RE: Quadrophonic or what............

["Nigel Morton" <nigel@adastey.demon.co.uk>]

It's been interesting to read the many and varied contributions about The
Who's album Quadrophenia - yes a true master piece but I'm undecided as to
if it's my personal "all time" Who best album as there are three others that
constantly draw me back to them - Sell Out; Who's Next; By Numbers.  But,
for those that are interested here are some of my thoughts and memories
about Quadrophenia.

I wasn't old enough to have been a proper Mod but I certainly followed on
the tail end of it.  I got a wonderful Mohair two-tone suit around '68 and
wore it with extreme pride and may have had it on when I saw The Who for the
first time @ Bubbles Club, Brentwood, Essex, England on December 14th '68
when I'd just turned 15 (they were the second band I ever saw live, the
first being Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames).  By then I was already into
the band and their singles and the albums released up to then.  So, when in
'73 Quad surfaced I was familiar with the concept and ethos of "modism" and
had certainly undertaken many of the themes - dead end jobs; what is it I'll
take it, who is she I'll rape it (not actually rape but we all know how
teenagers used to believe in their sexual prowess); being pilled out of my
head and dancing all night; plus enough fights in and around my home town to
know the "buzz" you'd get with a bit of physical violence!

I was given Quad as an early birthday present from my then girlfriend - an
absolutely stunning blond called Karen who also adored the Who - and played
it endlessly for weeks on end as I "identified" with Jimmy and his life and
how he lived.  It was so fucking scary, somehow, the greatest group in the
world and their principle composer had "written" about MY life!  And I'd
never met any of them, just how could he / they do it?  The total power of
"Had Enough"; "5.15"; "Dr Jimmy"; "Love Reign O'er Me" succeeded in mentally
crucifying me for ages and ages!  Then we got tickets to see them at Lyceum,
London (infact after queuing overnight and being involved in some low key
scuffles to eject queue crashers I managed to get tickets for the first and
last nights, November 11 and 13.)

Shit, what amazing concerts.  The crowd rolled in wave after wave as
everyone tried to push to the front when they came on; fights broke out and
our ears virtually bled as song after song blasted out of a PA system that
was obviously designed for larger venues.  Then, I remember at somepoint -
was it during a Quad number or WGFA or the end of See Me, Feel - at the back
of the stage a number of mirrors spun around to create a mirrored backdrop
onto which super trooper searchlights were shone illuminating everyone and
everything and the audience just went absolutely fucking crazy.  Both Karen
and I were battered, bruised and deaf when we dragged ourselves away from
those shows - we'd just seen the band rip all the rule book up!  They'd
argued on stage, they fought with the audience, they attempted to explain
the "concept" of Quad and in my opinion they were just fucking incredible
despite all the sound, tape and technical problems what an amazing outfit -
a rare blending of four disparate talents that really did become one when
they were actually for, yep they were absolutely fucking Quadrophonic!
(Fortunately the insane scenes with the audience made the band and the
promoters realise that the Lyceum had been inadequate as a venue so four
more shows were slotted in for December at The Sundown, Edmonton, London and
although I attended the first and fourth show, and they were again
absolutely amazing they just didn't quite make, for me, the level of those
two I saw at the Lyceum.  I have since read - in The Concert Files - that
Townshend reckons that the four Edmonton dates were the best shows they'd
ever played up to then.)

As the years passed after those shows we learnt that The Who had become
frustrated with the fact that most American fans just didn't get the
"concept" of Quad.  So, many, many great songs were left off the set list at
live performances only to be replaced, admittedly with IMHO songs that were
just as great!  When Townshend revived Quad in '96 for the show in Hyde Park
I was sceptical that they'd manage to do it and themselves the justice it
and they deserved.  It worked in a strange sort of way but the fire I'd
originally felt in my gut wasn't there...........

Until December '96 when it resurfaced, again, at the cavernous Earls Court,
and this time it rocked, they rocked, I rocked, the audience rocked
FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!  But, the revival wasn't quite complete it emerged again
in May '97 @ Wembley Arena and this time I went along, with after show party
guest passes, and I took my son Tom.  He'd been coming to shows with my
since he was very young and now in his early teens (13) he had developed his
own tastes - mostly heavy metal.  So, I was as pleased punch when once again
Quadropehenia really rocked out, tore the place up and was as loud as
anything I'd heard for years!!!  Tom's opinion was / is that is was probably
the second best gig he'd ever seen in his life and that it was certainly the
loudest!  (FYI - his favourite gig was by his fave band, a heavy metal act I
once co-managed called The Almighty.)

I rate Quad to this day and think that it's probably the finest example of
concept / rock opera album made by anyone.  There's certainly enough there
for any true Who fan and fortunately as time has passed and information
exchange and cultural understanding has improved it has been possible for
none-British fans to really grasp the story line - helped somewhat, perhaps,
by the excellent movie based on the album.  But, as I say in my introduction
I'm not certain that it's ultimately my favourite Who album - Sell Out;
Who's Next; By Numbers - all have their individual merits and strong points.
But, that's another posting.  Thanks for reading this one.

NM