The Who - Quadrophenia

[Shug]

I just saw the Quadrophenia tour last night and it inspired me to go on and on about it in this essay.  I know Mr. Whippy and zanjam dug it, too. 

Seeing The Who's Quadrophenia performed by its composer Pete Townsend and his main living musical partner Roger Daltrey recently gave me a deeply emotional experience.  As a piece of highly orchestrated rock created nearly 40 years ago, it has taken on sheen of timeless relevance like a classical symphony by one of the great masters like Bach or Beethoven.  In the 21st century, the brilliance of  Quadrophenia shines through more as a composition than how it is performed.  It does not matter that Daltrey and Townsend come nowhere close to the power and intensity in performance that they were capable of in the early 70s (how could they possibly do that well into their 60s even if the utterly irreplaceable Moon and Entwistle were still alive?).  Quadrophenia is a masterpiece with a deeply spiritual undertone about the universal experience of growing up and redefining one's identity and because of that it is still powerful to this day.  I loved this album so much when I was 16 years old for reasons that I did not understand back then.  With 30 more years of perspective to hear it with, I have a far greater understanding of its themes and why the music resonated so deeply with me then and still does to this day.

I'm sure I'm one of a multitude of people in the world who feels like an outcast from their family (mine are all fundamentalist religious zealots or narcissistic alcoholics).  Even with the surrogate "families" of friends I have sought out and surrounded myself with there are still barriers of fear that too often keep us from total connection.  For us who on some level feel alone all the time and also love rock 'n' roll, the music serves a special purpose:  it gets us.  And that is no small thing because I believe that all humans have a deep need for connection with others who understand and accept them without judgment.  Most of us are not spiritual masters, nor are our friends and families, so unconditional acceptance and understanding is not something that is easy to get from people.  But music and literature and art can provide it.  If you are like me, you have at times felt the truth behind the words "...the music is your only friend, dance on fire as it intends..."

Water is a pervasive motif in Quadrophenia and I believe it represents life force in all its permutations.  The Sea is the source of all life, where life begins and where it ends, the alpha and the omega, the Divine, the Universal One. In rain and fog, rivers, lakes, and streams are bits of The Sea on a journey that will eventually lead back to the source.

"Let me flow into the ocean, let me flow back to The Sea, let me be stormy, let   me be calm, let the tide in and set me free!  I want to drown in cold water."   

It's not a complicated theme, nor is it new or unique; in fact it's what Joseph Campbell would call an archetypal myth, one that crosses all time and all cultures, universal and deeply resonant to all humans and human societies.  This is what Townsend tapped into when he wrote Quadrophenia and this theme of the spiritual journey we are all on whether we realize it or not is a lot of what gives it its power, I believe.

I may know and understand a lot more than I did when I was 16 but I don't feel much differently now at 45 than I did then.  I still crave to be understood by my family and I still feel alone much of the time and those feelings will probably be with me my entire life.  To be in the presence of the composer of that music and two of  those artists whose music made me, both as a teen and even still now, feel understood and not so alone in the world was incredibly joyful.   To appreciate the massive contributions of Moon and Entwistle, two of the greatest rock virtuosos that ever will be, and to mourn their loss added another layer of sadness and gratitude.  To hear that fantastic majestic piece of music performed by a full rock orchestra was awesome.  To have a deeper understanding of the composer's intentions and motivations and why the music moves me so much took this far beyond just a rock concert. To hear it build through the first stage-setting half into the power and bombast of the second half was thrilling.  When Doctor Jimmy finished and the music slipped into The Rock with the first hints of Love Reign O'er Me, I could feel the impending glorious crescendo of redemption.  The spiritual theme of Quadrophenia is the antithesis of the religious hypocrisy that I was force-fed yet rejected as a child.  I realized in a more complete way than ever before that this music speaks eloquently yet subtly the truths that have always been in my heart and my mind as far back as I can remember, ones that no one in my family will ever share with me.  Townsend, as the composer of these songs, not only understands the things I believe, but he believes in their importance enough to make it his life's work to express them in music, a potent combination of big truths and grandiose powerful music.  To hear it played by him was to be validated, accepted, understood.  All these feelings swirling around, expressed in movement, rocking out, air-guitar, fans joining together with the band, out came the tears, weeping in pleasure, sadness, joy, relief. There it was, the transcendent experience that The Who had delivered to so many thousands of fans over the years, the highest level that a rock concert can attain, Townsend's life work coming to fruition yet again.  So much gratitude coming out of me for his music and what it means.  It was truly a priceless, overwhelming, soul-cleansing experience of catharsis that doesn't come around all that often and one that I am deeply grateful and extremely fortunate to have experienced.  I'm so glad that I lived in the times when the great masters of rock still played their masterpieces

