Who by numbers

["Mason T. Weinrich" <mtw@shore.net>]

My humble opinion on The Who By Numbers -

First - to understand the album, you need to go back into the Who scene at
the time.  This album came after a period where PT was feeling very uncom-
fortable onstage (especially at the 6/74 Madison Square stand), he and Roger
had been openly fighting in Creem magazine, and PT felt very lost.  His
writing on the album really reflects this - often, I think, very open and
honestly but with occassional failures (among which I would consider "Imagine
A Man" - much too cliched for my taste).  However, Slip Kid, However Much I 
Booze, Dreaming, and the highly underrated album closer In a Hand or Face are
great Who songs.  Overall, his most introspective album of any who record
by a long shot, and one I think ranks in the top 5.

Nobody asked, but nobody had to read it, either.

And Alan - boy, do I feel like an idion - ENTWISTLE! - I'll write it twenty
times on the blackboard!

- Mason