Houston '75

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The other day I picked up a copy of the newly-issued Houston '75 CD boot.
A 2-CD set which looks to be on non-CDR, silver CD's.  But when compared
to a "regular" CD they don't seem to be quite as silvery; so perhaps they *are* 
CDR's.

No matter because I'm happy to report that this boot is unequivocally the best-
sounding 70's Who boot that I've heard in probably over a decade.  In short,
it's flippin' fantastic.

The vocals are clear & loud, the guitar is loud, Moon's drums are prominent
(especially his snare drum).  I had to boost the bass on my stereo a bit to give
it the proper "OX underneath rumble" but that's hardly a criticism.

It actually comes close to rivalling the sound of the '76 Swansea show, how-
ever, since this boot is in mono, it's unable to reach that height.  But it comes
close.

It's been mentioned that this CD boot was taken from the *film* of this show
(which apparently only a handful of people have actually seen) & that one can
hear the tell-tale sound of a high-pitched, "taken-from-video" squeal throughout.
I hear a tiny bit of it but let me promise you that it in no way takes away from
the glory of this boot.  It's *barely* there & a small drop of your treble control 
makes it inaudible.  It really doesn't affect the sound of this boot at all.
 
The actual performance of the band is well-above average.  The guys are in 
good spirits & Moon plays fast & hard.  Plenty of good-humored stage banter 
as well.

Here's a song-by-song breakdown with comments as warranted.

Disc One (42:03)

1. Substitute - Beautiful, fast-paced, sets a nice tone for the entire show.
Moon on fire early.  Two "bloody youngs" from Daltrey.

2. I Can't Explain -  The mix seems to have comfortably settled a bit.  Moon's
snare pops.  You can hear him scream.  Backing vocals nice & loud.  Flaw-
less version.  Sounds like 1969.

* (banter) 
Daltrey:  We'll just get used to this sound a bit.  Can you turn me a bit down 
   in the monitors, Bob?

3. Sqeezebox - First major flaw in the boot.  The song starts & then abrubtly
cuts to the end of the first verse.  It's missing a chunk.  Thank god it's only
"Squeeze Box."  ;-)  What's left sounds good enough.

4. Baba O'Riley -  Synth track is very loud.  Monster version.  Big & plund-
ering.  Many spirited Moon fills.  He really is outstanding on this entire boot.
Loud & frantic snare rolls at the end.  Above-average version.

* (banter) 
Pete:  This next number was written by John Entwistle.
Moon:  Boo!  Boo!
Pete:  It's a very strange song.  Very strange subject matter with very weird
   chords.
Moon (who had been yelling nasty comments about Entwistle throughout):  
   A very weird person!  One of the most evil cretins (?) I have ever met!
Pete:  It's called "Boris the Spider!"

5. Boris the Spider - Great version.  Nicely sung by OX.  <sniff>  This CD
will sure make you miss The OX.

6. Drowned - I usually get bored with live versions of this song but the one 
on this boot is brilliant.  Again, Moon is phenomenal.  He dances all over the
tune.  How wonderful to have another well-recorded Moon performance.
Those don't come along very often.  And apart from a high-hat miss (or a 
bit of indecision) by Moon towards the end, this version is perfect.

* (banter)
Pete:  You are in for a special treat.  We'd like to do another number off the 
   new album.  This is where I make my little speech.  It's a song I wrote on 
   the night I gave up drinking.  And that's the end of the speech.  It's called
   "However Much I Booze."  (pause)  Played on the out-of-tune guitar.  
   Very common in this part of the world.

7. However Much I Booze - This might be the only live version I have of
this song.  Sluggish & unsure, but not *too* bad.  Pete has problems - some
bum chords & muffed lyrics.  Again, not *too* bad.  Who knows?  With a
little more practice.....

* (banter)
Daltrey:  Pete Townshend!
Pete:  Now I'll hand you back to the singer.

8. Dreaming From the Waist - Fine version.  Pete seems to have turned 
his guitar down too low, though.  Not as good as the Swansea version but
good nonetheless.  Entwistle, of course, flies.

* (banter)
Moon:  I'd like to do 17 numbers off my new album.