Long Live Rock!

[Ruckus]

Even though I am a narcissistic alcoholic with few relatives that I stay in touch with regularly, I LOVE this! 

Thanks for the great write up on the show and giving more love to one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

I'm sure Tracy and Fiddle would have more input on this.

[MrWhippy]

Fantastic Shug!

Thanks for very eloquently putting into words what was so moving about this show.  You totally nailed it, and helped me understand why I was so profoundly moved by the experience in ways that I hadn't fully thought through.

Reading this reminded me of a sociology class I had in high school where we had an assignment to pick a song that really meant something to us and play it for the class.  My pick was "Cut My Hair" from Quadropheina.  True to the themes of the record and what made me pick that particular song, my classmates didn't really get my it.

[Shug]

Thanks, guys, for the kind responses!   Thanks for being a great bunch of folks to blab about music with.  I'm reallly really grateful that in the past couple years I have a new band to follow and a new community of rock fans to connect with, its awesome! I hope I get to hang out with you guys sometime this year.

[Tracy 2112]

thank you for this eloquent piece. 

Quadrophenia saved my life. I knew it from my childhood but more like the way you know a familiar couch that's nice to lie on. However, coming out of a decade of addiction in 1989, it was my theme music as I struggled with the clearing haze and maze of emotions that were erupting around me. Sad to know the only people I could relate to were total strangers? Absolutely not. Riding the T in Boston by myself, looking for you looking for me, looking for the real me. The music gave me a soft pillow to breathe, regroup, look forward and heal.

I have to be careful not to preach
I can't pretend that I can teach,
And yet I've lived your future out
By pounding stages like a clown.

[zanjam]

Holy shit, Shug, that's an opus right there!

This is why I always feel like music is my religion.  It moves me and makes me think about things in a way that nothing else can.  That and a little yoga and I'm good to go! 

To me, this was a perfect piece of music from the minute I heard it.  And at 15 or so what do you know, really?  It was the surface sounds, the noise that came out of the speakers, that appealed to me.  Not really being mature enough to delve into the subject matter, I was all about the straight up rockingness of the album.  But once I was able to dissect it a little bit further it was a very heavy experience.  And seeing it all come full circle, with all its creaks and missed high notes, was just amazing! 

I am SO glad Mike and I decided to go.  I was going to blow it off, "been there done that."  But it was so much different than when I saw Quadropehenia in '96, it didn't even compare.  And making our way to 12th row center to witness the last of my days of seeing The Who will be a memory I will never ever forget!  Going out on a high note for sure!

Long Live Rock indeed!!   

Where'd that drum emoticon come from?!?

[Ruckus]

I think it's great to hear you rockheads get real intimate with the meanings of albums.  I'm almost 35 and I still value the lyrical content of an album least as to what really draws me in.  Vocal melodies and instrumental interplay are still the key components for me. 

Regardless, thanks to this thread, I'm blasting Quadrophenia as I type before I head out for some tunes.  I just don't understand why my record has the 1st LP as sides 1 and 4 and the 2nd as sides 2 and 3.  It's rather obnoxious to switch records after side one and again after the 2nd record for side 4.

