On this episode, we look at the Who’s monster-selling 1971 LP: Who’s Next. Coming off the surprising success of Tommy, Pete Townsend was looking to take the "concept album" in a new direction: a full, multimedia experience where music, film, and stage would become one. The Lifehouse project (as it was known) had a backstory: a dystopian future where humans can experience life only as beings plugged into a machine, the Lifehouse. (Sound similar? The Matrix?) Attempts to record the ambitious project failed, resulting in a near breakdown for Townsend and frustration from his bandmates. Luckily producer Glyn Johns recognized the brilliance of the tunes and convinced the Who to dump the double album, streamline their current project and pick the best songs, and record a single LP.
Inspired by the power of their live concerts while touring for Tommy, the band harnessed that energy into remarkable performances on these brilliant songs. It’s a bit of a transitional album for the band- moving them from their earlier pop-oriented tunes to a fuller (and louder) sound that was perfect for the “Arena Rock” phase of their career. Townsend introduced synthesizers to the band sound, providing these songs with a new rhythmic foundation. Who’s Next finds the Who firing on all cylinders to create an album of remarkable breadth and depth.
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