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The Who In December



December 1993 (5 Years Ago)

On the 13th, it is reported that Pete is
reconciling with his wife Karen.  She had
barred him from their home since the previous
spring after Pete began drinking again.

The Ramones release their CD "Acid Eaters"
featuring a cover of "Substitute" with Pete
on background vocals.

December 1983 (15 Years Ago)

On the 6th, Roger appears on a British talk
show.  His remarks show that he still thinks
The Who are a going concern.

The following day, the 7th, Warner Brothers
accedes to Pete’s wishes and  terminates The
Who's recording contract.

On the 16th, Pete officially announces that
"I will not be making any more records with
The Who… I will not perform live again
anywhere in the world with The Who."  Roger,
John and Kenney take no part in the
announcement.  Roger sarcastically calls it
"a wonderful Christmas present."

December 1978 (20 Years Ago)

On the 2nd, "Trick Of The Light" backed with
"905," the first U.S. Who single with both A
and B sides written by John is released.  It
fails to chart.

On the 9th, Roger is interviewed in New
Musical Express.  He mentions Kenny Jones as
a possible replacement for Keith.

"Whose Who?: A Who Retrospective,"  a
paperback biography of The Who written by
Brian Ashley and Steve Monnery, is published.

December 1973 (25 Years Ago)

The ill-fated "Quadrophenia" tour continues
on the 2nd at the Montreal Forum.  After the
show, Pete and Keith engage in a bit of room
destruction back at the hotel.  For once, the
manager will not be immediately allayed by a
large lump of cash and has The Who and their
entourage thrown into the Montreal city
jail.  They manage to post bail seven hours
later and get to Boston to perform on the
night of the 3rd.  John later writes the song
"Cell Number 7" about The Who’s
incarceration.

With the Boston show, "Helpless Dancer" is
dropped from "Quadrophenia."  The live
version now consists of the following songs,
"I am the Sea," "The Real Me," "The Punk and
The Godfather," "I’m One," "5:15," "Sea and
Sand," "Drowned," "Bell Boy," "Dr. Jimmy" and
"Love Reign O’er Me."

On the 4th, The Who perform at the 
Philadelphia Spectrum.  The show is recorded
in quadraphonic by King Biscuit Flower Hour
and later broadcast on their show.  It is
widely bootlegged.  Titles for it include
"Tales From The Who," "Decidedly Belated
Response," "Who Are You," "Mods and Rockers" 
and "Taking The Capitol."  King Biscuit
releases "Won’t Get Fooled Again" on a
compilation CD in 1998.

The U.S. "Quadrophenia" tour ends on the 6th
In Largo, Maryland just outside Washington,
D.C.  This show is also recorded by the King
Biscuit Flower Hour but is rejected in favor
of the previous night’s performance.  The
show is later booted as "American Tour 1973."

The next day the Washington Post prints an
interview with Roger in which he says that
Dallas was the only weak show of the U.S.
tour.

Rolling Stone runs an article headlined
"Who’s spooky tour: awe and hassles"  Pete
and Roger comment on the friction between
them during the recording of "Quadrophenia."
Pete thinks the band tried to accomplish too
much and admits that audience reaction was
not what he expected.

On the 13th, the second all-star concert of
"Tommy" is held in London.  David Essex and
Roy Wood are added to the cast.  Pete doesn’t
appear as the narrator probably because of
his workload adapting the music of "Tommy"
for the upcoming film version.  Keith also
doesn’t appear.  Illness is given as the
reason and this is at least partly true: 
after the U.S. tour he checked himself into a
nursing home to dry out.

In Popular Music and Society, William J.
Scheick writes: "Who’s Next: a reappraisal." 
He provides a scholarly analysis of the album
and says that independent of "Lifehouse," it
is still a concept album.

 "The Real Me" backed with "Water" is
released in Japan.

The Shadows release their LP "Rockin’ With
Curly Leads" featuring a cover of "Pinball
Wizard/See Me, Feel Me"

Some belated reviews of "Quadrophenia" come
out.  Lester Bangs gives it a positive review
in Stereo Review although he questions the
need for The Who or anyone else to write rock
operas.  Mike Jahn pans "Quadrophenia" in
High Fidelity saying it has no plot, but it
would have been a masterpiece if it contained
"words that one could follow."

On the 18th, The Who start 4 nights at the
Edmonton Sundown, London as make ups for the
inadequate concerts at the Lyceum the month
before.  Roger is reported to be suffering
from a throat ailment at these concerts. 
Despite this, Pete later says these shows are
the best of the live "Quadrophenia" shows. 
The rest of the shows are the 19th, 22nd and
23rd.  At the 22nd show, "Pinball Wizard" and
"See Me Feel Me" are dedicated to the
director of the upcoming "Tommy" film, Ken
Russell.

December 1968 (30 Years Ago) 

On the 10th and 11th, The Who participate in
the filming of "The Rolling Stones’ Rock ‘N’
Roll Circus."  They perform several
blistering performances of "A Quick One While
He’s Away" and upstage the ill-rehearsed
Rolling Stones so badly that the Stones
shelve the film for nearly thirty years. 
Bootlegs of the show soon leak out under
titles like  "Rock 'n' Roll Circus" and
"Gulp."  The Who’s performance is later
included in their film "The Kids Are
Alright."

During this time, The Who work on the rock
opera "Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy" at IBC
Studios Monday through Thursday, then spend
the weekend playing shows testing some of the
new material.

On the 12th, The Who play at Reading
University and on the 14th at the
hilariously-named Bubbles Club in Brentwood,
Essex.

Opal Butterfly releases a British single with
a cover of "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands."

On the 17th, The Who play "The Who’s
Christmas Party" at the Marquee.  It is their
last performance at the club that gave them
their London start.  Yes is the support
band.  Who fan Nigel Cornthwaite joins them
onstage for "Magic Bus."

December 1963 (35 Years Ago)

A known date for The Detours is on the 7th at
the California Ballroom, Dunstable opening
for Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders.

On the 22nd, The Detours play the most famous
date of their careers opening for The Rolling
Stones at St. Mary’s Hall in Putney.  Mods
turn out for the show including a young
future-Who-lister named Max. Glyn Johns, then
a singer for The Presidents, gets Pete
backstage to meet The Stones.  Pete is
enthralled by the Stones and watching a
backstage arm-swinging move of Keith Richard,
later adapts it into his signature windmill
guitar style.

December 1958 (40 Years Ago)

The 12-year old Keith Moon gets the following
note on his report card: "His behavior is
rather young for his age."

			-Brian in Atlanta