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NME review of BBC Sessions



A bit late, but I don't think this had been posted before.  This is New
Musical Express' review of BBC Sessions

The Who
BBC Sessions
(Polydor)
This long-delayed collection, recorded live and direct between 1965 and 1973
for such long-forgotten musty Radio 1 jocks as Dave 'Hairy Cornflake' Lee
Travis, 'Whisperin'' Bob Harris and avuncular Brian Matthew, captures their
kinetic energy, arrogant brilliance and ferocious interplay at its peak, a
direct challenge and assault on the venerable institution where it was
broadcast.
The smattering of early mod-centric obscure soul sides (such as James
Brown's 'Just You And Me, Darling') show them flexing their muscle, but The
Who really take off when they get stuck into Townshend's originals - a
combination of warring frustration, visionary insights and sonic
experimentation. 'Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere' sets the pace, Townshend's
guitar all inspired distortions and glistening runs. The sub-atomic throb
and monstrous exclamations of John Entwistle's bass are continually
detonated by Moon's machine-gun rampages. In such company even Roger
Daltrey, rock's very own carthorse, becomes a lion-lunged champion.
Recorded versions are overhauled and upended throughout: 'Substitute'
(twice), 'The Seeker', 'La La La Lies' and 'Pictures Of Lily', the latter
two tracks showing their oft-overlooked Beach Boys-inspired harmony singing
in excelcis. On record Townshend's operas could sound thin but the versions
of 'A Quick One' and 'I'm Free' here are fired by emancipatory zeal and
soaring transcendence.
The Who was a beautiful experiment in aural destruction as a means to
creation, and the contrasts they thrived on ensures freshness and excitement
still springs with shocking directness from these recordings. True, the
sound quality isn't all it could be but faced with the pansexual anger on
'I'm A Boy' such considerations fade to dust. The Who - there's really been
nothing else like them, ever. 8/10
Gavin Martin

        -Brian in Atlanta
          The Who This Month!
          http://members.home.net/cadyb/who.htm