favorite number on the record — is the childhood hymn of wonder, “Tattoo..” Two small boys decide they have found the secret of manhood. The results seem grand to the boys, no so grand to others. The exuberant joy and innocence of the choruses (the second line changes) conjure a very special magic not easily forgotten, and the final defiant, take-that! couplet adds just the right note to the son’s years-later ending.
If “The Who Sell Out” exemplifies nearly everything that a good “concept” rock album should, which kind of a disaster is “The Beat Goes On” by the Vanilla Fudge? The worst kind, I fear: A record so filled with overblown emotionalism and Gothic pretentiousness that whatever creativity the group may have is strangled by the smog of pseudointelligence work. The Fudge should never have heard “Sgt. Pepper”; their idea of a “concept” is a sort of B student’s essay on world history, which guitarist Vinnie Martell describes as “The beat of life goes on, ever changing…This album is people throughout he world - their hopes, their dreams, their emotions. We hold only the truths … And the beat goes on.”
The LP is divided into four phases, each one worse than the last. Phase 1 takes us from the 18th century to The Beatles, from slavery to the movement to the cities; in short essentially meaningless song fragments. Phase 2 is terrorized Beethoven. Phase 3, an aural equivalent of a Stanley Kramer antiwar movie, uses actual historical voices. But the real bomb is Phase 4, “Merchange/The Game IS Over.” After Martell has told us What It All Means, bassist Tim Bogert demonstrates the art of unintentional self-annihilation in an interview so smug (“I just hope the trek gets lighter”) and full of platitudes (“Sex is a very beautiful thing”) that it is difficult to believe.
As an example of gargoyle rock, “The Beat Goes On” is perfect. As an example of music with real meaning, it is nothing, nothing at all.
Thanks so much for that, Scott. FYI, though, it looks like Rael was auto-corrected to Real. I mean, it definitely says Real, but I trust that YOU typed it correctly!
Nice read
That's a great review. I wish there was something worthy of that kind of discussion these days... Nice to see a mention of I Can't Reach You, and I have to admit I'm slightly intrigued by the Vanilla Fudge album too!
Photos of the day
On June 2, 1966 The Who played the Gröna Lund in Stockholm before 11,000 fans.
Along with their usual fare, they played a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Uptight."
Thanks to Marc Starcke for allowing me to share his collection of photos from this show!
They did well with the Scandinavians. The Smithereens were also supported well, early on in those countries. The Who are a big influence.
One of my teachers i had when i was younger whas there. It was awesome he said to me 🙂
I wish there could be official releases of full shows from the first two albums era
Photos of the day
On June 2, 1965 The Who had their first concert outside the United Kingdom at the Club au Golf Drouot in Paris
Because the show is in France - Visit our friends at Les Who en France to see a bunch of photos from this show!
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1688584597836315&type=3
Photo by Jean Louis Rancurel
Concert of the day
On June 1, 2007 The Who played Liberty Stadium in Swansea
Our friends at Ivor the Engine Drivers Doorway have the following videos from this show:
The Seeker: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa61zt
Who Are You: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa6221
The Real Me: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa62gv
Eminence Front: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa62cg
My Generation/Cry If You Want: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa62j3
Relay: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa6296
Behind Blue Eyes: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa627i
See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You: www.dailymotion.com/video/xa62sk
Crackin photos! 🥰
DVD-Audio of the day
On June 1, 2004 Silverline Records releases From The Front Row...Live! John Entwistle on DVD-Audio
Image courtesy of www.thewhothismonth.com
Concert of the day
On June 1, 2001 John Entwistle played The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY
Were you there? Do you happen to have a ticket, flyer or photo from the show??
Was he picking his feet?...
Joe Lutsky
Movie of the "day"
Sometime during June 1996 Listening To You: The Who At The Isle Of Wight, Murray Lerner's movie of The Who's concert at the 3rd Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, is released in Europe and Japan on videotape and laserdisc
The camera operater clearly wasn't interested in Entwistle that day...
