The Who - My Generation (Full album 1965)

“My Generation” is the debut studio album by English rock band The Who, released on 3 December 1965 by Brunswick Records in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was released on 25 April 1966 by Decca Records as “The Who Sings My Generation”, with a different cover and a slightly altered track listing. Besides the members of The Who, the album features contributions by session musicians Nicky Hopkins (piano) and Jimmy Page (guitar) and vocal group the Ivy League.
The album was made immediately after The Who got their first singles on the charts and according to the booklet in the Deluxe Edition, it was later dismissed by the band as something of a rush job that did not accurately represent their stage performance of the time. While it didn't sell as well as later albums, peaking at #5 on the UK charts and failing to chart in the US, critics have since retrospectively rated it as one of the best rock albums of all time, especially noting its hard sound unusual for the time, and presaging various hard rock styles such as punk and heavy metal.

“My Generation” este albumul de debut de studio al trupei engleze de rock The Who, lansat la 3 decembrie 1965 in Marea Britanie, de catre Brunswick Records. In Statele Unite a fost lansat pe 25 aprilie 1966 de catre Decca Records sub titlul “The Who Sings My Generation”, cu o coperta diferita si cu lista de piese usor schimbata. In afara de membrii The Who, albumul prezinta si contributiile unor muzicieni de sesiuni ca Nick Hopkins (pian) , Jimmy Page (chitara) si grupul vocal The Ivy League.
Albumul a fost facut imediat dupa ce The Who au avut primele lor single-uri in clasamente si conform agendei din editia Deluxe, a fost ulterior respins de catre trupa ca ceva facut in graba si care n-a reprezentat cu acuratete performantele lor scenice de la acea vreme. Desi nu s-a vandut la fel de bine ca urmatoarele albume, atingand locul 5 in clasamentele britanice si neintrand in cele americane, criticii au clasat retrospective albumul ca unul dintre cele mai bune albume rock ale timpului, in special notand sunetul hard neobisnuit pentru acel timp si prevestirea a variatelor stiluri de hard rock ca punk si heavy metal.

List of tracks

All tracks written by Pete Townshend, except where noted.

Side 1

1."Out in the Street"                   2:31

2."I Don't Mind" James Brown  2:36

3."The Good's Gone"                 4:02

4."La-La-La-Lies"                        2:17

5."Much Too Much"                    2:47

6."My Generation"                      3:18

Side 2

1."The Kids Are Alright"             3:04

2."Please, Please, Please" James Brown, Johnny Terry    2:45

3."It's Not True"                          2:31

4."I'm a Man"         Bo Diddley   3:21

5."A Legal Matter"                      2:48

6."The Ox"(instrumental) Townshend, Entwistle, Moon, Hopkins          3:50                                                     

Personnel

The Who

Roger Daltrey - lead vocals, harmonica, tambourine on "I Can't Explain"

Pete Townshend - electric guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "A Legal Matter"

John Entwistle - bass guitar, backing vocals

Keith Moon - drums, backing vocals on "Instant Party"

Additional musicians

Nicky Hopkins - piano

The Ivy League - backing vocals on "I Can't Explain" and "Bald Headed Woman"

Perry Ford - piano on "I Can't Explain"

Jimmy Page - lead guitar on "Bald Headed Woman"

The Who - Tommy (Full album 1969)

“Tommy” is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who. It was first released as a double album on 23 May 1969 by Decca Records. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend as a rock opera that tells the story about a "deaf, dumb and blind" boy, including his experiences with life and his relationship with his family.
Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of Meher Baba, and attempted to translate Baba's teachings into music. Recording on the album began in September 1968, but took six months to complete as material needed to be arranged and re-recorded in the studio. “Tommy” was acclaimed upon its release by critics, who hailed it as the Who's breakthrough. Its critical standing diminished slightly in later years; nonetheless, several writers view it as an important and influential album in the history of rock music. The Who promoted the album's release with an extensive tour, including a live version of Tommy, which lasted throughout 1969 and 1970. Key gigs from the tour included appearances at Woodstock, the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival, the University of Leeds, the Metropolitan Opera House and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. The live performances of Tommy drew critical praise and rejuvenated the band's career.
Subsequently, the rock opera developed into other media, including a Seattle Opera production in 1971, an orchestral version by Lou Reizner in 1972, a film in 1975, and a Broadway musical in 1992. The original album has sold 20 million copies and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It has been reissued several times on CD, including a remix by Jon Astley in 1996, a deluxe Super Audio CD in 2003, and a super deluxe box set in 2013, including previously unreleased demos and live material.

