Buried Treasure: The Who's Shel Talmy Tapes

[Brian Cady <cadyb@home.com>]

Forwarded with permission from White Fang at oddsandsods list:

Thanks to a recent e-bay listing, I've been fortunate to make contact
with 
the Shel Talmy people (as well as Shel himself) and discuss the sale of
the 
original Who 3-track master tapes, which Shel has faithfully preserved
for 
the last 35 years. These tapes, contain the hit songs such as "I Can't 
Explain", "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" and "My Generation" (full track
listing 
below), which initially put The Who on the map and have unfortunately
been 
the subject of a long-standing legal debate. 

With these tapes, all of the songs can be mixed into true stereo. For
those 
Who fans who have listened to "Who's Missing" and "Two's Missing" (5 of
these 
songs are released in true stereo on those two albums), you can
appreciate 
just how well recorded this music is and how good it sounds in stereo. 
 
Shel Talmy was (and still is) a big fan of The Who. I've spoken to him 
recently and you can hear the enthusiasm in his voice about what it was
like 
"in the old days" and how much he loved the band. In spite of past 
misunderstandings, he's still a fan of the band today. In 1965 he
captured 
the live sound of The Who in the studio, using various techniques that
were 
way ahead of their time. The early Who recordings have a unique sound
and 
feel to them, that hasn't been recaptured since. Unfortunately, back in
1966, 
the band and Shel Talmy parted ways. For the last several years Shel
Talmy, 
MCA and Polydor (these two record companies recently merged) have been 
negotiating (unsuccessfully) over the disposition of the master tapes.
 
I've had the fortunate privilege of listening to these tapes. There's
about 2 
hours and 45 minutes of material, which includes released versions of
the 
songs, outtakes of the same, and one previously unreleased song (see
track 
listing #49 below). The sound quality of all of this material is
outstanding.

I would like to concentrate my efforts on getting these tapes released,
and 
am exploring various methods of purchase to make this happen, which
includes 
an investment group where I am one of the investors.  I welcome all 
interested parties  with the means to participate in this investment to 
e-mail me for details. I can
arrange an audition of the material (sorry, no tapes or CDs). And, if
anyone 
else would like to discuss any of the facets of this, please feel free
to 
respond to this post, publicly.
  
Track listing of master tapes:
 
Note: the information in the brackets [] is relevant to the take and mix
#. 
Not every track had one described (or I might not have been able to 
distinguish what they were saying). The comments below the tracks
reflect the 
description that I wrote down as I was listening to the music. There may
be 
some errors as I didn't actually a/b these versions to each other (in
the 
case of multiple takes), or the released versions (except with "Anyway, 
Anyhow, Anywhere"). 
 
1. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" [???]
 No backing vocals. Otherwise appears to be French EP version.
 
2. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" [mix 2]
 Sounds similar, but different to French EP version.
 
3. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" [mix 1, take 1]
 Seems to be the French EP version
 
4. "Out In The Street" [mix 2, final, take 1]
 Different drumming and guitar parts (complete song)
 
5. "Out In The Street" [mix 1, take 2]
 Stops shortly after start.
 
6. "Out In The Street" [3]
 Stops shortly after start.
 
7. "Out In The Street" [4]
 About ¾ of the song, then stopped.
 
8. "Out In The Street" [6]
 Stopped almost immediately after start.
 
9. "Out In The Street" [7]
 Cool "feedback" guitar part. (complete song)
 
10. "Out In The Street" [???]
 Seems to be LP version, but backing vocals are mixed down.
 
11. "Lubie" [???]
 Seems to be the same as on "Who's Missing".
 
12. "Lubie" [Final Mix]
 Much higher guitar and much lower drums than above version. Pete
Townshend 
would like this one!
 
13. "Please, Please, Please [???]
 Vocals upfront mix.
 
14. "Please, Please, Please [mix 1, take 1]
 Seems to be the same as the LP version.
 
15. "Heatwave" [mix 2, take 4]
 A bit more upbeat than the "Two's Missing" version.
 
16. "Heatwave" [mix 2, take 4]
 Seems to be the same as the "Two's Missing" version. Some tape wobble
at 
song's end.
 