Have a Japanese VHS, subtitles the banter lol
Loved Pete’s absolute pure anger before trying to windmill his guitar to shreds during Young Man Blues.
my favorite who live phenomenal imo better than live at leeds and way more fun
The 2004 release is far better, has 2 bonus tracks a 40 minute interview and mixed in 5.1 surround sound 🙂
Daltrey's voice was great at this. But unfortunately Pete's guitar does not have the punch that Live at Leeds does.
Part of the brilliant 1970 trilogy of Live at Leeds Live at Hull Live at IOW
Was there
Hab ich!
Isn't the 2004 dvd soundtrack heavily remixed?
Book of the "day"
During June, 1996 Geoffrey Giuliano's unauthorized biography of Pete, Behind Blue Eyes: A Life Of Pete Townshend was published in the U.K.
A pretty lousy book, if I remember rightly. Giuliano was the master of the unauthorised Beatles biography, and this was more of the same. Visited Pete at home during the 1970s and stole some of his Tommy demos.
I had the version second from the right. Lousy book, got rid of it ages ago.
Once had a copy of this, but haven't been able to find it.
Video of the day
During the month of June, 1991 "McEnroe & Cash with The Full Metal Rackets" release the charity single "Rock and Roll" featuring Roger Daltrey.
It is done for Rock Aid Armenia
It was also on Roger's "Moonlighting: The Anthology" 2 CD collection released in 2005 on Sanctuary.
First time hearing this. Wow brings me back to the 80s of collecting Who Vinyl
Good effort Daltrey!👌 ... with some great 'back-up' too!👍 G
I Love Led Zeppelin a whole Hell of a lot. And My parents brought me up on your music, Zeppelin and it All started for Me with The Beatles. 👍
How'd Pete feel about Roger covering Led Zeppelin? A band he despises.
I have the 7’’ of this 👍 always wondered how much it actually raised 💁♂️
LZ needs to sit in the audience and learn how this song should be done. 🙂 Ann Wilson killed it too. Larry
new one for me, thanks! 🎶
That voice!
Horace Austin what u know about this?
Pauline
Andyyyy
Image of the day
On June 1, 1985 Pete took his family to see Bruce Springteen at Slane Castle in Ireland.
He declared Bruce "the greatest rock 'n' roller in the world."
Afterwards he appeared live via satellite on the U.S. ABC-TV program Nightline where he also praised Springsteen.
That’s Paul McGuinness, U2’s former manager, with Pete in the right pic. And Pete’s daughter Aminta with him in the left one.
I like how Pete and Roger have kept politics out of their scene. It's not good business or manners to alienate half of your fans.
Pete's a legend. Springsteen's a huge Dirtbag..
"Book" of the day
On June 1, 1980 The Who Anthology, a collection of Who songs in sheet music form, was published in the U.K.
Got it. It's kind of a mess...songs in different keys from that recorded. The only useful thing I learned from it was the Overture.
I got that in high school. I used to sit with an acoustic guitar, picking out the single notes of the vocal line.
My copy of this, bought in a Midwest mall in Indiana, had a burgundy cover and a number of incorrect lyrics. For example, on BEHIND BLUE EYES - "no one knows what it's like to be faded" not "fated."
i learned Tattoo from that book if i'm not mistaken.
My copy is so well-used that it's a pile of pages.
I had that.... learned a bunch of good somgs 🎶
I had that book! Got smoodgey-smoodgey from all the leafing through.
I've still got it
Haha, I had it of course. I remember it more for its inaccuracies, lol
The Bible 🔥
Used to own that!
Fanzine of the day
The June 1974 issue of Trouser Press Magazine features a caricature of The Who on the cover and lots of good Who content inside!
You can read it, and the rest of the Trouser Press issues, here:
trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-1/
"Album" of the day
On June 1, 1974 Track Records released A Quick One/The Who Sell Out as a low-price double album
I didn't get my copy of this until 1980, but played the hell out of the SELL OUT lp.
