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The “now” is the first new studio recordings from The Who in 22 years. The “then” is a celebration of one of the greatest bands in rock history during the 40th anniversary year of the British Invasion. Together,
The Who - Then & Now (MCA/UMe), released March 30, 2004, becomes the only collection to span the group’s entire recording career, 18 of its biggest hits and best-loved tracks from 1965-1981 and now two brand-new songs.
“Real Good Looking Boy,” a tribute to Elvis Presley, and
“Old Red Wine” were penned by guitarist Pete Townshend and feature lead vocals by Roger Daltrey. The tracks signal a return to the studio for The Who in what Townshend calls “our ‘new’ Everly Brothers format.” Recording over the next few months is expected to result in a forthcoming album, The Who’s first since 1982. “Real Good Looking Boy” and “Old Red Wine” are glimpses into that project.
Joining Townshend and Daltrey on “Real Good Looking Boy” are most of the bandmembers from The Who’s 2002-2003 tour--guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother), long-time Who keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick, and drummer Zak Starkey--plus bassist Greg Lake. Pino Palladino, who took on the bassist role following the 2002 passing of John Entwistle, was occupied playing on the Simon and Garfunkel tour. The Who will tour again in 2004 as well, including headlining the Isle of Wight Festival. (The band lineup for “Old Red Wine” is undecided at press time.)
The Who - Then & Now opens with Daltrey, Townshend, Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon debuting in 1965 with
“I Can’t Explain.” They followed with the timeless anthem
“My Generation.” “The Kids Are
Alright” practically invented power pop and, along with the first two tracks, appeared on the band’s first album,
My Generation.
The singles “Substitute” and “I’m A
Boy” preceded “Happy Jack,” The Who’s Top 40 chart breakthrough in America from the 1967 album of the same name. That year’s
The Who Sell Out yielded its first U.S. Top 10, “I Can See For
Miles.” 1968’s Magic Bus spun off the psychedelic Top 40 title track before the rock opera
Tommy arrived the next year with the Top 20 “Pinball
Wizard” plus “See Me, Feel Me.” A cover of Eddie Cochran’s
“Summertime Blues” then went Top 40 from 1970’s
Live At Leeds. In 1971, The Who’s best-selling album, Who’s
Next, boasted the Top 40 “Behind Blue Eyes” and Top 20 “Won’t Get Fooled
Again.”
“5:15” and the grand “Love, Reign O’er
Me” starred on the 1973 rock epic Quadrophenia while 1975’s
The Who By Numbers counted the Top 20 “Squeeze
Box” among its tracks. Three years on, Who Are You’s title track (here in its single edit) was Top 20. The Who soldiered on after Moon’s death that year but 1981’s
Face Dances logged its most recent Top 20, “You Better, You
Bet,” and 1982’s It’s Hard appeared to be its final album.
As the “now” in The Who - Then & Now indicates, there is yet more to come. |
