I've been tempted to do the ratings of the 11 ( soon to be ) 12 studio albums. But instead....I'll try & contribute with a couple different but related points. I can see why people want to consider Odds & Sods as if it were a studio album, because all the songs were mostly or entirely unreleased, and they were good. I regret Postcard didin't do better as a single, peaking rather miserably at only #64.. But counting Magic Bus or Meaty Beaty bothers me because...some of the material was already available. On Magic Bus 3 tunes I think, were on either A Quick One or Sell Out just 1 year before. On Meaty Beaty I think 7 out of 14 songs were available on earlier studio albums....Now they easily could have altered either or both tracklists, to make it like a real studio album experience. Simply by only using songs, not already on an album, the way Odds & Sods does. That's basically why I make my own WHO comps, because in the 60s through to 72 or 73...most of those years 65-72...have so many studio tracks not on a studio album there's enough to make a second one ! There is so much material for the "never was" 1968 album it's crazy!!! There are roughly 10 good tracks left unreleased from WHO Sell Out in 67, & around 10 more actually cut in 68. That we know of, rumors of a good 5 or 6 more seem pretty well founded...So yeah they had at least 20-25 unreleased songs in the can from 67-68 for very good 1968 album.. So that's why I have trouble ranking the albums, When I rank WHO Sell Out, am I thinking as released, or all 25 songs ?...Same for Quick One....if you count everything they did in 66, it's an astounding album, but over half the best tunes didin't even make the album. Even the 1st album My Gen 1965, good as it is, if you include Can't Explain, Anyway Anyhow, it becomes that much better... Maybe I'll rate the albums 1-5 stars a couple weeks after we get WHO.
Excuse me? You're mistaking me for someone else if you think that, I've been extremely positive about the whole thing. That post was a reference to the explanation of what the song was about, not them liking it.
Okay. I think when a man in his middle 70s writes a song call "All This Music Must Fade", the conclusion that it alludes to life's transience is more "Duh" than "WTF", but that's just me. And perhaps your glowing "review" of "It's Hard" was still lingering in my mind when I responded about your negativity. "Hmm, I see where you're coming from if you think that It's Hard is not a bad album, but I'm afraid I think it's an appalling one, with only one song on it of any quality. If this one is only as good as that, then it means the rest of it is dreadful, (un)listenable pap."
So it's fine for others to talk down this one when I say I think it'll be good, or fine for others to say EW was terrible when I say it was pretty decent, but you only single me out because I don't think much of It's Hard - an opinion pretty widely held I might point out - and no one else? Got it.
I respect the fact that many here do not like "It's Hard"...but I find it a decent Who album and songs like "Cooks County" and "Cry If You Want" are pretty cool Who songs in my opinion. Still staying away from listening to the previewed songs as I await the release that seems like it's taking forever...
Because Odds and Sods isn't a proper album. It was recorded from 1964-1972/1974 using songs culled from various projects. And actually, some of it was already available in some capacity or another--or at least "I'm The Face" was. It's not any more of a proper studio album than The Great Lost Kinks Album or Beatles Rarities, except Entwistle was actually involved with the project It was released mainly to combat bootleggers. I do agree that Meaty Beaty and Magic Bus are also comp. I also think it's odd that they didn't release a 1968 album considering all the new/unreleased material that they had and the label instead opted for the inferior Magic Bus and Direct Hits.
The negativity rampant in this thread, and pretty much every WHO thread, is near enough to make me give up even trying to discuss their new music on this forum at all. I honestly don't give a darn what you think of any of their albums, or how many stars someone gives an album that came out 50 years ago. I'd love to have a place where people who actually care about the 2019 version of The Who actually discuss the album that that entity has just created. That's why I started the thread. Sorry if you feel singled out. I hate everyone else's rampant negativity and off-topic posting as much as I hate yours, if that makes you feel any better.
Well I tell you what - why don't you go and take a look at what I've said about the two new songs, and how excited I am by them, and then come back to me.
Well, yes of course that apoears to be a Movin On Tour photo. The significance of this recent photo is it places Pete and Ringo together. The combined evidence of the photo and Richards Evans statement bolsters the claim of the 3 track Guest appesrance.
The thread has gone off topic because the album hasn't been released yet, and we have only heard two songs from it. There's a limit to how much those two songs can be discussed. People have expressed opinions on them, people have speculated whether those two songs are representative quality-wise of the album as a whole, people have tried to put those two songs into perspective relative to the band's career. People have analyzed the album title and artwork and discussed peripheral issues like early record reviews. Until we actually get to hear the whole record, there's not a lot more to discuss that's on topic. At this point it's either the thread goes inactive or people post off-topic. Perhaps you'd prefer the former, but I think the off-topic posting is an indication that people are excited about this on some level and want to keep posting here even though they have nothing new to talk about. Off topic posting doesn't prevent people from posting on topic if they have something new to say about the two new songs, and as noted it does keep the thread from dying and sinking to the bottom of the forum.
Here you go (out of 5): My Generation 3.5 A Quick One 2.5 The Who Sell Out 4.5 Tommy 3.5 Who's Next 4.5 Quadrophenia 3.5 The Who by Numbers 3 Who Are You 3 Face Dances 2.5 It's Hard 2 Endless Wire 2 Promising start, peak between 67-73 then a (very very) slow decline.
Ringo Starr lives in Beverley Hills though doesn't he? It's not so unlikely he'd go to one of the shows and then backstage?
I am genuinely sorry if asking people opinions about other albums caused contention. I too am so excited for the new album and am very passionate about all who projects. As mentioned before there isnt a whole lot to discuss yet so i thought id ask a question to start a conversation. I am glad they are touring and writing again, i am very very curious about how beads on one string will be turned into a who rocker, it sounds so not just un who like but un rock like. I am also excited to hear detour, i hope its the next song released
I meant to ask - when you talk about the bonus tracks and the next single, do you know this from a position of certainty?
Certainly not an anthem, but I still maintain that I've Known No War is the best song on that album and is 100% what you would want from a Who song. It's one of my favorites from the band in any era. I never understand how a Who fan couldn't hear what I hear in that one.
Your bit about other people not hearing what you do reminded me of something. I've said before I'm no fan of It's Hard, but in my mind I always felt the coda part of Cry If You Want was a furious, enraged fight against the dying of the light from Townshend. Absolutely certain it wasn't that way, but until Endless Wire came along, that worked for me - I don't care what anyone else says.
Don't you dare give up! We need fans like you and others of course who enjoy discussing/reviewing albums, especially by our heroes. Will the new album be a Who's Next masterpiece? No, but it doesn't have to be either. I think it's wonderful we are getting a new studio album with Pete and Roger at this late stage of their career. That in itself is something to celebrate, admire and enjoy. So yea, "dig the Who." Ron PS Don't let the naysayers get to ya Ray.
I honestly do not know where Ringo lives. Sure, its possible that he simply attented a Who show and spent time backstage with the band. What's unusual though is the photograph ( no pun intended) . Try and find another recent photo of Pete and Ringo. I think there is more to the photo than a simple friendly backstage visit.