“Tommy” este al patrulea album de studio al trupei engleze de rock The Who. Prima data a fost lansat ca un dublu album la 23 mai 1969 de catre Decca Records. Albumul, compus aproape in intregime de catre chitaristul Pete Townshend ca o opera rock, spune povestea “unui baiat orb, surd si mut”, inclusive experientele lui de viata si relatia cu familia sa.
Townshend a venit cu conceptual de Tommy dup ace a fost introdus in opera lui Meher Baba si a incercat sa transpuna invataturile acestuia in muzica. Inregistrarile pentru album au inceput in septembrie 1968, dar a durat 6 luni ca materialul dorit sa fie completat si aranjat si reinregistrat in studio.  “Tommy” a fost aclamat de critica chiar de la lansare, care l-a salutat ca fiind lovitura data de catre The Who. Nivelul criticii s-a diminuat usor in anii care au urmat; cu toate acestea cativa scriitori au vazut albumul ca fiind important su influenta in lumea muzicii rock. The Who au promovat albumul cu un turneu prelungit si cu o versiune live aparuta de-a lungul anilor 1969 si 1970. Concertele cheie au fost la Woodstock, la Isle of Wight Festival 1969, la Universitatea din Leeds, la Metropolitan Opera House si la  Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Performantele live au adus critici bune si au reintinerit cariera trupei.
Ulterior opera rock s-a dezvoltat in alte media incluzand productia din 1971 a Operei din Seattle, versiunea orchestrala a lui Lou Reizner din 1972, un film in 1975, o productie pe Broadway in 1992. Albumul original s-a vandut in 20 de milioane de copii si a fost introdus in Grammy Hall of Fame. A fost relnsat de cateva ori pe CD incluzand o rearanjare a lui Jon Astley in 1996, un super audio CD deluxe in 2003 si o cutie set super deluxe in 2013 incluzand material demo si live anterioare nelansate.

List of tracks

Side 1

1.       "Overture"   Townshend 3:50

2.       "It's a Boy"  Townshend 2:07

3.       "1921"          Townshend, Roger Daltrey on chorus 3:14

4.       "Amazing Journey"         Daltrey         3:25

5.       "Sparks"      Instrumental          3:45

6.       "The Hawker" (Sonny Boy Williamson II)      Daltrey          2:15

Side 2

1.       "Christmas" Daltrey, Townshend in middle eight   5:30

2.       "Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle)         Entwistle and Townshend 4:03

3.       "The Acid Queen"  Townshend 3:31

4.       "Underture" Instrumental          10:10

Side 3

1.       "Do You Think It's Alright?"      Daltrey and Townshend          0:24

2.       "Fiddle About" (Entwistle)         Entwistle     1:26

3.       "Pinball Wizard"    Daltrey, Townshend on bridge  3:01

4.       "There's a Doctor" Townshend, with Daltrey and Entwistle          0:25

5.       "Go to the Mirror!" Daltrey and Townshend  3:50

6.       "Tommy Can You Hear Me?"     Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle     1:35

7.       "Smash the Mirror"          Daltrey         1:20

8.       "Sensation" Townshend 2:32

Side 4

1.       "Miracle Cure"       Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle          0:10

2.       "Sally Simpson"    Daltrey         4:10

3.       "I'm Free"    Daltrey         2:40

4.       "Welcome"  Daltrey, Townshend ("more at the door") and Entwistle   

            (spoken part)                                                                    4:30

5.       "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon)        Townshend          0:57

