The Who's 'Who's Next' is hard rock classic but much more

It's funny how the meaning of an album can change over time. Not so much the album itself, but how a person understands it. As we all mature, we all begin to look at life differently. We become able to understand music (or spirituality or relationships or politics, etc.) from different angles and points of view that can completely turn upside down how we originally understood something.

Who's Next is an album just like that. When I first discovered this album as a teenager, I enjoyed it as simply a head-banging rock and roll album. And that it is. With classics like "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Reilly," and "Behind Blue Eyes," this album is easily one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever produced. I don't use the word "greatest" lightly. This album has a level of musicianship and songwriting rarely heard.

In many ways, Who's Next is the ultimate hard rock album, but then again, it really isn't. Calling this a purely hard rock album doesn't do it justice. There are some beautiful piano and acoustic guitar driven songs. There is an undeniable spiritual element to it, and it also includes synthesizer work that was groundbreaking for its time. However, one of the most fascinating aspects of this album is that it was born out of failure.

In 1969, The Who released Tommy, which was a huge worldwide hit. After years of laboring on the edge of success, the band became superstars. The Tommy breakthrough culminated in August of that year when they knocked the socks off everybody at Woodstock. After this breakthrough, however, the pressure was on to follow up on it.

The project the band decided upon was actually a film to be called Lifehouse. It had a science fiction plot, but it eventually collapsed. However, sometimes in the rubble of failure lay the seeds of success. And that is what happened when the band decided to go ahead and record the songs written for Lifehouse.

Taken all at once, this is an overwhelming album. The two best songs are "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Bargain." "Behind Blue Eyes" has become a radio staple over the last 40 years, and its twin themes of self-pity and rage are both emotions in which everybody can identify. By probing these two universal themes, the band committed to album what rock critic Dave Marsh described as one of the fiercest prayers ever sung. The song's thunderous final 90 seconds are nothing less than a universal prayer spoken with pain and honesty.

"When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool,
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool.
If I swallow anything evil,
Put Your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket,
Keep me warm, let me wear Your coat"

Each line reveals fears and insecurities that all of us have had at some point. The songwriter, Pete Townshend, has taken his fears to the Source, and it is delivered with sledgehammer force. Some may believe this is a disrespectful approach to God, but above all things, I believe God wants our prayer life with Him to be totally honest. Sometimes a person needs to tear the bark off the tree and tell it like it is.

On "Bargain," the spiritual yearning is no less intense. The delivery is still fierce, but the writer's heart has moved from rage to what he will do to have a closer fellowship with God.

"I'd gladly lose me to find You
I’d gladly give up all I had
To find You, I’d suffer anything and be glad
I'll pay any price just to get You
I'll work all my life and I will
To win you, I'd stand naked, stoned, and stabbed
I call that a bargain, the best I ever had"

There are no duds on this album. When originally released, the integration of the synthesizer into the band's sound was unique. At the around the same time, Stevie Wonder was also pushing the envelope in terms of synthesizer use. The Who wanted to use it to add atmosphere to the science fiction plot of Lifehouse. They wisely chose to keep it for the Who's Next album. In addition to "Baba O'Reilly" and "Won't Get Fooled Again," the 'popcorn' synthesizer effect on "Goin' Mobile" added much juice to the song.

"Getting in Tune" has a beautiful piano and backing vocals, and Roger Daltrey's vocals have never sounded so vulnerable. Written by bassist John Entwistle, "My Wife" includes his trademark wit and includes some nice horn work.

The Who never reached this album's heights again. They had moments, but much like The Rolling Stones, once they hit superstardom, their genius came to the surface only occasionally. However, an album like this is more than enough to ensure their place in musical history.

'Quadrophenia' is The Who's forgotten rock opera

The Who produced a lot of great music over the years, but one of their best selling albums seems to have been forgotten as time as passed. Quadrophenia was a follow-up of sorts to the hugely successful rock opera Tommy. After Tommy, main songwriter and guitarist Pete Townshend felt the need to deliver a second rock opera, and Quadrophenia was the result.

However, it was not easy. The initial follow-up was called Lifehouse, but the project eventually collapsed. The bulk of the music from that project appeared on Who's Next in 1971, as well as on singles released in 1972. Heading into 1973, Quadrophenia took shape and when released, it reached the highest a Who album would ever reach in America, topping out at number two on the album chart (five years later, the Who Are You album would also reach the number two spot).

Despite the sales, the album was never embraced in America like the Tommy album. There are several reasons. For starters, the plot was threadbare. If Tommy's storyline had gaps then Quadrophenia's was like steam disappearing into the air. It is very difficult to follow a progression of events despite having some great individual songs.

Secondly, the setting of the album was in the Mod culture of mid-1960s England. This was the setting in which The Who began, and it was obviously very dear to them. However, most Americans had no idea how to connect with that culture.

