Amazing Journey: Story of the Who
The Kids Are Alright, Who's Next, and more Essential Who
An introduction the best Who products and resources in a wide array of different mediums.
Celebrating the release of the upcoming definitive documentary (Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who) about this seminal hard rock band, here’s a look at some essential items from their catalog.
Who's Next
The Who’s best album is definitely Who’s Next, a 1971 masterpiece that clearly ranks as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. However, ranking as incredible works in their own right are the 2 rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia, and also the rollicking, thundering Live at Leeds.
Most other albums are reserved for more hardcore enthusiasts of the band, and these four recordings include all their definitive songs (although not the studio versions of early hits such “My Generation,” “Magic Bus,” etc.). Those looking only for the essentials will want to pick up a greatest hits album (there are tons) and Who’s Next.
The Kids Are Alright
While the 2 disc set coming out November 6th may replace it, Jeff Stein’s The Kids Are Alright is a phenomenal documentary that splices concert footage of the band with interviews. Most of the band’s well known songs are played in their entirety, and there’s a couple of rarities thrown in, such as a cover of The Beach Boys’ “Barbara Ann” with Keith Moon singing.
It includes some wonderful footage of the Who destroying their instruments, an act that earned them a certain notoriety. The DVD in fact opens with their outrageous performance of “My Generation” on The Smothers Brothers, an event to which Pete Townshend, the band’s guitarist, attributes his partial deafness.
Moon & Before I Get Old
Although it doesn’t specifically cover the entire band, an interesting read in its own right is Tony Fletcher’s biography about the band’s wild drummer, Keith Moon called Moon: The Life and Death of Rock Legend or in its newer publication, Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon.
Fletcher offers up all of Keith Moon’s well known antics and documents his appetite for destruction, including the debunking of the popular rock legend that Moon drove a car into a hotel swimming pool (the validity of which is still open for debate).
Those preferring a biography on the band would do well to check out Dave Marsh’s Before I Get Old: The Story of the Who. Marsh certainly adds his own opinions, but does get the facts right in his take on the band.
Who Websites
The Who’s official website is rather sparse on material, containing mostly current news about the band and a link to buy merchandise. There are, however, several fascinating sites about the band, the best being the The Hypertext Who. While the design of the main page leaves something to be desired, this site contains a host of biographical material, a concert guide, a bootleg page, and much more.
The information above should get you started on the Amazing Journey into the work of The Who, and prepare you for the exciting release of the new documentary on November 6th.