17. "Heatwave" [mix 2, take 1]
 Compressed mix.
 
18. "Heatwave" [edit take 1]
 Edited version. Starts near end of song.
 
19. "Heatwave" [2 edit]
 Edited verson. Starts near end of song.
 
20. "I Don't Mind" [take 1, mix 1]
 Roger banter before song start. Blusier version than LP. Vocal changes
and 
different ending as well.
 
21. "I Don't Mind" [mix 2, take 1]
 Different mix of take 1 (above).
 
22. "Shout And Shimmy" [???]
 Similar/Same as released version.
 
23. "Shout And Shimmy" [???]
 Different backing vocals and no backing vocals in other parts.
 
24. "Daddy Rolling Stone" [???]
 No backing vocals.
 
25. "Daddy Rolling Stone" [take 2]
 No backing vocals. Longer ending than released version.
 
26. "Daddy Rolling Stone" [take 2, mix final]
 This version has backing vocals and longer ending than released
version(s).
 
27. "Motor-Vating" ("Two's Missing" title, "Motoring") [Take 1]
 No backing vocals. Voice on tape says, "Motor-Vating, take 1"]
 
28. "Motor-Vating" [mix 2, take 1]
 Compressed mix with backing vocals.
 
29. "It's Not True" [3]
 LP version.
 
30. "La La La Lies" [take 4]
 LP version.
 
31. "Much Too Much" [???]
 LP version.
 
32. "The Good's Gone" [4]
 LP version with extended guitar ending.
 
33. "Anytime You Want Me" [mix 2, take 1]
 False start.
 
34. "Anytime You Want Me" [2]
 Different vocal track and Roger sings end part in a higher octave.
 
35. "Anytime You Want Me" [take 3]
 Roger forgets lyrics and song stops. Some band banter follows. Tape
wobble 
in the middle.
 
36. "Anytime You Want Me" [take 4]
 Roger singing ending in higher octave.
 
37. "Anytime You Want Me" [mix 1, take 1]
 Same/Similar to released version.
 
38. "Anytime You Want Me" [take 1, mix 2]
 Same/Similar to released version.

39. "Anytime You Want Me" [???]
 Edited ending only.
 
40. "Anytime You Want Me" [take 2]
 Cut short after start. Pete Townshend discusses Roger's vocal part.
 
41. "Leaving Here" [3]
 Same as "Who's Missing" version.
 
42. "I'm A Man" [mix 1, take 1]
 2nd ½ of the song is instrumental only.
 
43. I'm A Man [take 2]
 Same/similar to "My Generation" LP version.
 
44. "My Generation" [???]
 Seems slightly different to released version.
 
45. "The Kids Are Alright" [???]
 Same/similar to released version.
 
46. "My Generation" [???]
 Same/similar to released version.
 
47. "The Kids Are Alright" [take 1]
 Pete tunes his guitar before start. Compressed vocal mix.
 
48. "Circles" (released as "Instant Party") [mix 1, take 4]
 Same/similar to "Who Sings My Generation" version, Dutch LP "Instant
Party" 
version and Euro & Japanese "b" side versions of "A Legal Matter".
 
49. "Instant Party Mixture" (unreleased song) [???]
 The demo of this song, originally titled as "Instant Party" appeared on
a 
bootleg joined with "La La La Lies" and titled (incorrectly) as "Party & 
Lies". The Who version features Roger on lead vocals and includes John 
Entwistle using his "Summertime Blues" voice as part of the backing
vocals. 
The song ends with a "Johnny Be Good" instrumental jam at the end.
 
50. "The Ox" [take 1]
 Similar/Same as released version. Voice before song says,
"Instrumental, 
take 1."
 
51. "A Legal Matter" [take 5]
 Similar/Same as released version, but with a longer ending.
 
52. "Lubie" [take 1]
 No backing vocals.
 
53. "Out In The Street" [first mix, 2]
 Seems to be a different take than released version.
 
54. "I Can't Explain" [???]
 Same as released version, but much cleaner sound.
 
55. "Bald Headed Woman" [???]
 Same as released version, but much cleaner sound and extended ending.
 
-wf