The Who

 

 jangly? 

 Tommy,Tommy,Tommy.....

Is that all you lot know?

Listen to some other stuff!

The Who are better than than the Stones and Beatles combined. They are not rated period. Underrated would be an overstatement. So many of their tunes don't get the airplay they deserve:

Squeeze Box
Going Mobile
I'm Free
I'm One

As for being prog; I can't agree there. Prog is more than synths/keyboards and concept albums. To be prog, you need multi-movement songs and jazz chords and knuckle-busting melodies. The who were very prime in their chords and they were not virtuoso whatsoever. Townshend was mediocre at guitar and he knew piano well enough (perhaps better than guitar). I think he used keyboards because he had the ability to play them and because they are good for layering in the mix. Plus, it was the 1970s: how could you NOT use synths?

Edited by Crimson Prince

Certified wrote:

I can't make the distinction between "Classic Rock" and "Progressive Rock", simply because much Progressive Rock IS Classic Rock.

Maybe you don't make the distintion between classoic rock and Prog' but the rest ofv the music listening world do.

Prog is really an isolated genre, very pretentious, pompous and not popular at all. Classic Rock is another excellent genre but it's far more popular, not pompous or pretentious and reached some good radio stations.

We are talking about two different things.

Certified wrote:

These categories are too divisive, IMO - including so-called "Art-Rock" which I do not recognise as a category, as Prog Rock is also Art Rock, Symphonic Rock and the rest..

Again, maybe you don't recognize Art Rock as a sub genre of prog', but the rest of the world does, and it's used to describe the simplest bands that played at the border that divides progressive rock mainly from POP or AOR.

Check any important Progressive Web page including Prog Archives, they all agree at this point.

The truth is that The Who would loose very much if consider part of Progressive Rock because they are IMO the best Classic Rock  band ever.

Iván

BTW, Not so few prog moments, at least Overture, Underture, Amazing Journey, I'm Free and a couple more songs fropm Tommy are very close to Prog' plus all Quadrophenia and great part of Who's Next.

NetsNJFan wrote: Ok - they werent great musicians, but they had several prog aspects...

Must be one of the bigest jokes I have ever heard on this Forum you gota be joking, ehh?

Well the WHO is not prog that for sure they are the best Classic Rock band ever, and I love em very much, they are on of my favorit bands. And they culd blow the rolling stones or any other rock band from that time, off the stage any time.

And I think they are on of the funiest rock bands ever, and they made great rock operas but not prog.

Edited by Sound_Chaser

NetsNJFan wrote: 1969 - Tommy (FIRST ROCK OPERA - WITH UNDERTURE - PROG!!)

 

Usual reminder.  Pete Townshend has never hidden his opinion that the Pretty Things with S.F.Sorrow released the first rock opera which filled a complete album, giving Townshend the confidence to do Tommy. Although earlier to complete the A Quick One  albumTownshend was encouraged by the Who's manager to cobble together parts of unfinished tunes to produce a 10 minute mini-opera A Quick One While He's Away. And Keith West of Tomorrow (which had Steve Howe and Twink in the line-up) released two singles for the British market even earlier, Excerpts From A Teenage Opera (which was number 1)  and Grocer Jack; the complete album had to wait almost 25 years before being released by UK label RPM. As I suggested elsewhere if Ray Davis hadn't been tied up for a year with contractual/legal wrangles preventing them from recording, then the Kinks might have even got in before.

And of course there is the missing second Townshend "opera" or perhaps more accurately musical project The Lifehouse, which in one form was a theatrical play with musical interludes performed in the early 80's at the Old Vic Theatre and  resurrected in late 1999 as a radio play for BBC Radio Three (with Townshend's own musical accompaniment) . Some of tunes became Who's Next, other pieces are found on subsequent Who albums right through to the sad death of Keith Moon.  A large and reasonably expensive multi-CD box set The Lifehouse Project,  demos, (live and studio) remixes, the Radio 3 version of the musical play and other materials , info can be obtained from:

http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/lifehouse/

f*** the Who the What and the Why.  They are a dreaful band with a horrible singer.  No wonder their drummer died - it was to get away from their horrible songs.

their 2 redeeming features:

1. pete townshend swinging both ways, baby!!

2. john entwistles dying while high and on the job with some hookers.

 

The Wizard wrote: omar progriguez wrote: f*** the Who the What and the Why.  They are a dreaful band with a horrible singer.  No wonder their drummer died - it was to get away from their horrible songs. their 2 redeeming features: 1. pete townshend swinging both ways, baby!! 2. john entwistles dying while high and on the job with some hookers.   You wouldn't know good music if it hit you in the head with Pete Townsends guitar.

The Who are whorrible.  Really bad.  They are as close to prog as the scissor sisters or concord dawn.

As for music...I know music as intimately as I know my men!  Believe me, I know a lot about music bro.

The Wizard wrote: omar progriguez wrote: f*** the Who the What and the Why.  They are a dreaful band with a horrible singer.  No wonder their drummer died - it was to get away from their horrible songs. their 2 redeeming features: 1. pete townshend swinging both ways, baby!! 2. john entwistles dying while high and on the job with some hookers.   You wouldn't know good music if it hit you in the head with Pete Townsends guitar.

The who suck big time (like my boyfriend). I know good music and it is obvious you don't boyo

Edited by Gloryscene

they still influence bands, even now.  eddie vedder from Pearl Jam is a massive fan.

not prog though.

limeyrob wrote: Omar prog whatisname wrote a load of tosh. Funny how the producers of the fine CSI series chose The Who music for ALL their series. Obviously they recognise talent when they see it

Yeah but Who are You? isn't exactly a fantastic song as much as I love the Who, I cringe when I hear that song lol


But I love the who - i started off with the Who sell out ------ tommy ------- who's next ------- meaty beaty big and bouncy

Sounds like my next album should be quadrophenia, which I'd get if I could find it anywhere.....



BORIS THE SPIDER!!!!!!

Great song