[Crispy]

I think it's great to hear you rockheads get real intimate with the meanings of albums.  I'm almost 35 and I still value the lyrical content of an album least as to what really draws me in.  Vocal melodies and instrumental interplay are still the key components for me. 

Regardless, thanks to this thread, I'm blasting Quadrophenia as I type before I head out for some tunes.  I just don't understand why my record has the 1st LP as sides 1 and 4 and the 2nd as sides 2 and 3.  It's rather obnoxious to switch records after side one and again after the 2nd record for side 4.

They did that for a reason, actually, a terrible one: some old turntables had a tall spindle on which you could stack records and they would automatically drop the next one and start it when one was finished. So, you could listen to at least two sides of Quadrophenia (or other double albums) before having to get up from making out on the couch. Not terrible for making out, but terrible for your records.

[Ruckus]

I think it's great to hear you rockheads get real intimate with the meanings of albums.  I'm almost 35 and I still value the lyrical content of an album least as to what really draws me in.  Vocal melodies and instrumental interplay are still the key components for me. 

Regardless, thanks to this thread, I'm blasting Quadrophenia as I type before I head out for some tunes.  I just don't understand why my record has the 1st LP as sides 1 and 4 and the 2nd as sides 2 and 3.  It's rather obnoxious to switch records after side one and again after the 2nd record for side 4.

They did that for a reason, actually, a terrible one: some old turntables had a tall spindle on which you could stack records and they would automatically drop the next one and start it when one was finished. So, you could listen to at least two sides of Quadrophenia (or other double albums) before having to get up from making out on the couch. Not terrible for making out, but terrible for your records.

who makes out for more than twenty minutes?  thanks for the knowledge crispy.  i still thinks it's the only one of my old doubles that's set up that way.

[Tracy 2112]

So, you could listen to at least two sides of Quadrophenia (or other double albums) before having to get up from making out on the couch. Not terrible for watching other people making out, but terrible for your records.

there, fixed it for you

[zanjam]

I think it's great to hear you rockheads get real intimate with the meanings of albums.  I'm almost 35 and I still value the lyrical content of an album least as to what really draws me in.  Vocal melodies and instrumental interplay are still the key components for me. 

Regardless, thanks to this thread, I'm blasting Quadrophenia as I type before I head out for some tunes.  I just don't understand why my record has the 1st LP as sides 1 and 4 and the 2nd as sides 2 and 3.  It's rather obnoxious to switch records after side one and again after the 2nd record for side 4.

They did that for a reason, actually, a terrible one: some old turntables had a tall spindle on which you could stack records and they would automatically drop the next one and start it when one was finished. So, you could listen to at least two sides of Quadrophenia (or other double albums) before having to get up from making out on the couch. Not terrible for making out, but terrible for your records.

who makes out for more than twenty minutes?  thanks for the knowledge crispy.  i still thinks it's the only one of my old doubles that's set up that way.

Remember stacking records?!  Damn I feel old.

[FiddleCastro]

Shug, love the writeup, definitely portrays the absolutely amazing show that The Who have been doing this year. Next Thursday I will be seeing  them do Quadrophenia for the 4th time, and I can't wait.

It is absolutely amazing.  Quadrophenia is an album that was with me for a long time, I first really paid attention to The Who in early high school, and they quickly became my favorite band.  Quadrophenia was there for me when going through some tough times with my family, and some friends, and just... growing up and maturing.  It was crazy to think an album released in the 1970's about Mods and Rockers and all that stuff would help out a kid in the 2000's living in a New York suburb get through things. Tracy says Quadrophenia saved his life. This is a record with so much power, it saves and can shape lives.  I don't think I'd be the same person I am today had I not heard this record when I did. 