Thirdly, as the album title states, the story's main character, Jimmy, did not just suffer from schizophrenia. He suffered from 'quadrophenia,' and the album's efforts to show the four sides of his personality lacked any real depth. Each of the four personalities was meant to represent a member of the band. 'Love, Reign O'er Me' was Townshend's theme. Singer Roger Daltrey's was 'Helpless Dancer.' Bassist John Entwistle's was the 'Is It Me?' portion of 'Dr. Jimmy.' Drummer Keith Moon's was 'Bell Boy.'

Each of those songs is excellent when taken singularly, but as part of a storyline, it is confusing how these fit in with the overall album.

Because of these issues, Quadrophenia seemingly has not had the staying power of Tommy. The two singles from the album ('Love, Reign O'er Me' and 'The Real Me') both failed to crack the top 70 of the singles chart. Tommy, on the other hand, had three singles reach the top 40 ('Pinball Wizard,' 'See Me, Feel Me' and 'I'm Free').

That said, Quadrophenia has several things going for it. From a production standpoint, it is a much better sounding album compared to Tommy. The Who was finally able to harness its live sound in the studio on Who's Next and it carried over to this album.

Additionally, there are some tremendous songs on Quadrophenia. All the previously mentioned songs are first rate, as well as several others like 'I'm One,' 'Drowned' and '5:15.'

If all these songs are accepted as just individual tracks on an album, then Quadrophenia can be viewed as a triumph. Unfortunately, the band had much higher ambitions, and those ambitions were not met.

Because of this, an album that almost topped the American charts has almost none of its songs played with regularity on the radio. That is a real shame because there is some great music to be heard.

The Smithereens pay tribute to The Who's 'Tommy' in excellent fashion

Last year, The Smithereens released its version of The Who's Tommy. Even novice rock and roll fans know the plot of the rock opera. It follows the journey of a deaf, dumb, and blind kid (Tommy) through his breakthrough as a pinball wizard and the regaining of his sight and hearing. He then becomes a messiah to his followers who eventually reject him when he takes them on a path they do not want to follow.

The Smithereens' performance crackles with fire, but they did make changes compared to The Who's original. In their version, the storyline has been streamlined. The Who's Pete Townshend was the primary writer of Tommy though others contributed material. The Smithereens basically stick to only Townshend's songs and toss out most of the other contributions. Most notably, Who bassist John Entwistle's songs ('Fiddle About' and 'Cousin Kevin') are gone. Additionally, a few of Townshend's songs have been removed. These include the lengthy instrumental 'Underture,' as well as 'You Didn't Hear It.'

Of the songs left out, 'You Didn't Hear It' is the most problematic. The song contains the events that led to Tommy becoming deaf, dumb, and blind. However, in The Who's original, this event took place in such a subtle way that the listener would have to closely listen to detect what happened. In other words, this is not that big a deal.

The Smithereens' drummer Dennis Diken deserves special mention for his performance. He faced the unenviable task of having to reproduce the work of Keith Moon. Moon did not write or sing songs for The Who, but his drumming was the key to the band's sound. He pushed the band forward in ways not possible without him. If anybody reading this does not agree, go listen to the two Who albums released soon after his death (Face Dances and It's Hard). On those two, The Who sounds like a different band (and not for the better).

The Smithereens and singer Pat Dinizio have done good work in the past covering other people's material. Dinizio's album dedicated to Buddy Holly's work is especially good. Anybody who enjoyed that will like this album as well.

Special thanks to Joltin' Django for turning me on to this record.

The Who delivered a good performance as part of the Super Bowl halftime show

I became a fan of The Who when I was a teenager growing up in the late 1970s. Like most things from our youth, they retain a special place in my heart. However, I was nervous when I heard they would be the main entertainment during the Super Bowl halftime show.

Let's face it; the remaining original members of the band are in the latter stages of their careers. Plus, they don't play together that often, and being British, would they take the venue they were playing at that seriously? I wondered whether they would phone it in like The Rolling Stones did a few years ago.

Fortunately, they delivered a fun performance. Even though they may have lost a step or two, it was great hearing songs like 'Baba O'Riley' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again.'

Well done.

The Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 was likely rock's greatest mass concert

The most consistent characteristic of rock festivals, generally, has been their inconsistency. When they are successful, the attendees romanticize them far above what the experience really was. On the other hand, when they go bad, critics brand them as the worst of what society can offer. For every Bonnaroo and Woodstock '69, there seem to be four or five like Altamont or all the Woodstock re-tries.

The grandfather of the modern festival was the Monterey International Pop Festival held in Monterey, Calif., in June 1967. In 1992, Rhino Records released a four-CD boxed set (cover art shown in photo) of the event that includes performances from 21 artists and more than 60 songs. Though the original Woodstock soundtrack usually gets the nod for best festival album, the Monterey performances are better and more diverse.

