[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Maximum Who Book



Every once in a while I add an item to my growing Who collection that literally
gives me goosebumps; reminds me of the early days when I first started be-
coming a Who-freak & everything was new & unexplored.

Two days ago I recieived in the mail my copy of the MAXIMUM WHO book
from Genesis Publications.  It's an outstanding collection of pictures compiled
by Ross Halfin.

I was a little leery about getting this book; first of all, it's expensive & second, I
wasn't too thrilled with the last offering from Genesis Publications & Ross Halfin
THE WHO LIVE.

That book contained too many photos I had already seen plus it focused almost
entirely on The Who in the 1970's - not exactly the prettiest or most photogenic
period of the band.

And to make matters worse MAXIMUM WHO was released smack dab in 
the middle of the last Who tour which was already straining the resources of my 
hard-working credit card.  So I waited a few months & said, "What the hell," & 
ordered the book.  I'm so glad I did.

The book's huge - 14 1/2 inches tall & 10 inches wide.  An inch & a half thick.
272 pages.  Beautifully bound with gold-edged pages plus a large, thick slipcase.
The book is easy on the eyes before it's even opened!

Ross Halfin has picked only six photographers to include:  Tony Gale, Colin
Jones, Chris Morphet, Dominique Tarle, David Wedgebury, & Baron Wolman.

I'll say right now that nearly *every* picture in this book was new to my eyes.
And my eyes have been looking at Who pictures for 20 years now.  Sure, there
are some "standards" that we've all seen before but they're usually accompanied 
by outtakes from the same session providing fresh, startling images.

And it's not just live shots this time either (although there are plenty of those).
Tons of pictures from The Who's many photo shoots during the 60's.  Stunning
shots of the boys dressed in their best Mod or Pop Art gear posed around
various British settings & scenery.

Some of my favorite shots are of the band shopping for clothing at a swanky
men's clothier circa 1965.  Trying on jackets, being attended to by sales clerks,
the pictures are fascinating.  

There's some other shots of Roger in his apartment when he lived above The 
Who's office.  Roger waking up, Roger shaving, Roger putting on a sweater
to start the day.  How refreshing to see many snapshots of the band in a non-
live stage setting.  Makes the lads seem all the more real, more human.  And
when you consider how much joy & excitement they've given us over the years
these seemingly mundane shots only serve to emphasize their power, their great-
ness.

Fantastic live shots, too.  The pictures on pages 42, 43, 46, & 47 show the 
band playing at the Goldhawk Club in '65.  And get this:  Entwistle is playing
a six-string Fender Jazzmaster (?) regular guitar!  With a tremelo bar!  It looks 
to be the same kind as he's holding in those pictures that have been printed late-
ly with his mum Queenie knitting in the background.  Anyone have an explana-
tion as to why Entwistle played a regular six-string guitar during that show?

The other great thing about this book is that it contains running commentary 
from Pete, Roger, & John.  And not recycled quotes, either.  Brand new mus-
ings, sometimes on the actual pictures themselves (Daltrey seems obsessed 
with commenting on his & the rest of the band's clothing).

These quotes are often quite hilarious & usually self-deprecating.  Plus other
people are allowed comments, too:  Glyn Johns, Bobby Pridden, & the vari-
ous photographers themselves.

There are other pictures of the fans, too, who were pressing up against the 
stage at some of those early shows.  Mostly girls!  Pete has a classic comment
about them which I have to share:

"I thought they were all dogs.  They thought I was an ugly cunt.  Didn't trust 'em.
Mod girls that is."

There are dozens of "classic" Who quotes like that throughout this book.  And
including many quotes by John is both bittersweet & appreciated because it
made me feel that he was back....just for an hour or so....talking to me, telling
me about these fascinating pictures & cracking jokes.

The book starts with the MY GENERATION album cover outtakes & con-
cludes with rehearsals for the TOMMY tour.  Perfect.

I can't say enough about this book.  It's worth every penny.  They're only print-
ing 1500 of these.  250 are signed by Daltrey & they're sold out.  I got the
cheaper ones, signed by Ross Halfin.  Cheaper in this case is $375.00 Amer-
ican dollars plus shipping which brings it scarily close to $400.00.  My copy was 
# 929.

But it's worth it.  O, Lordy, is it worth it!  Goosebumps.  Really.  My mind was 
cloudy with a mixture of the images after I was done looking at it.  At work the
next day I couldn't wait to get home in order to thumb through it again.  A master-
piece of fresh, revealing images of our glorious, exciting Who.  Fucking fantastic. 

Final Grade:  A+


- SCHRADE in Akron