The Who - 1973 [1985] "Quadrophenia"

Released as a double-album in 1973, The Who’s rock opera QUADROPHENIA is a conceptual work set in the 1960s milieu of the Mod movement during which they began their career in west London. The central character of Jimmy is a disaffected youth who hates his parents and lowly job, but finds release from blue-collar drudgery with his fellow Mods, popping pills and riding motor-scooters to weekend concerts by bands like The Who. But the freedom he finds turns out to be illusory. The album title comes from the personalities of the four members of The Who, used to represent the four sides of Jimmy. Townshend has described the album as the best music he has ever written. In 1979 it was turned into a film, directed by Franc Roddam (and featuring a young Sting in a key role) and has been performed live by The Who, sometimes with guest performers. In 2012 The Who played the album in its entirety on tour.

Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by the English rock band The Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's second rock opera. The story follows a young mod named Jimmy and his search for self-worth and importance, set in London and Brighton in 1965. It is the only Who album to be entirely composed by Pete Townshend.

The group started work on the album in 1972, trying to follow up Tommy and Who's Next, which had both achieved substantial critical and commercial success. Recording was delayed while bassist John Entwistle and singer Roger Daltrey recorded solo albums and drummer Keith Moon worked on films. Because a new studio was not finished in time, the group had to use Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. As well as the group's typical playing styles, especially from Moon, the album makes significant use of Townshend's multi-tracked synthesizers and sound effects, and Entwistle's layered horn parts. Relationships between the group and manager Kit Lambert broke down irretrievably during recording and he had left the band's services by the time the album was released.

Quadrophenia was released to a positive reception in both the UK and the US, but the resulting tour was marred with problems with backing tapes replacing the additional instruments on the album, and the stage piece was retired in early 1974. It was revived in 1996 with a larger ensemble, and a further tour occurred in 2012. The album made a positive impact on the mod revival movement of the late 1970s, and the resulting film adaptation, released in 1979, was successful. The album has been reissued on compact disc several times, and seen a number of remixes that corrected some perceived flaws in the original.

Quadrophenia was recorded at The Kitchen (later known as Ramport Studios), The Who’s own studio in Battersea, south London in May and June of 1973. It was immaculately packaged in a black-and-white gatefold sleeve, with extensive liner notes by Pete Townshend and a 44-page book of black-and-white photographs illustrating the central character Jimmy’s personal odyssey.

Track listing:

01 I Am The Sea
02 The Real Me
03 Quadrophenia
04 Cut My Hair
05 The Punk And The Godfather
06 I'm One
07 The Dirty Jobs
08 Helpless Dancer
09 Is It In My Head
10 I've Had Enough
11 5:15
12 Sea And Sand
13 Drowned
14 Bell Boy
15 Doctor Jimmy
16 The Rock
17 Love, Reign O'er Me

Personnel:

John Entwistle – bass, horns, vocals
Roger Daltrey – lead vocals
Keith Moon – percussion, vocals
Pete Townshend – guitars, keyboards, banjo, cello, vocals, sound effects

Additional musicians
Jon Curle – newsreader voice on "Cut My Hair"
Chris Stainton – piano on "The Dirty Jobs", "5:15", and "Drowned"