Several acts became stars because of their performances here. For Jimi Hendrix and The Who, this festival was their first important performance in America. For Otis Redding, after years of just missing the big time, his performance here finally gave him the success his exceptional talent deserved. Unfortunately, he died six months later in a plane crash. For Janis Joplin, the Port Arthur, Texas, outcast finally found a place where she belonged as singer for Big Brother and the Holding Company.

Of all the performances represented here, it is Otis Redding's blistering set that is the best. I really wish I could have seen Redding in concert. Redding and Roy Orbison are the two best singers I have ever heard. A skilled Artisan created both their voices. Backed by Booker T. & the MGs, Redding's songs leap off the disc and kick the listener in the butt.

He has five songs on this compilation, including 'Respect.' Aretha Franklin had a big hit with the song, but few people remember that Redding wrote it. Also, he does his version of Sam Cooke's 'Shake.'

However, the best is 'Try a Little Tenderness.' Because of his trademark raspy vocals, folks nicknamed him 'Mr. Pitiful,' and he used that persona to the fullest on this song. Beginning quietly and gently, his voice guides the song as it slowly builds power. By the end, the music is exploding, and the crowd is going crazy. A truly memorable moment. Days later, while on vacation, he wrote the lyrics of his most well-known song '(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay.'

Though they had found success in England, the Jimi Hendrix Experience had yet to break through in America. The only footage people usually see of Hendrix at Monterey is when he sets his guitar on fire during the finale of 'Wild Thing.' By focusing on the flash, however, many listeners miss an electrifying set.

All of his major early songs are represented here. 'Purple Haze,' 'Foxey Lady,' 'Hey Joe,' 'Can You See Me,' and 'The Wind Cries Mary' are straight performances of the studio versions with little improvisation. His version of Bob Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone' is best remembered by me because he refers to Dylan's grandmother at least three times during the set. Your guess is as good as mine.

Like Hendrix, the Who played many of their major early songs though most folks at the festival had never heard them. To this point, their biggest hit in America had been 'Happy Jack,' which got to only number 24 on the singles chart. They played it, but the rest of the songs were an assault on the senses.

Opening with 'Substitute,' it becomes quickly obvious that they are playing way too loud for the sound system. Other songs include: 'Pictures of Lily,' 'Summertime Blues,' and 'A Quick One While He's Away.' The finale was 'My Generation,' which ended the set with smashed guitars, microphones, and drums. I wish I still had that type of energy.

There are many other acts in this collection including: Jefferson Airplane, the Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, the Butterfield Blues Band, and the Steve Miller Band. If anything, there is too much material here. There is just way too much music to digest in even three or four listenings. However, that is a good problem to have.

This set is worth owning for the Redding and Hendrix performances alone. If this boxed set is too much, look for an album that was released in the early 1970s that had just the performances of those two. It provides an appetizer of the best of Monterey Pop.

Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane shine on 'Rough Mix'

A nice byproduct that emerges when a member of an established band works on solo music is that it gives him the opportunity to do songs he ordinarily would not get to do. For Pete Townshend, guitarist and primary songwriter for the Who, the album Rough Mix (released in 1977) gave him the opportunity to do just that. Songs on this album are of a totally different flavor when compared to his better-known work.

With Ronnie Lane, formerly of the Faces, this record comes across as the chance for two successful musicians to step away from the limelight and the responsibilities they carry in their career. What shines through here are two men who love music, and for once, get the chance to make music they like with no concern of expectations. They do not have to worry about writing songs that sound like the Who or the Faces.

This is especially obvious on Townshend's 'Street in the City.' Completely orchestrated except for his acoustic guitar, this song is a breathtaking departure. Spun around a lyric about activities on a city street on a given day, the orchestra builds and builds the tension until punctured by a single gasp from Townshend.

Throughout his career, Townshend has always shown the willingness to stretch himself and attempt to expand the conventions of rock music (for example, the ambitious rock opera Tommy). However, on this record, he kept his ambition at arm's length. Driven simply by acoustic guitar and harmonica on 'Misunderstood,' the singer laments that he would love to be the type of person who could destroy a person with just a glance. However, by the end of the song, he has to admit that he is so simple that people can see through him like he is made of glass.

The best song on the album, however, is one of Lane's. The lovely ballad 'Annie' has the charm of an Irish folk song. Driven primarily by accordian and violin, Lane's vocals contain an awkward grace that only a mother could love.

Throw in guest appearances by Eric Clapton and Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts, and this album is really a hidden treasure. The public does not get to hear many recordings like this anymore. It is a shame, but maybe that is what helps make this effort so special.