6.       "We're Not Gonna Take It" Daltrey, with Townshend and Entwistle     6:45

Personnel

Roger Daltrey – vocals, harmonica

Pete Townshend – vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, banjo

John Entwistle – bass, french horn, vocals

Keith Moon – drums

The Who Perform Tommy at Fillmore East, October 24, 1969

The Who - The Who Sell Out (Full album 1967)

“The Who Sell Out” is the third studio album by the British rock band the Who, released on 15 December 1967 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US. It is a concept album, formatted as a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with fake commercials and public service announcements. The album purports to be a broadcast by pirate radio station Radio London. Part of the intended irony of the title was that The Who were making commercials during that period of their career, some of which are included as bonus tracks on the remastered CD.
The album's release was reportedly followed by lawsuits due to the mention of real-world commercial interests in the faux commercials and on the album covers, and by the makers of the real jingles (Radio London jingles), who claimed the Who used them without permission. (The jingles were produced by PAMS Productions of Dallas, Texas, which created thousands of station ID jingles in the 1960s and 1970s). It was the deodorant company, Odorono, who took offence that Chris Stamp made a request for endorsement dollars. "I Can See for Miles" was released as a single and peaked at #10 in the UK and #9 in the US.
“The Who Sell Out” received widespread acclaim from critics, some of whom viewed it as The Who's best record and one of the greatest albums of all time.

“The Who Sell Out” este al treilea album de studio al trupei de rock britanice The Who, lansat pe 15 decembrie 1967 de catre Track records in Marea Britanie si Decca Records in Statele Unite. Este un album de conceptie, format dintr-o colectie de cantece fara legatura intre ele, separate de reclame false si anunturi publice de servicii. Albumul pretinde a fi o transmisie a postului de radio pirat Radio Londra. O parte a ironiei intentionate din titlu este ca The Who faceau reclame comerciale in acea perioada a carierei lor, cateva fiind introduse ca piese bonus pe CD-ul refacut.
Lansarea albumului a fost urmata conform relatarilor, de procese datorita mentionarii profitului real al reclamelor din realitate in reclamele false si a copertelor albumului si de catre cei care faceau sunete de semnal (Radio London jingles), care au reclamat ca The Who le-au folosit fara permisiunea lor. (Sunetele de semnal erau produse de PAMS Productions din Dallas, Texas, care au creat mii de sunete de semnal ca embleme pentru emisiuni de posturi de radio in anii ’60 si ’70). A fost compania de deodorant Odorono care s-a simtit ofensata deoarece Chris Stamp a facut o cerere de aprobare de dolari. “I Can See for Miles” a fost lansat ca single si a atins locul 10 in Marea Britanie si 9 in Statele Unite.
“The Who Sell Out” a primit pe larg aclamatiile criticii, care a vazut in acest album cea mai buna inregistrare a trupei The Who si l-a considerat ca fiind unul din cele mai bune albume din toate timpurile.

List of tracks

Side one

1. "Armenia City in the Sky"                                                                    3:48

2. "Heinz Baked Beans"                                                                           1:00

3. "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand"                                                      2:28

4. "Odorono"                                                                                             2:34

5. "Tattoo"                                                                                                 2:51

6. "Our Love Was" (US LPs listed the title as "Our Love Was, Is")     3:23

7. "I Can See for Miles"                                                                            4:05

Side two

8. "Can't Reach You" ("I Can't Reach You" on various reissues)        3:03

9. "Medac" (Retitled "Spotted Henry" on original US LPs)                  0:57 
10."Relax"                                                                                                 2:41

11."Silas Stingy"                                                                                      3:07

12."Sunrise"                                                                                             3:06

13."Rael" (Retitled "Rael 1" on 1995 reissue)                                       5:44

Personnel

The Who

Roger Daltrey - lead vocals

Pete Townshend - guitar, backing and lead vocals

John Entwistle - bass, backing and lead vocals

Keith Moon - drums, lead vocals on "Jaguar" and "Girl's Eyes"

Additional musicians

Al Kooper - keyboards 

The Who-Out in the Street