More on Who's Next: Comments Invited

["David C. Olstein" <born2run@pipeline.com>]

On Fri, Mar 24, 1995 3:45:04 AM TheWho Digest wrote: 
 
>It sounds to me like they are missing the "A or the B" reel from the
masters. 
>generally, all lps needed two reels during mixdown. How could they be so 
>careless.(the who, management) could you imagine making a recording, a 
>landmark recording and not locking the masters up with foaming at the
mouth 
>security, and even some dogs? Scary. sounds like the BBC was involve! Now
I 
>have to admit I cant find a DAT that I quickly used to put an acoustic 
>guitar and vocal ref on 2 months ago. but it sure as hell aint Who's Next.

>so SHIT HAPPENS. 
 
Well, the obvious (albeit expensive) solution is to simply remix the album
from the original multitrack tapes -- unless they've lost those too.  GIven
the many innacuracies in the box set's documentation, it isn't clear (to me
at least) whether the Who's Next tracks were remixed. 
 
Interestingly enough, the latest issue of ICE reports on the upcoming Who's
Next reissue and makes no mention of the missing reel.  Chris Charlesworth
does provide some info (which has already been posted to this list), but I
think he's way off base in suggesting that there isn't much bonus material
available.  If anything, there's too much (for a single CD, that is). 
Setting aside both speculation (e.g., Mary), live mateiral. and alternate
takes, the following tracks were recorded during the Who's Next/Lifehouse
sessions and were not included on the album: 
 
Join Together 
The Relay 
Let's See Action 
Pure and Easy (there are at least two versions: one on Odds n Sods, the
other on                Lifehouse to Leeds) 
Water 
Waspman 
Too Much of Anything 
I Don't Even Know Myself 
Baby Don't You Do It (the studio version is found on Lifehouse to Leeds; a
live version was released as a b-side) 
When I Was a Boy 
Put the Money Down 
Time is Passing 
 
Tapes exist for all of these tracks.  Perhaps not all of the original
masters are available, but you work with what you've got.  As for the
Lifehouse to Leeds material, they can either make a public and generous
offer for the tape (and release the owner from any civil or criminal
liability), or they can simply master off the CD.  
 
My personal choice for bonus tracks (in order of preference) is as follows:

1.  Pure and Easy (alternate take) 
2.  Let's See Action 
3.  Join Together 
4.  Too Much of Anything 
5.  I Don't Even Know Myself 
6.  Time is Passing 
7.  The Relay 
8.  Water 
 
There's room for around 35 minutes of bonus tracks, so I think these might
fit.  I'd like to see what other people want, and perhaps someone in the UK
can pass the lists'   sentiments on to Phil Hopkins at Generations (who can
pass them on to Charlesworth).