The Who's Last controversy

["Mark R. Leaman" <mleaman@sccoast.net>]

> Despite what I have read time and time again on this list, I finally
> thought the time was right to buy Who's Last, and I cannot believe the
> sub-standard quality of it.

Tom:

It IS hard to believe a live Who album could sound bad, but this is proof.

> Can someone please put my mind at rest- did Roger's voice really sound
that
> strained as early as 1982?

It depends on the night. One of the problems with WL is his voice is mixed
too low, and that makes it sound more strained than it actually may have
been (although I couldn't tell you; I avoided this tour like a plague). If
you want a much better performance from this tour, get the video of the
Toronto concert (Who Rocks America) and make yourself a cassette/CD out of
it. It's MUCH better and far more interesting. The video sounds a little
dull, but with a little EQ manipulation you can fix that.

> It seems unbelievable that 16 years later his
> voice has actually improved as opposed to getting any worse.

You're right...and I don't believe it. His voice has gotten worse, but he
no longer tries to hit notes he cannot hit so it sounds better overall.

> album is so badly recorded too- not a patch on the live tracks on Face
> Dances and It's Hard from around the same time.

The live tracks on IH are from the Toronto concert.

> I don't think you're imagining things--his voice had gone downhill
> probably as early as '79 or '80.

Bill:

You can hear it, and I heard it first, on Had Enough from WAY. "Trying to
love my brother..." I think.

> point in '89, or maybe '94 with Daltrey sings Townshend.  After that, I
> don't think his voice actually improved, but he knew his limitations

Give that man a cigar!

> tickets they'd sold.  I don't know anything about who chose the material
> for the album.

It's said somewhere, I think on the LP, that it was the band members who
chose the tracks. I don't believe that, either. Please note it's a MCA
release and there are no non-MCA tracks included on the album...although
they certainly played them on the tour (again, check the video Who Rocks
America). No WAY Daltrey would have released these crappy versions, and I
don't think Townshend would either...perhaps someone channeled Moon and he
picked the tracks which most illustrated how important he was in the
band...

> much.  Maybe it was just product that needed to be delivered to satisfy
> Warner Brothers?

Except it was released on MCA. That explains it; they have no shame,
although I'll give them credit for hesitating two years before putting it
out. And (no pun intended) WHO was so lame as to title it WL? No member of
the band, that's for sure! On the other hand, I guess we're lucky they
didn't call it WHO'S LAST - THE WHO ON TOUR.