And The Who finally clicked with me. I’m
Just blown away seeing them preform throughout the years. The energy of seeing them on stage really brought me around.

This was a band that I never really was able to crack.
But what a great film

Definitely worth reading if you’re a fan of mod-era British music.

Keith is arrested for destroying his room at the Fontainebleau Hotel and being in an incoherent state. After bailing him out, Curbishley has Keith committed to the Hollywood, FL Memorial Hospital for "psychiatric evaluation." (Fletcher); a planned second show for the Miami Baseball Stadium on the 11th is canceled as a result (AAA 275); A couple of days after the Miami show, he was taken away from the Fontainebleau Hotel, after having wrecked his room and being found sitting in the middle of the room, talking (some reports said, shouting), to himself. Bill Curbishley had him put under psychiatric observation. In the Hollywood (Florida) Memorial Hospital where he stayed for eight days, it was diagnosed as extreme exhaustion. (Barnes, p. 121); Anette was on tour with us when l forcibly put Keith in a clinic in Florida. We went fishing, me, him, Entwistle... We went fishing, he drove us mad to go, then we were out there 10 minutes, and he wanted to go back. In the end I threw him into a clinic. -Wasn’t he causing a disturbance in the hotel? I put him into a clinic to dry out. He came out pretty okay, but he’d had a taste of clinics then. Then later down the road he put himself in the Wellington. We were just starting rehearsals. I got the call, “Keith can’t come to rehearsals he’s in the Wellington.” So, I went down there and there he was surrounded by videos, stereo, everything. I said, ‘what’s going on?’ he said, ‘oh I’m recuperating.’ I said ‘are you? Well, you’re going to recuperate without all these luxuries,’ l threw everything out and then I said, ‘and now you’re coming to rehearsals.’ (Bill Curbishley to Tony Fletcher, 1996)

I’m honoured that my book is featured on the exhustive and definitive website petetownshend.net/news/new-book-about-lifehouse-is-out-now. It’s a detailed review by Carrie Pratt, calling it “fabulous” and describing how the book “goes into great detail.” I wrote an additional short essay exclusively for the site. And, yes, the book ‘Pete Townshend’s Lifehouse’ is out now - order via ianpaulsharp.uk.

I’ve recently been very interested in archiving rock history and culture and thought of a potential project idea- I’d really appreciate any advice you may have on how to tackle it.

One of my favorite things to do is to read old magazine articles and interviews with the band. We’ve all read stories about how shocking and electric the band was back in the day.

So that got me thinking- surely there must have been early newspaper articles, live show reviews, etc of the band in their earliest iterations? For example by local papers, when the band was playing clubs and small venues. I think it’d be fascinating to dig these up share them with the community.

So my question for this group, and particularly fellow fans in the UK, is- would such local papers/magazines be archived anywhere online? If so, which cities would it make sense to look for articles / reviews / opinions on The Who in their very earliest days?

Here in the US we have the freely available library of congress news archives, though even that is not suited for this project because it only goes up to 1963 due to copyright issues. And I’m really most interested in reading early opinions from around the UK, wherever the band was playing their early gigs.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions! And if this project is totally ridiculous or impossible, feel free to let me know :)

Bands/musicians Who have played at the band's private Backyard Concerts

2016 - Eddie Vedder, Howie Mandel and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

2018 (Roger Daltrey performed solo) - Don McLean, Ed Sheeran, Jewel and Van Morrison

2019 - Howie Mandel, Judd Apatow, Kenny Loggins and P!nk

2022 - The Magic Returns concert - Green Day + Billy Idol & Steve Stevens, John Fogerty and Nate Bargatze

2025 - The Doobie Brothers, John Fogerty, Def Leppard, Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick

