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Pete Townshend revisited the rock opera concept with another double-album opus, this time built around the story of a young mod's struggle to come of age in the mid-'60s. If anything, this was a more ambitious project than Tommy, given added weight by the fact that the Who weren't devising some fantasy, but were re-examining the roots of their own birth in mod culture. In the end, there may have been too much weight, as Townshend tried to combine the story of a mixed-up mod named Jimmy with the examination of a four-way split personality (hence the title Quadrophenia), in turn meant to reflect the four conflicting personas at work within the Who themselves. The concept might have ultimately been too obscure and confusing for a mass audience. But there's plenty of great music anyway, especially on "The Real Me," "The Punk Meets the Godfather," "I'm One," "Bell Boy," and "Love, Reign O'er Me." Some of Townshend's most direct, heartfelt writing is contained here, and production-wise it's a tour de force, with some of the most imaginative use of synthesizers on a rock record. Various members of the band griped endlessly about flaws in the mix, but really these will bug very few listeners, who in general will find this to be one of the Who's most powerful statements.
© TiVo
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John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Composer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - GLYN JOHNS, Producer, Associate Producer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
DISC 2
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1996 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Composer
℗ 1973 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
John Entwistle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Moon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Who, Producer, MainArtist - Pete Townshend, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Roger Daltrey, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - GLYN JOHNS, Producer, Associate Producer
℗ 1996 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Pete Townshend, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Eel-Pie Recording Productions Ltd.
Album review
Pete Townshend revisited the rock opera concept with another double-album opus, this time built around the story of a young mod's struggle to come of age in the mid-'60s. If anything, this was a more ambitious project than Tommy, given added weight by the fact that the Who weren't devising some fantasy, but were re-examining the roots of their own birth in mod culture. In the end, there may have been too much weight, as Townshend tried to combine the story of a mixed-up mod named Jimmy with the examination of a four-way split personality (hence the title Quadrophenia), in turn meant to reflect the four conflicting personas at work within the Who themselves. The concept might have ultimately been too obscure and confusing for a mass audience. But there's plenty of great music anyway, especially on "The Real Me," "The Punk Meets the Godfather," "I'm One," "Bell Boy," and "Love, Reign O'er Me." Some of Townshend's most direct, heartfelt writing is contained here, and production-wise it's a tour de force, with some of the most imaginative use of synthesizers on a rock record. Various members of the band griped endlessly about flaws in the mix, but really these will bug very few listeners, who in general will find this to be one of the Who's most powerful statements.
© TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 02:13:33
- Main artists: The Who
- Composer: Pete Townshend
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2011 Polydor Ltd. (UK) ℗ 2011 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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