The Who unissued and unreleased songs--a comprehensive list

What exactly is the standard by which it could officially be considered a "Who" version? Did "I Am The Sea" officially become a Who song when it was released on an album credited to the Who, or when Roger overdubbed vocals onto Pete's demo? Did "No Road Romance" finally become a Who song only when the Moon/Entwistle overdubs surfaced on a Japanese reissue of "Who Are You"? Conversely, does anybody seriously consider "Champagne" to be a Who song because it was credited to "The Who feat. Ann-Margaret & Roger Daltrey"?

That said--the "evidence" I should have invoked when I seemed to "conclude" that there was no Who version of either "Wizardry" or "Electronic Wizardry" is the "Quadrophenia" box, as it contains a diary documenting by date and song all of the "Quadrophenia" recording sessions that took place in Rampart Studios following initial sessions at Ronnie Lane's mobile studio, along with Pete's recollections of tracks such as "Wizardry" and "Bank Holiday" (I'd have to check, but I believe Pete indicates within his text that a demo version of "Bank Holiday" is found on one of the demo discs under another title.)

However, you're right: for all I know, the Who also attempted to record band versions of "You Came Back", "Anymore" and "Get Inside" during the Quadrophenia sessions--just because John Astley didn't specifically mention them by name in the ICE interview doesn't mean it never happened. (Wasn't it Astley who chose to leave "Circles" off of the 1995 "A Quick One" remaster because he didn't know that the Who recorded and released two different versions?) Which is yet another reason why it is currrently impossible to speculate about unreleased Who material with any real certainty.

 

That's the tip of that iceberg, yes.

 

In this particular case, I would consider a version of the song that features Entwistle or Moon to be a "Who version." In like manner, I consider the overdubbed "No Road Romance" to be the Who. If it's something beyond the original demo and features non-Townshend members of the band, it's the Who as far as I'm concerned.

In the ICE article, Astley specifically mentions finding three Who outtakes from the sessions: "We Close Tonight", "Bank Holiday", and "Electronic Wizardry." Now, given Astley's track record, it certainly is possible he was mistaken, and the latter two tracks were simply Townshend demos with no band involvement. If that was the case though, I guess I would wonder what made him single out those two tracks, but not the numerous other tracks that had demos but no band version? What made him think those two demos were Who tracks, when he did not make that mistake about the various other demos?

True. But I would disagree with the notion that because of the lack of certainty, speculation has no value. And I don't think we can conclude that there is nothing of value left unreleased. The general disorganization of those in charge, and the example of new things continuing to turn up (eg, "No Road Romance") gives credence to the hope that there might be other unreleased outtakes of value.

 

Don't forget also including "Doctor, Doctor" in its place despite it being recorded after the AQO sessions and released in 1967.

 

Who plays on No Road Romance besides Townshend ? Are we talking about the WHo are you bonus track version ?

 

The same Townshend demo found on the 1996 remix/reissue surfaced with drumming and bass overdubs from Moon and Entwistle on the 2011 SHM Japanese reissue, so there is indeed a version with The Who.

 

Oh God really what does it sound like, can anybody pm me about that wow wow

Why on earth didint they use that on Who are you instead of the demo ?

 

Two bits:

1) I'm not sure it was ever a demo. Pete's demo is on bootleg, and it's a completely different performance. Similar situation to Empty Glass.

2) Much more of a difference than simply a few overdubs. Pete's vocals are different throughout much of the song, and there's a ton of overdubs on the "demo" *not* on the band version.

 

At what point does Entwistle's bass part begin ?

I hear Townshend's fretless bass on both versions ( '96 and 2011)

 

When you say bootleg, you mean something other than the WHO are you bonus track ? Then a 2nd version of the bonus track with Entwistle & Moon was released a few years ago ?

 

Yes.

 

Are there printed credits for the 2011 No Road Romance. I don't see it in the booklet.

To me it sounds like the bass is EQ'd differently. If that is Entwistle, he is basically playing over Townshend or playing nearly identical bass lines- afaict.. I'll have to compare on my main stereo but on headphones it doesn't sound very much like Entwistle.

 

Let me be clear--I'm not saying that there is no value to this type of speculation. I've found that having access to detailed session information for artists such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles allows the listener to grasp the context in which it was recorded and see it from a better perspective. For whatever reason, however, the Who never did much recording where session records were kept, dates were noted, and (most importantly) unused performances were saved.

Also--I refuse to believe that this information void is due to a lack of scholarly interest in the Who and their work--I think it's due more to (a) the relative lack of interest within the Who's inner circle of preserving the band's history (with the possible exception of Richard Barnes and Irish Jack) and (b) by all accounts there was a lot of drinking going on at those sessions, to where the people that were there can barely remember them.

Look at what happened when the Who allowed a fan like Jeff Stein to go through the archives and create a documentary--I hate to think of a world where Stein lacked the gumption to tell those four guys to get up off of their asses and play a live gig so that he could film it. But the Who needed somebody like that--and still needs somebody like that, frankly. Imagine if they had a historian to document their career to the extent that Mark Lewisohn has documented the Beatles, or an producer/archivist to track down and catalog their known recordings and sessions as Andrew Sandoval has done for the Monkees, or Ernst Jorgensen has done for Elvis. (Of course, had Stein been more of a toady, he might have remained within the Who's inner circle--but "The Kids Are Alright" probably would have played more like a cheesy Andrew Solt anthology.)

OK, so now I'm just ranting. I'm not trying to argue with anybody, and my apologies to the Andrew Solt fans I just insulted. (I'm just glad "The Kids Are Alright" doesn't follow that template.) Just part of me is resigned to the idea that so much of the Who's history was never preserved, a situation that remains unlikely to change any time soon.

 

^ Jeff Stein , from what I've read- handled the archives as if they were disposable tissue paper. AFAIK, things are still missing. I don't have much respect for him at all.

 

Why does a rock band need an inner circle beyond possibly 2-3 people ?

 

I'm not certain about the bass either. I assume since Moonie is on drums, The Ox is on bass? Haven't listened in awhile.

 

The footage may be missing in action, however, the Kilburn footage shot by Stein did survive, so who knows what is really missing. Also, IIRC, Barbara Ann was part of the aborted 1984 live box set, so the audio from the Shepperton rehearsal was in the band's archive at one point after the release of The Kids Are Alright. At the very least, it would be cool to see a two-disc deluxe edition of The Kids Are Alright soundtrack released with some of this type of audio.

 

They are different bass lines.

It's amazing how different the two mixes are. It seems like the piano, some of the vocals, and possibly the acoustic guitar are the same, but the "demo" has a few synths, a Pete bass line, and some percussion, while the band version has John on bass and Keith on drums. I greatly prefer the band version.

 

Yeah I just heard it, it's good, sounds a bit like the WHO

 

At one point I attempted to sync the two using stereo extraction to remove the vox from the 1996 mix. Although not too polished it worked well. The synths seem to suggest the track was worked on quite a bit.

I wonder if the multitracks survive. There is mention of tape damage in the booklet for the 96 issue but I cant spot it. The 2011 sounds like theres some towards the end (from memory) around one of Keith's fills.

 

What about Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde didin't somebody sync that & create a stereo with one having additional overdubs ?

 

There are tape issues in the first 30 seconds or so. I can find the specific spot later if you haven't already.

 

I still have never heard the version of "No Road Romance" with Moon and Entwistle overdubs...can someone shoot me a PM? (I'm a Who completist so this is now driving me nuts!)

 

Same here. I didn't know such a version existed!

 

Me neither, and I'm usually up on all things Who like this...somehow it completely passed me by!