Was ‘The Who’ the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band
in the world? At the time of the release of their second double album
rock opera Quadrophenia at the end of 1975, the answer would have
probably been ‘yes’. The ‘Beatles’ had long since gone and never
played any real live concerts as we know them today. ‘The Rolling
Stones’ had just lost their second lead guitarist in Mick Taylor, and
were being led down a very disco-orientated channel by Mick Jagger. Only
Keith Richards could really claim to be a true rocking Stone.
‘Led
Zeppelin’ was still around of course, but they were almost on another
plain. So we can safely say that in the early seventies ‘The Who’
was one of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll bands around. Already with many
landmark albums behind them, Tommy (1969), Live at Leeds (1970), and
Who’s Next (1972), not to mention a mass of hit singles and historic
appearances at such events as Monterey Pop Festival 1967, Woodstock, and
the Isle of Wight in both 1969 and 1970, were backed up by saturation
touring to bigger and bigger audiences all over the world.
Of course, like all of the rock greats, ‘The Who’
was not only known for their recording and spectacular stage shows, but
stories of their on the road excesses are now part of rock ‘n’ roll
mythology.
The release of Quadrophenia was the major rock
release of late 1973. It was waited for with barely concealed restraint
by their millions of fans. The album went straight into the charts at
number two in the United Kingdom and the USA, remaining in the top
thirty for over six months, a phenomenon almost unheard of for a double
album in those far off days.
Quadrophenia found ‘The Who’ at the peak of their
collective powers. Peter Townshend wrote all the songs, and never before
had he put together such a continuous package of solid arrangements with
such strong emotions bursting through in every song. The story follows
the early years of a young man, Jimmy, growing from adolescence to
nearly killing himself due to his fall into the depths of depravity in
the whirlwind world of the Mods and Rockers on the south coast of
England in the early sixties; a gripping tale of youth culture from
those heady days.
Peter Townshend’s guitar playing here also finally
raised him onto the same level as his peers like Eric Clapton, Jeff
Beck, and Jimmy Page. Roger Daltrey is the person who puts his throat on
the line to give the feeling to Townshend’s words. Roger Daltrey was
at the peak of his powers when he sings the final stanzas of ‘Love
Reigns O’er me’ and brings the album to its shattering climax. One
wonders if he still had a larynx left.
For the one time in the Who’s career all the songs
on one album were written by their principal songwriter, not leaving
room for any of John Entwistle’s often entertaining songs. John
Entwistle shows more than ever here how essential he was to the Who with
his fluid bass lines giving the songs real substance. John Entwistle’s
way of playing the bass was not only to nail down the theme of the
songs, but also as a lead instrument. On Quadrophenia, more than any
other Who album, the bass is pushed right to the front of the mix, quite
deservedly so. John’s fine French horn playing also adds a haunting
air to some of the songs.
Then driving the band ever forward was everybody’s
favorite rascal Keith Moon, not only is his drumming superb and
distinctive (only Keith Moon could drum like Keith Moon), but his vocal
contribution to ‘Bellboy’ always brings a smile to your face. The
fine piano playing of Chris Stainton should also be given a mention as
it compliments the other players perfectly. Perhaps the Who should have
added a keyboard player then, instead of waiting till poor old Keith had
shuffled off this mortal coil. It would have helped the band immensely
trying to play these songs on stage instead of messing about with
pre-recorded backing tapes.
The album open ups with the sound of the sea washing
up on the beaches and snatches of refrains from the main themes of what
is to come. The band comes crashing in with the rocker ‘The Real Me’
and from then on you are taken on the rollercoaster ride of a young
impressionable wannabe Mod with plenty of highs as well as deeply
disturbing lows.
One of the highs is of Jimmy actually going to see
his favorite band ‘The Who’ in concert. As Jimmy tries to emulate
his heroes, his life spirals more and more out of control. With this the
band’s playing becomes more and more frenzied, climaxing in the nine
minutes of ‘Doctor Jimmy’, where, if you listen carefully, you can
hear Roger Daltrey’s microphone being spun round the heads of all in
the studio on its lead wire, and Townshend windmills his arm around his
axe, building to the next frantic chorus. You can imagine the whole
studio being destroyed at the song’s climax.
‘Doctor Jimmy’, played in all it’s glory on
stage at Charlton Football ground in 1974 in front of 95,000 people was
the highlight of the Who’s set. The album closes out with the
triumphant instrumental ‘The Rock’, just before ‘Love Reigns
O’er Me’ brings the proceedings to a dramatic and satisfying
conclusion.
Quadrophenia is a great rock band at the top of its
game. Logically, later it turned into a movie with Phil Daniels playing
Jimmy and Sting the Bellboy, which was excellent.
Robert
M. Pirsig’s classic philosophical tome, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance, was first published 30 years ago, and was re-released in
1999, complete with updates, on its 25th anniversary by Quill publishing
and then again in the Perennial paperback publication in 2000, (ISBN
0-06-095832-4).
Mott’s CD review: The Who – Quadrophenia