Sadly I was never able to see them with Entwistle or Moon, but I've seen them twice before the Quad tour, and both shows were pretty fun, but I had kinda accepted the fact I'd never see anything from Quadrophenia played, ever.  Then they announced this tour, they were going to be playing my favorite album, and I bought a ticket to the show at Barclays Center.  That show was absolutely incredible, I felt kinda overwhelmed by the fact I was seeing my favorite album performed live, similar to when I saw ISM at T5, I didn't bring anyone (though you all were at T5!) and I just took it all in, and absorbed it.  I was absolutely blown away.  I teared up during the first instrumental thinking "holy crap, this is amazing, I am seeing one of the greatest works of are, ever, performed right now holy crap!" I bought tickets to see them at MSG and Newark the next day.  The MSG show was absolutely incredible, people were really into it and I had great seats, and was able to really enjoy the visial show as well.  That was really well done, and it got me a little emotional during The Rock. I am really looking forward to seeing it one last time! I'm glad other fans of the album are really enjoying it, it's truly one of the best touring acts at the moment, and if you appreciate the record, go see it!

Long Live Rock!

[Seeker]

These are great write-ups! I hope Fiddle & Shug are OK if I re-post them on a private Who message board.  I'll throw in my review of last night's show in Denver:

Quadrophenia has always been my favorite piece of music, so this was a real treat. I thought it was generally performed quite well over 90 minutes. Five mainstream hits after Quad rounded out the evening, leaving Pete and Roger alone on the stage to do Tea & Theater. The near capacity crowd went home happy. We were in the third row.

For me a Who show always centered around Pete Townshend. I missed his usual amusing banter, but they had to keep charging forward during Quad. He didn't get a chance to "cut loose" on his guitar until the extended version of 5:15. Brother Simon helped with some of lead licks. Pete remains a powerful presence, and naturally the lighting and cameras followed Roger and Pete the most, but Pete didn't *dominate the stage* like I have become used to over the past 42 years. I understand he can't do the leaps like in the old days (plenty of windmills though!), but I missed the soloing. Both Who Are You and the end of Won't Get Fooled Again were opportunities to let it rip that he passed up. I would have traded Pinball Wizard for My Generation with Pete killing it. The music stand in front of Pete during Quad was annoying, I'm glad he got rid of it for the hits at the end.

Roger is war horse, generally strong in voice. He takes good care of it. He has been pissed during earlier shows about smoking, so the audience was repeatedly told by PA and on video screens to refrain from lighting up. He struggled with a few high notes, appearing visibly frustrated at one point. But compared to Bob Dylan whose croak is awful and embarrassing, he's a miracle. Attention Eddie Vedder: Stop with the smoking or you will be like Dylan before you are 55! The iconic mic twirling is still around. Roger still likes to show off the six pack abs doesn't he?

We were directly in front of Pino Palladino on bass, and I was underwhelmed. He wasn't high on the mix and his playing was constrained. I have watched Pino play in a power trio with John Meyer, so I know he is capable of more. Zak Starkey has an injured ligament in his forearm, so he's been absent the last few shows. His replacement is from Roger's touring band. He did quite well, but I missed Zak, whom I consider to be the best drummer in rock. Simon Townshend is pretty much a fixture and added a good performance. They had three people on keyboards but they added little substance. I anticipated wrongly that the synth parts would be live, but I don't think they were. A white-haired dude played the opening piano tinkles on Love Reign O'er Me, but he did his own thing- I didn't like it so much. You are lucky to be on the stage with these guys, play it right.

I was less impressed with the videos served on the six screens arrayed behind the band. My Wife and I were in the 3rd row, so the focus for us was directly on the band, but I don't think the videos helped the narrative of the Quad story much. Some of "Who Glory Days" stuff on the screen was a bit overly self-indulgent. The heavy tone and content of the videos during the Rock was a total Non Sequitur, was very distracting, and arguably ruined one of my favorite Quad segments. Recorded videos of John Entwhistle and Keith Moon were incorporated into Quad. It's a nice tribute, but borders on cheesy. I had a laugh thinking about Furthur similarly playing along to a Jerry Garcia video. Hah! Otherwise, if you weren't in the front, the screens showing band close-ups probably were a blessing.

Reading this over, it appears I am complaining too much. Let it be said, this is a worthwhile show.

