Maximum R & B

I'm pretty excited about the new Who album coming out next month. I've been a huge fan since I got "Who Are You" for my birthday many, many years ago. I had an opportunity to see The Who at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles in 1980. In the 26 years (has it really been that long?) since, I've seen probably hundreds of bands, but I'll always remember the power behind this legendary band.

"Endless Wire" will be the first release from the band since 1982's "It's Hard." In a press release Pete Townsend posted on his site, he says, "This is not the old Who; we never said it would be. It is something else."

So far there aren't any "leaked" tracks - at least none I could find. The track list is on Pete's site, so I'm not dropping any bombs when I post that. I just want everyone else to be excited, too!

1. Fragments (Townshend/Ball)
2. A Man In A Purple Dress (Townshend)
3. Mike Post Theme (Townshend)
4. In The Ether (Townshend)
5. Black Widow’s Eyes (Townshend)
6. Two Thousand Years (Townshend)
7. God Speaks of Marty Robbins (Townshend)
8. It’s Not Enough (Townshend/Fuller)
9. You Stand By Me (Townshend)

Tracks 10 – 19 comprise the full-length mini-opera "Wire And Glass".

10. Sound Round (Townshend)
11. Pick Up The Peace (Townshend)
12. Unholy Trinity (Townshend)
13. Trilby’s Piano (Townshend)
14. Endless Wire (Townshend)
15. Fragments of Fragments (Townshend/Ball)
16. We Got A Hit (Townshend)
17. They Made My Dream Come True (Townshend)
18. Mirror Door (Townshend)
19. Tea & Theatre (Townshend)

Also on his site, Pete has written some notes about the songs, giving a little insight to his thought process. In some instances, though, the notes only further obfuscate the thought. For instance, he explains "Mike Post Theme" first by saying it came about as a means of addressing people upset by the use of Who songs in TV shows and advertisements. Then he writes, "The larger theme in the background of this song is the statement that we are no longer strong enough or young enough to love." I'm not drawing the line between the two thoughts, so I hope it becomes clearer once I actually hear the song.

Anyway, in the meantime, I dug up some Who tracks that were included as a bonus disk on something I bought a few years ago. There are four of those, a remix of "I Can See for Miles" that I found somewhere on the Interwebs, and "Real Good Looking Boy," which was one of two new tracks on the 2004 greatest hits anthology "The Who: Then and Now."

Substitute.mp3 US single version
I’m A Boy.mp3 early version
Happy Jack.mp3 acoustic version
Magic Bus.mp3 UK single version
Real Good Looking Boy.m4p
I Can See For Miles (GHP Brighton Breaks mix).mp3


John Entwistle's birthday is in early October. I've got a couple of his old solo albums, so I'm thinking I'll pull those out and share some of that.
Be sure to check out Pete Townsend.com for any and all information about The Who.
You can check here for Who tour information.
And of course there are plenty of fan sites. Google it!

posted by aikin @ 9:29 PM