Two New Who Boots

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Two new Who boots on the CD market.  I know they're new because
both have similar messages on the back cover:  "We believe you, Pete
Townsend!"  We believe you but we don't know how to spell your last
name.  It's the thought that counts.

Both are on the Japanese Sunrise "label" & feature nice covers & back
covers but no inside pictures or booklets.

The first is yet another pressing of the famous TALES FROM THE WHO
1973 boot.  It uses the EC comics-like cover but unlike others has a 
yellow strip down the left side saying "Philadelphia December 4, 1973."

The sound is decent.  I've heard worse versions.  It's definitely not an
upgrade.  It contains the usual songs from this boot - no additions, no
subtractions.

Final Grade:  B+

The next CD boot is much more interesting.  It's called WHO'S NEXT
SESSIONS & uses an outtake from the WHO'S NEXT album cover as 
its cover.  Here are the tracks (as listed) with some commentary:

1. Won't Get Fooled Again (unreleased 1st version) - This is just the
New York Record Plant version without the toning down of Leslie
West's guitar.  More high-end than on other versions.

2. Pure & Easy (rough mix - 1st version) -  The NY Record Plant 
version but again, more high end which really brings out the guitar. 

3. Baby Don't You Do It (rough mix) - Again, the NY Record Plant
version but with more high-end than say the LIFEHOUSE TO LEEDS
version.  That can be said of all these tracks so far.  The mixes (if that's
what they are) are clearer & seem like they have more stereo separ-
ation but I wouldn't exactly call them superior.  There's almost too
much high-end; and the bass is over-blown & distorted at times.  This
track sounds pretty bad.

4. Love Ain't For Keeping (unreleased 1st version) - NY Record 
Plant version again.  Full version, too - with the reprise.  No crappy
high-end & bass distortion this time. 

5. Bargain (rough mix) - This is the regular album version but with a
much louder Moog synthesizer track & what sounds like a louder 
electric guitar track.  Unfortunately, Mr. High-End & Mr. Bass Dis-
tortion make themselves known.  I did a quick comparison to this
song on the COLLECTOR'S WHO'S NEXT boot & that track 
sounds much better but definitely doesn't have the loud Moog.

6. Too Much Of Anything (rough mix) - This sounds like a com-
pletely different lead vocal on this one compared to the ODDS & 
SODS reissue (or at least parts of it are).  Plus, Pete's backing
vocals are *much* louder which is instantly noticeable.  But again,
much high-end & bass distortion.

7. Getting In Tune (unreleased 1st version) - NY Record Plant
version.  Very loud organ & the drums aren't buried as in the LIFE-
HOUSE TO LEEDS version.  Best-sounding track so far.  No
extreme high-end or bass distortion.  Stereo channels might be
flip-flopped.  Fades out, though; nearly 3 minutes shorter than the
WHO'S NEXT DELUXE version.

8. Song Is Over (rough mix) - Album version with more echo on 
the vocals & again a much louder Moog synth track.  More crappy
high-end & crappy bass distortion.

9. Won't Get Fooled Again (2nd version - rough mix) - Album
version but has the "thump, thump, thump" beginning like the live
versions.  Either more echo or a sharper pan on the synthesizer track.
Little noises are audible during the synth part, too.  Louder Pete
backing vocals are noticeable, as well.  The extreme high-end is
prevalent but no bass distortion.  Moon's hi-hat is much more pro-
nounced.  At times the guitars (both electric & acoustic) sound a bit
louder.  A weird mix.  Casual fans may not be able to tell the differ-
ence (my friend Dave thought it sounded exactly like the album ver-
sion) but there are definitely some differences.

10. Love Ain't For Keeping (unreleased 1st version - alternate mix) -
Record Plant version with the crappy high-end & bass distortion.
A shittier version of track 4.

11. Getting In Tune (unreleased 1st version - "no drums" mix) - 
Identical to the LIFEHOUSE TO LEEDS version except this one
has more high-end.  The drums aren't missing, they're just buried.

Tracks 12 through 16 are blatantly ripped-off audio segments from
the Classic Albums DVD of WHO'S NEXT & aren't worth mention-
ing at all.

Gosh, Final Grade......most of these tracks sound pretty bad but
there are some odd things here.  Hmmmm....  OK.  Bad sound wins.

Final Grade: C


- SCHRADE in Akron