Bonnaroo: It's early Saturday and all appears well

It is hard to believe it has been seven years since the first Bonnaroo festival. When Manchester folks first heard this festival was coming, most of us did not understand what a big deal this is.

However, we quickly got educated because cars clogged every major road heading into our town for days. I remember trying to drive home from Nashville the first day the traffic crunch hit.

Fortunately, I had been tipped off about the problems, so I had an opportunity to come up with an alternate travel plan. I drove many country roads that day and felt fortunate that it only took me two extra hours to get home.

Thousands of people spent the night in their cars as the throng of fans slowly got into the festival site.

Since then, event organizers and our local officials have done a great job managing this event so that the impact on Coffee County residents is minimal.

Even after all this time, I know many still have reservations about having this here. Drugs are a constant issue at events like this, and tragically, there have been deaths in the past.

However, we have gotten off a lot easier when compared to other events.

The Woodstock 1999 festival probably takes the prize for catastrophic music events in the last decade or so. Everything that could go wrong happened there.

The weather did not cooperate because extreme heat plagued the festival throughout. This compounded the plight of the attendees who did not bring sufficient food or water. Vendors sold single-servings of pizza for $12, and 20-ounce bottles of soft drinks and water for $4 each.

Blazing hot weather and price gouging are often a volatile mix. Throw in toilets that did not work, long lines to water fountains, and other inconveniences and violence was inevitable. That happened during the weekend as looting and other criminal behavior took place.

According to published reports, at least four rapes occurred, and law enforcement personnel were able to arrest several through the use of video footage.The irony is that this festival was held to pay tribute to the original Woodstock festival held in 1969. People of that generation romanticize that event by saying it was about peace and love.

I am a bit cynical about that, but at least it was not the rip-off the one 30 years later was. If the original was about peace and love, then the 1999 one was about commerce at any cost. I think that says a lot about how our country has changed in just a few decades.

Despite the problems of Woodstock 1999, perhaps the single most tragic event that happened at an American rock concert occurred in 1979.

The English band The Who played a concert in Cincinnati. It was not part of a festival, but it was a tragedy of immense proportions.

Eleven fans were trampled to death as people stampeded into the concert hall to get good seats. Most of the seats at the show fell under the category of 'festival seating' or 'general admission.'

In other words, there were few reserved seats, so the earlier a person could get into the concert hall the better. Not enough doors were opened as the crowd surged in, and people got crushed.

Fortunately, nothing like that has happened at Bonnaroo, and we should pray that it never will. Let's hope for a safe weekend.

With so many new faces in town, Manchester citizens can greatly assist this event by helping people when necessary.

And be nice, for heaven's sake.

Songs to begin 2009 with

I spend way too much time driving each week. However, the upside of this is that I get to listen to a lot of CDs as I cruise down the interstate. Here are a few songs you might want to check out as 2009 begins.

'I'm Waiting for the Day' -- The Beach Boys
'Let's Go Away for a While' -- The Beach Boys
'Mysterious Ways' -- U2
'Beautiful Day' -- U2
'One' -- U2
'Until the End of the World' -- U2
'Staring at the Sun' -- U2
'The First Time' -- U2
'I Looked Away' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Little Wing' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Slip Kid' -- The Who
'Blue, Red, and Grey' -- The Who
'Eminence Front' -- The Who
'Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting)/Take Me to the Pilot' -- The Who

Underrated album: Pete Townshend's "White City: A Novel"

For an artist with a rich history like Pete Townshend, it is easy to overlook a lot of his work.

Townshend, who was guitarist and main songwriter for The Who, has written hundreds of songs for that band and his solo career.

However, given what commercial radio has become, listeners usually only hear 10 or 15 of his most popular songs because of the stagnant formats many stations have. And, usually, none of those songs are from his solo career.

In 1985, Townshend released White City: A Novel. The record is actually the music from a long-form video written by Townshend of the same title. Even though he is a rocker at heart, Townshend has also shown considerable ambition when it comes to his music. After all, The Who’s Tommy and Quadrophenia were both rock operas that were eventually adapted into films.

But, like most of his solo work, the music on White City does not sound like The Who. Of his solo work, 1980's Empty Glass is the only record that is reminiscent of that band. Still, White City does rock and has several memorable songs. The most well-known song is "Face the Face" which hit the Top 30 on the Billboard singles chart. Also, "Secondhand Love" and "Give Blood" rock with gusto.

"Hiding Out" and "I Am Secure" visit recurring themes in Townshend's work: alienation and isolation. While both these songs are gentle when compared to his angry classic "My Generation," they both convey the melancholy feelings of those two themes. Maybe that is part of getting older. Instead of having the anger of youth when we feel isolated or outcast, we feel more wistful later in life when we confront these two issues. I don't know.

The bottom line is this is an underrated but memorable record. If you ever stumble across it in the bargain bins, it is well worth having.