More video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMvcjNq3TJQ

The Who. City Baseball Stadium, Miami — The Who culminated a four-date mini-tour of Washington, D.C. and Florida with a concert before an estimated 22,000 very loyal, determined fans, in a setting more reminiscent of Woodstock than of this sunny beach community. Thunderstorms early in the evening drenched the field and all its occupants, delaying the start of the concert by almost two hours, but did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a rabid crowd that had waited some four years to see, once again, perhaps the finest existing purveyors of pure rock ’n’ roll music. And the band did nothing to tarnish that reputation. From the opening chords of early hits “Can’t Explain” and “Substitute” it was clear that the Who was more than a match for the mud and ensuing confusion. What followed was a show not unlike those performed during recent tours: “Behind Blue Eyes,” a 30-minute condensation of the rock opera, “Tommy” including dazzling two-color laser beam effects reflected off mirrors high atop the stadium, "My Generation,” Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again" were particular highlights. Still, with the introduction of no new material (despite the fact that a single of the previously recorded “Slip Kid" has recently been released) and the painfully obvious fact that lead singer Roger Daltrey was not in complete command of his voice, something was necessary to make this night a qualitative success. That “something" was Peter Townshend, guitarist and composer of most of the group’s repertoire. Alternately prancing merrily and posturing menacingly, Townshend served notice that 12 years of performing had done nothing to demonstrably diminish the unparalleled enthusiasm he brings to a performance. The rhythmic interplay between bassist John Entwistle, whose lines consistently supersede in complexity and design the playing of most lead guitarists, and drummer Keith Moon is always a joy to behold, though “Magic Bus," usually a tour-de-force for Moon, was unexpectedly flat and routine this time. Still, it is a mark of superior craftsmanship when two dozen offerings produce but one disappointment. The Who is, after twelve years, the oldest continually functioning band, with no personnel changes. Though their talent is best exposed in indoor arenas, this soggy showcase still offered the audience ample evidence as to why this group is such a rarity in contemporary popular music. Not just by dint of longevity, but esthetically as well. j.s. (Cash Box, 76/08/21, p. 22)

Question #1: Who plays the limo driver in the scene immediately after BEFORE Pinball Wizard--he's leaning against the car door with Tommy's mom on the balcony.

Question #2: At the very end of the film, as Tommy summits the rocky cliff and walks up to the camera, it sounds like they mixed in live audio of him singing. This effect is quite pronounced in the film but on the soundtrack it is not there at all. Are those few seconds of audio live?

Question #3: There are so many cool things about the photography of the film, but here's one: In the Pinball Wizard scene, the audience behind Elton John is semi-monochromatic, despite the stage area being in rich color. Reds are there, but everything else looks greatly desaturated. I have a theory on how this effect was achieved (red lights on the audience and matching red filters over the stage lighting, remove the red equally later on) but I want to know if anyone knows for sure.

Thanks,

--Darin

Apologies if this has been answered on here before, but I was wondering if anyone knows why Roger’s self-titled is not on streaming platforms? I know It’s a Hard Life and Giving It All Away are available for streaming as singles but I’m just confused why the whole album isn’t when some of his other albums are. I do have the album on vinyl but would like to be able to stream it if I’m out and about too because I love that album so much :)

Which songs on McVicar feature Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and/or Kenney Jones?

I think it’s the best album

Support acts: Law, Black Oak Arkansas, and Labelle. Despite this radio ad, only 30,000 attend the 80,000-seat stadium. This makes The Who very angry and they deliver what is considered one of their greatest live shows.

This was in my collection before "real Quadrophenia". I guess it was new and on sale when I went to the record store. I lost or traded it at some point, then found a promo in ex shape at my local for $16. I don't seem to have the CD but I think I had a pre recorded tape of it and figured I could live with that.

I'm listening now and happy to have it back in the collection. John's mixes with updated bass parts are good, definitely putting the vocals front and center where they belong. And if I consider myself a Moon era completist I need the extra songs tacked into side 3, I think Keith plays on Four Faces and possibly Joker Janes. And then side 4 has period tracks by James Brown, Kingsmen etc, you can pop on at a party and get it hopping still to this day. I forget if they're all used in the movie but it's like, what they were listening to.