Also don't miss the openers, Vintage Trouble. They are a 60's retro style band, very high energy. I felt sorry for the late arrivals.

Charles

[Shug]

Share away, Seeker.  Here's the link to my paltry blog

http://sugartown-shug.blogspot.com/

It'd be cool for me to read any responses, if there is a link to the message board you mentioned.

[Jaimoe]

When push comes to shove, Quadrophenia is my favourite Who album. Live at Leeds is their most powerful and Who's Next is pretty much perfect, but Quadrophenia has the most depth, innovation and imagination. It's also one of the most historically fascinating rock albums ever because it illuminates and subsequently mythologizes a small and relatively insignificant slice (in the whole scheme of things) of the UK rock scene in the mid '60s. Few outside of London would care about GS Scooters and Mods vs Rockers if it weren't for Quadrophenia.

I find it really interesting that the album isn't really guitar-based. It's really a full band effort working with experimental technology in order to interpret Towshend's complex themes and textures. Moon is still in his prime, but the Ox really is the unsung hero. Take his bass and brass out of the mix and the album falls flat.

The Who have been my favourite band for over 35 years and I'll argue that they should've called it a career after Quadrophenia. The wheels started to come off not long after it was released and Moon's health went on an out of control spiral by 1974. Sure, there's a few high points until Moonie's death ("Slip Kid", "Blue, Red and Grey", "Sister Disco" and "Who Are You"), but they were on life support after he left the land of the living.

That being said, I blew off the recent Quadrophenia show in Toronto and I'm doing it again when Roger and Pete bring the tour to nearby Hamilton, Ontario on February 19th. My desire isn't there to see the remaining duo, especially when Moon, Entwistle and Townshend are The Who, for me. I know the tour is going well and all, but I'm skipping it. I did see one post-Ox "Who" show 13 years ago and it was good, but it made me miss him even more.   

[zanjam]

The Who have been my favourite band for over 35 years and I'll argue that they should've called it a career after Quadrophenia. The wheels started to come off not long after it was released and Moon's health went on an out of control spiral by 1974. Sure, there's a few high points until Moonie's death ("Slip Kid", "Blue, Red and Grey", "Sister Disco" and "Who Are You"), but they were on life support after he left the land of the living.

While Quadrophenia is a masterpiece, I love The Who By Numbers and Who Are You *almost* as much.  To think of The Who never having produced those gems makes The Who seem incomplete to me.  Blasphemy!!

[FiddleCastro]

The Who have been my favourite band for over 35 years and I'll argue that they should've called it a career after Quadrophenia. The wheels started to come off not long after it was released and Moon's health went on an out of control spiral by 1974. Sure, there's a few high points until Moonie's death ("Slip Kid", "Blue, Red and Grey", "Sister Disco" and "Who Are You"), but they were on life support after he left the land of the living.

While Quadrophenia is a masterpiece, I love The Who By Numbers and Who Are You *almost* as much.  To think of The Who never having produced those gems makes The Who seem incomplete to me.  Blasphemy!!

By Numbers is probably my 3rd favorite Who record. And I did like It's Hard (a lot of John) and Endless Wire. Not Face Dances, though, that was awful. 

[Jaimoe]

The Who have been my favourite band for over 35 years and I'll argue that they should've called it a career after Quadrophenia. The wheels started to come off not long after it was released and Moon's health went on an out of control spiral by 1974. Sure, there's a few high points until Moonie's death ("Slip Kid", "Blue, Red and Grey", "Sister Disco" and "Who Are You"), but they were on life support after he left the land of the living.

While Quadrophenia is a masterpiece, I love The Who By Numbers and Who Are You *almost* as much.  To think of The Who never having produced those gems makes The Who seem incomplete to me.  Blasphemy!!

By Numbers is probably my 3rd favorite Who record. And I did like It's Hard (a lot of John) and Endless Wire. Not Face Dances, though, that was awful.

