It's funny, I've been talking this over with a good friend this past week. I think there is a definite shaggy dog appeal of the drunken reverie happening on and off stage. The take on Naked Eye is, as you say, absolutely revelatory. Overall, though ... and not to play the game of "X isn't good because Y is better", this release comes up short in every way when compared with the Leeds set ... particularly the expanded version released a few years ago. Or, at least as I hear it.
I definitely agree — though as the expanded version of Live at Leeds is one of the greatest live albums by anyone ever, that's a pretty high bar to clear.
Nice review. What I would not give to see these fuckers in 1971. The Who played Paltz in 1969, not far from my abode. But I was running around in diapers back then, 100 miles away.
I thought the first image was the cover, that's bad ass right there! - so yeah, I agree, what a dumb-ass decision on what they did use for the cover. You immediately answered all my questions in regards to how this compares to the other live recordings from this era, untouchable indeed, easy to see why they were the one touring band the MC5 were impressed with when they came to town.
You touched on something here that took me years to understand until I read Townshend's book a while back. With no disrespect to Kenny Jones I could never understand why they went with him to replace Moon, it just made no sense. As you wrote, " they were still 10 days away from working “Baba O’Riley” into the set on a regular basis — where you can really hear the band (especially Townshend, though Entwistle and Keith Moon also lose their places at times) trying desperately to keep the train on the tracks as it hurtles towards the station."
If I remember correctly, Pete's take on not going after another Loon on drums was that he was so sick of holding the groove down as well as driving that train, he wanted someone that could keep time for a change. Moon & Entwistle were basically soloists who played to whatever Pete was laying down and if he let go the whole thing fell apart - those lovely wrecks you describe! I was thrilled when they brought in Zak Starkey who brought some of that glorious bombast back to the Who.
The funny thing is, if you listen to Jones' work with the Small Faces, a lot of it sounds like the work of a more controlled Moon — he kept a solid groove, but still embellished the songs with some pretty colorful fills. His playing style definitely became more streamlined in the 70s with the Faces, but I would have loved to hear him apply some of this kind of magic to his time in The Who: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPgaubI3tI
Good call! - wish he brought some of that to the Who but then that was probably more up to Pete... Also, you rendered my two-disc Small Faces "Definitive Collection" (Recall UK) false as there's no "Understanding" on there!
Love this, and agree. I put it on yesterday, but switched to the expanded Leeds because I wanted a bit more punch. And as an irredeemable bass geek, I have to note this is the first time I can clearly hear Entwistle using a Thunderbird onstage....
It’s hard to disagree with most of what you’ve written, although I personally like the cover artwork 😄 And you’re right about Substitute from this era, it’s a shame they didn’t follow the studio arrangement. I’m also surprised how catchy I find So Glad To See Ya!
I was there the night before - similar set but a few differences. We had T-Bone Burnett as the opener, with Mick Ronson on lead guitar. They got “WHOOO”d off the stage, sadly.
Townshend supposedly smashed a guitar at that December Rosemont show - news of which made me and all my friends who saw them in October extremely jealous!
"....significially over-refreshed" i.e. drunk? Love that.
These live recordings of the group in their prime are going to be the closest thing most of us now are going to get to the real Who experience.
Exactly — and few bands could touch them back then, even on rougher nights like this one.
It's funny, I've been talking this over with a good friend this past week. I think there is a definite shaggy dog appeal of the drunken reverie happening on and off stage. The take on Naked Eye is, as you say, absolutely revelatory. Overall, though ... and not to play the game of "X isn't good because Y is better", this release comes up short in every way when compared with the Leeds set ... particularly the expanded version released a few years ago. Or, at least as I hear it.
I definitely agree — though as the expanded version of Live at Leeds is one of the greatest live albums by anyone ever, that's a pretty high bar to clear.
Absolutely! The way they were able to handle the Tommy material live was/is beyond belief. I stand in awe of that album and that performance!
Nice review. What I would not give to see these fuckers in 1971. The Who played Paltz in 1969, not far from my abode. But I was running around in diapers back then, 100 miles away.
I thought the first image was the cover, that's bad ass right there! - so yeah, I agree, what a dumb-ass decision on what they did use for the cover. You immediately answered all my questions in regards to how this compares to the other live recordings from this era, untouchable indeed, easy to see why they were the one touring band the MC5 were impressed with when they came to town.
You touched on something here that took me years to understand until I read Townshend's book a while back. With no disrespect to Kenny Jones I could never understand why they went with him to replace Moon, it just made no sense. As you wrote, " they were still 10 days away from working “Baba O’Riley” into the set on a regular basis — where you can really hear the band (especially Townshend, though Entwistle and Keith Moon also lose their places at times) trying desperately to keep the train on the tracks as it hurtles towards the station."
If I remember correctly, Pete's take on not going after another Loon on drums was that he was so sick of holding the groove down as well as driving that train, he wanted someone that could keep time for a change. Moon & Entwistle were basically soloists who played to whatever Pete was laying down and if he let go the whole thing fell apart - those lovely wrecks you describe! I was thrilled when they brought in Zak Starkey who brought some of that glorious bombast back to the Who.
The funny thing is, if you listen to Jones' work with the Small Faces, a lot of it sounds like the work of a more controlled Moon — he kept a solid groove, but still embellished the songs with some pretty colorful fills. His playing style definitely became more streamlined in the 70s with the Faces, but I would have loved to hear him apply some of this kind of magic to his time in The Who: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPgaubI3tI
Good call! - wish he brought some of that to the Who but then that was probably more up to Pete... Also, you rendered my two-disc Small Faces "Definitive Collection" (Recall UK) false as there's no "Understanding" on there!
Their back catalog is such a mess, sadly - I don’t think there actually is a truly definitive collection of their music.
Love this, and agree. I put it on yesterday, but switched to the expanded Leeds because I wanted a bit more punch. And as an irredeemable bass geek, I have to note this is the first time I can clearly hear Entwistle using a Thunderbird onstage....
It’s hard to disagree with most of what you’ve written, although I personally like the cover artwork 😄 And you’re right about Substitute from this era, it’s a shame they didn’t follow the studio arrangement. I’m also surprised how catchy I find So Glad To See Ya!
Oh, and thanks for another podcast plug ❤️
Here’s your Who concert setlist, Dan. It was a week before they played two nights with The Clash supporting them at Shea Stadium.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-who/1982/rosemont-horizon-rosemont-il-53df17f5.html
Did they have an opening band for your show?
Here’s a cool clip I’d never seen of a song they played on that tour. Hope you don’t fall asleep during the “presenter intro.”.
They were the first band to vomit in the bar!
https://youtu.be/maD5k-vUI4o?si=fSci6Hw9uiDT1fmm
Hahaha - “Whispering Bob” Harris in the house!
Still with us!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Harris_(radio_presenter)#Early_life
I love how Townshend blew his lyrics at the 3-minute mark and they left it “as is”.
I was there the night before - similar set but a few differences. We had T-Bone Burnett as the opener, with Mick Ronson on lead guitar. They got “WHOOO”d off the stage, sadly.
Yeah—sorry I blew the exact date for your show. You guys heard Magic Bus late before you went out the door.
They came back to Chi. and played the Rosemont again two months later with another slightly altered setlist.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-who/1982/rosemont-horizon-rosemont-il-53df1719.html
And they just played Chicago again last week!
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-who/2025/united-center-chicago-il-3b465080.html
Townshend supposedly smashed a guitar at that December Rosemont show - news of which made me and all my friends who saw them in October extremely jealous!