I had bought bothe of these as cut-outs the year before, along with the US My Generation album (The Quick One was also the Us "Happy Jack" version); got the British ones on CD much later...
This album briefly appeared in a party scene in Quadrophenia. Technically out of place for the early 60s.
I had this album compilation, unless you purchased the imports this was how you’d have to buy it stateside.
Bought both of these back in the '60s, still have the original copies.
I bought that in the early 80s. Still a Who fanatic with a massive CD collection of their music including the Who's Next Lifehouse Deluxe. 🇬🇧✌️🎶💙
I bought this in the early 80s when I was a high school Whofan!
i also bougfht this in 82 still have it ! back then tower records sold import lps !
I had purchased both much earlier. Love them
Just scored a Decca cutout of Sell Out. Plays super loud. The re-issues sound a tad tamer.
Beans played a great part in the movie Tommy <3
Two of my favorite albums
Bought the originals back in the 60's. Classics ! Catch the parts of RAEL used in TOMMY.
Incredibly important records in my development into the bozo I am now.
Odorono!
AlbumS.
Photos of the day
On June 1, 1969 The Who played the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri with Joe Cocker and The Grease Band opening
Thanks to Marc Starcke for allowing me to share his collection of photos from this show!
Incredible. When you see these pics, totally unfiltered, it seems like if you were there. Wish I had that's for certain 🙂
I've never seen a pic of John playing a blue Precision before! Thanks for sharing 😁
what happened with Led Zeppelin? i thought the Merriweather Post Pavillion gig was the only one with Led Zeppelin.
Magazine of the day (#2)
The June 1968 edition of Beat Instrumental had The Who on the cover and an article titled "Who Live!' by Pete Goodman
Transcription:
WHO LIVE!
THE marquee, in London’s Wardour Street, holds special memories for the Who. Though there are claims that the attendance records have been broken by various other groups, fact is that he “unofficial” record still stands to the boys. For, on one memorable evening, fire regulations and everything else was forgotten as a mass audience crashed in.
This information comes from drummer Keith Moon, who added: “Really we owe everything to the Marquee. This club, early on, was the place to play … and it was responsible for us really getting in touch with the pop world. It’s there that we started mixing with pop people, chatting to pop journalists. As soon as we got a booking there, having already made an ill-devised debut as the High Numbers, we used the place for rehearsals. It was then that the Who as, was born.
“Right, it’s a difficult place to play in some ways. It’s very low-built, for instance. But this helps the group, if not the audience. On stage, the acoustics are such that you can hear what everyone else in the group is doing and that’s fine. Also you can only see the first four or five rows of the audience — everything else is a blur. But that helps in getting a good sound going.
“My most memorable moment at the Marquee was when Pete Townshend started smashing up his guitar. Really — you should have seen the audience. Mouths open, great rows of teeth showing. You could almost count the cavities. But when we started there, the audiences weren’t very big. Word-of-mouth recommendations helped and we ended up breaking all previous records … unofficially as I’ve said”.
Keith pondered momentarily. He said: “I’m not kidding about the influence the Marquee has had on us. Before that, we used to rehearse in bingo halls. You’d get into a groovy scene and then suddenly someone would appear and shout ‘Legs Eleven’ or something — and that was that. We had to pack it in”.
TRANSITION SCENE
“A a group, we were going through a transition scene. It had ended at the Scene Club. When we went to the Marguee, the whole business changed for us. Out audiences there seemed to come mostly from the East End of London, from Shoreditch and Leyton and so on, but really the club gave us the chance to build a reputation.”
An example of how Keith feels about the Marquee. He told a journalist following me into the interview seat: “America is fine. It’s like the Marquee Club, only ten million times larger”.
Pete Goodman
Image of the day
On June 1, 1968 Record Mirror carried a photo from Pete's recent wedding
I'm sure they are a match....she treated and tolerate him well...love and a lovely respect ful ex wife who is an unsung hero in my book today ...no regrets anyone
Wow! I've never seen a Pete smile from that time period!? Larry
Pete needs a MAGA baseball hat..go trump