Face Dances is better than It' Hard and Endless Wire (the latter I eliminate cause it's plays out more like a Townhend solo album - at times he plays every instrument including drums). It's Hard has moments, "Dangerous", "Eminence Front" and "Cry If You Want", but it's generally weaksauce. At least Face Dances has an above average single ("You Better You Bet").

In context, later Who albums are noticably inconsistent because Pete saved some of his best stuff for his solo efforts. Rog rightly accused him of this at the time and he was right. Empty Glass came out a year after Faces Dances and It's Hard dropped the same year as All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes. Imagine a Face Dances LP with "Rough Boys" and "Let My Love Open The Door" and It's Hard with "Slit Skirts" and "Face Dances, Pt.2"?

You can argue that Who Are You would've had stuff from Rough Mix on it, but I've found no evidence to prove this.

As for Who By Numbers, it's a solid album. Moon's really sloppy though and the overall production feels rushed. I could do without "Squeeze Box" aside from the banjo solo and the lyrically awful "Dreaming From the Waist" has some of the Ox's best bass lines on any studio Who album.

[FiddleCastro]

The Who have been my favourite band for over 35 years and I'll argue that they should've called it a career after Quadrophenia. The wheels started to come off not long after it was released and Moon's health went on an out of control spiral by 1974. Sure, there's a few high points until Moonie's death ("Slip Kid", "Blue, Red and Grey", "Sister Disco" and "Who Are You"), but they were on life support after he left the land of the living.

While Quadrophenia is a masterpiece, I love The Who By Numbers and Who Are You *almost* as much.  To think of The Who never having produced those gems makes The Who seem incomplete to me.  Blasphemy!!

By Numbers is probably my 3rd favorite Who record. And I did like It's Hard (a lot of John) and Endless Wire. Not Face Dances, though, that was awful.

Face Dances is better than It' Hard and Endless Wire (the latter I eliminate cause it's plays out more like a Townhend solo album - at times he plays every instrument including drums). It's Hard has moments, "Dangerous", "Eminence Front" and "Cry If You Want", but it's generally weaksauce. At least Face Dances has an above average single ("You Better You Bet").

In context, later Who albums are noticably inconsistent because Pete saved some of his best stuff for his solo efforts. Rog rightly accused him of this at the time and he was right. Empty Glass came out a year after Faces Dances and It's Hard dropped the same year as All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes. Imagine a Face Dances LP with "Rough Boys" and "Let My Love Open The Door" and It's Hard with "Slit Skirts" and "Face Dances, Pt.2"?

You can argue that Who Are You would've had stuff from Rough Mix on it, but I've found no evidence to prove this.

As for Who By Numbers, it's a solid album. Moon's really sloppy though and the overall production feels rushed. I could do without "Squeeze Box" aside from the banjo solo and the lyrically awful "Dreaming From the Waist" has some of the Ox's best bass lines on any studio Who album.

I feel like Face Dances was the closest to a Pete solo record in The Who's catalog.  Could never get into that album, even during my most die-hard who fan days. Though TBH I never got into studio Tommy, felt weak compared to their live performances, Same thing happened to me with Z, Loved the live stuff so much, felt like the album itself was lacking.

I liked the mini-opera from Endless Wire, and a few tracks, not my favorite Who album, but I enjoyed it. 

Still think It's Hard is a great album, widely underrated, and IMO their best post-Moon work, if it was released by anyone else, I think it'd be more appreciated, but compared to Quadrophenia, Sell Out, Who's Next and Tommy, (all masterpieces) it's definitely nowhere near as good. However if you throw those Pete tracks on there (and Face Dances), it may have been overall better, but I like the album as is.

[Jaimoe]

I admire your loyalty to It's Hard, FiddleCastro.

Tommy was revolutionary and groundbreaking when it came out, but its not my favourite either, although it's meant to be a long-play experience. In concert, Tommy really shines, especially "Amazing Journey", "See Me, Feel Me" and the pre-punk "Sparks".

Who Are You could've been really great if Moon was healthy. He was noticeably tired throughout the recording sessions and was unable to lend his chops to "The Music Must Change".