The Who On Record: A Critical History

The Who On Record: A Critical History, 1963 - 1998
John Atkins

McFarland & Company
ISBN 0-7684-0609-7
2000

Never got round to getting this one, never was able to find a copy. A new edition was released in 2009. It is an interesting read and I cant say anymore than the reviews below.


Simon Ward, Record Collector.

While the Beatles and Bob Dylan to name but two vastly influential 60s acts, have received mountains of analysis dedicated to their music, other important artists have missed the critical boat. The Who are one such band. Aside from Chris Charlesworth's recent pocket sized The complete Guide To The Music of, they haven’t received the critical dissection which a cerebral songwriter of Pete Townsend’s calibre merits.

John Atkins, editor of UK fanzine Generations, has picked up the gauntlet and a scrupulous job he’s made of it too. He begins by defining The Whos place in the post merseybeat British Explosion and examining their first tentative recording forays, including shedding light on the band’s oft-overlooked demo tape, recorded while they were still the Detours. Atkins then goes on to offer an album by album appraisal of the band’s career, drawing on unreleased tracks where appropriate. The style is academic, including signposting the timings in various songs in order to elucidate his points, but the text benefits greatly from Atkins’ obvious love for his subject, which enhances its readability and ensures that tedium never sets in.

Its not all sycophantic praise either, as the bands final two albums, Face Dances and Its Hard rightly receive short thrift. What makes this book such a treat for the die hard Who fan is the attention to detail, including acknowledging the various mixes and versions of songs to have emerged over the years. The appendix indexing all Who songs and recordings from 63 - 91 is also indespensable and theres a good discography.

In the light of the bands recent activities, its interesting to read Atkins’ closing comments where he remarks that any Who recording sessions are unlikely to produce satisfactory results. Whether they do or not remains to be seen but this book should enthrall any Who fan or anyone interested in the recording history of one of the greatest most innovative bands in rock history.

Lois Wilson, Mojo?

Get past the pompous academic style (think academic thesis) and uninspired packaging (no cover jacket, no enticing band photos), and theres some fascinating facts here. Did yu know that Pete townshend’s most famous lyric “hope I die before I get old” was nicked wholesale from Barbara Camyn’s 1947 novel Sisters By A River? Or that the 1970 British film, Bronco Bullfrog, was a virtual blueprint for their mod movie masterpiece Quadrophenia? Such titbits are, however weighed down by the excessively exhaustive track - by - track descriptions throughout. But the complete discography makes this tome an invaluable reference tool, if not cosy bedtime reading.