9. Behind Blue Eyes - Good version.  No problems.

Disc Two (71:19)

1. Amazing Journey - 
* (banter)
Daltrey:  Keith Moon on the drums here!
Moon:  Thank you, Houston.  Who said you were just a hick town with
   more millionaires per square inch than any other?  Certainly not me.  It's 
   not Houston?  Jesus Christ this has been a long tour.

Good, tight version of "Amazing Journey."  No problems.

2. Sparks - Beautifully noisy & transcendent as always.  Townshend is amaz-
ing.  No one on guitar goes from mayhem to delicate like he does.  And more
jaw-dropping brilliance from Moon.

3. The Acid Queen - Spelled "Adic Queen" on the back cover of the case.
Good version.

4. Fiddle About - Actually, this song isn't on the CD.  Track 4 is really just the
last third of "Acid Queen."  Somebody fucked up.

5. Pinball Wizard - Good version.  Bubbly, distorted Entwistle feedback at the 
end.

6. I'm Free - Another flaw.  The song starts about 2/3rds of the way through.
Most of the song is missing.

7. Tommy's Holiday Camp - Not a good version.  Pete flubs it badly.  Wrong
chords & not in synch.  You can hear him yell "Oh no!" as it starts.

8. We're Not Gonna Take It - Very good version.  Moon is on his game.  The
entire band feels it & is inspired.  One of the best peformances of this song I've 
heard.  However, Entwistle is slightly off-key with his backing vocals during 
the "Listening to you...." part.

9. Summertime Blues - OK version.  A bit sloppy.

10. My Generation - Fast & tight.  A twangy guitar from Pete.  Daltrey shines,
Moon yells,.....beautiful.  The OX!  Go, OX, go!

11. Join Together - Still in "My Generation" really but leading up to the "Join To-
gether" part.  I'm shocked at the continued excellence of Moon.  He's really 
driving the band.

12. Naked Eye - It's most of the actual song proper & not just melodic noodlings
from Pete.  Sadly, it doesn't "kick in" at the beginning where it's supposed to, 
after the first verse.  Moon tries to pick things up on the high-hat & then starts
a settling beat.  Again no "kick in."  The band goes right to the ending, build-up
part.  Oddly-played version of this song but I'm glad it's contained on this boot.

13. Roadrunner - Bad version.  Entwistle misses the cue to start (not entirely his
fault, though).  Mistakes.  Uncertainty.  Settles down towards the end, but they 
cut it kind of short.

14. Won't Get Fooled Again - Good, solid version.  Each band member shines.
Moon incredible.  Distortion on Daltrey's scream.  

(over three minutes of crowd noise)

15. Magic Bus - Seven minutes long.  Nice, tight, spirited version.  Moon effort-
lessly blends wood blocks into subtle tom work, rim shots, & cymbal punches.
Followed by some unfathomable snare work.  Incredible.  Proof positive that
Moon hadn't "lost it" by 1975.  Again, one of the best versions I've heard of this
song.  Nary a mistake or miscue to be found.

16. My Generation Blues - The band or mainly Pete) coily slips into this after 
"Magic Bus."  Then, wouldn't ya' know it, the CD starts skipping like crazy for
a couple of seconds & then starts again.  Then it begins to skip indefinitely just
as Daltrey is yelling "Talking..." so I get "Talk, talk, talk, talk....." like it's some
kind of crazy dance remix!  Fuck!!  Some finagling with my CD buttons gets
me past the trouble spot only to have it start again.  It's hopeless.  I tried it three
times.  There's a flaw in the CD.  The last 28 seconds, however, are problem-
free!  Fuck.

Despite that last bummer, as I stated before, this is the best-sounding 70's Who 
boot I've heard in a long, long, long, long time.  Despite it's mononess (!), oc-
casional vocal distortion, missing parts, digital fuck-ups, this boot is without a 
doubt a must-have for Who freaks.

Most of the performance is flawless & complete.  Moon's own performance is 
pants-wetting amazing.  And the drum sound is near-perfect to boot!  Nice, loud 
snare.  The band is in good spirits &, for the most part, sound well-rehearsed &
tight.

I guess the only other thing one could ask for is to see the *film* of this outstand-
ing Who concert from 1975 in Houston.

Final Grade:  A-


- SCHRADE in Akron