We’re redesigning the site. We’ll be back in a “bit”.
You can still access WhoTabs and Baba’s Bootlegs, the rest of the site is temporarily down while we get things back in order
In the mean time – check out some videos we’ve found around the web
And see what we’ve been posting on Facebook!
Post of the day
On May 12, 2001 Pete puts up mp3’s of “Ascendance (rough mix 2)” and “I’ve Had Enough (orchestral overdub)” on his website
"The weather here in London has suddenly become hot. I am in my studio finalizing the last few pieces of music for Scoop 3 and every hour I have to go out to stand in the garden and be amazed by the fact that summer has finally come to this recently bludgeoned island.
There seem to be two young, pretty topless women in my swimming pool. Am I really a rock star or what?
While scrabbling through various old tapes, (which are old enough to need baking in a slow oven before they can even be listened to), I have come across two tracks I thought you might like to hear.
The first is a dry studio mix of a track I did for a 1983 WOMAD album (Peter Gabriel's World Music foundation). This has me on Hurdy-Gurdy, as well as doing hundreds of tribal drum and vocal overdubs. The interesting thing about the sound is that we left the stereo mikes set up in a single position and moved the drums and vocalists (me) to a new position for each take. So you really get the feeling of a room full of drummers. The words of the 'song' are jibberish, made up of a weird concoction of latin, Spanish and Italian. The punchline is 'Pacifico Musica!'.I think that means 'peaceful music'?
The second is a recording from the studio floor of the rather out-of-tune orchestra overdubbing some invigorating stuff for the Quadrophenia film soundtrack. These strings were not used in the movie. Recently there has been talk of a release of the movie on DVD with a new 5.1 surround sound mix. I started to look for additional stuff and found this wonderful piece of writing by Raphael Rudd.
Enjoy. Ride in your car with the sound full up, listen to the hillbilly strings and drive your car - to the car-wash.
Webcam photo caption: "Hello. I'm in my study. It is Saturday evening on the 12th May 2001. 0655 UK time. The sun is still hot. I am about to walk my dogs"
A Reflective Looking Pete
Image of the day
On May 12, 1996 Roger played a "hideous assassin" on the third season finale of ABC-TV's Superman series Lois & Clark
Whoa! Roger does love to play weird, ugly characters. Must be trying to stretch his acting chops by playing against type.
wow had no idea!
Album of the day
On May 12, 1989 Rhino Records released the 1972 London Symphony Orchestra version of Tommy on CD
Richie Havens version of Eyesight To The Blind on this album is magic .👍
It was albums like this one, music by The Beatles and Moody Blues that taught me to really appreciate classical music; Mozart, Beethoven, Bach et al. But that’s what good music does.
On Tommy's 20th Anniversary... Almost to the day ...
The best version of Sparks.
Still think Tommy is my favourite.
The creepiest Tommy.
Got it.
Magazine of the day
On May 12, 1980 The Who were on the cover of People magazine
I still have even thou I stoled it lol
I had this and studied it as religiously as a Bible. John drinking a glass of wine and checking out his hair in the bathroom mirror made me love him more
Still have my original, bought at a Readmore.
I used to have this right after it came out. I might still. Not sure.
Concert of the day
On May 12, 1979 The Who played the Arenes de Frejus in Frejus, France
Be sure to visit our friends at Les Who en France!!!! www.facebook.com/LesWhoenFrance
They have a bunch of photos from this show here: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1355842631110515&type=3
They also have videos from this show, including a news report. Go to their video page and search for "12 mai 1979"
thanks for sharing 😉
Got this one and the Sunday one too🐸😉
Was there great weekend pity cifcumstances with moon
Video of the day (2 of 2)
On this date in 1967 Coca-Cola London registers receipt of two spots from MRM Productions. They are filmed commercials to be used in promoting a tie-in between Coca-Cola and Biba's Boutique in Piccadilly. The music for both spots is performed by The Who and is not officially released by the band until the mid-1990's.
The BFI website published these ads two years ago - if you are in the U.K. you can watch the originals here: player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-coca-cola-bibas-boutique-1967-online
The "Coca-Cola Kid" also posted them to Youtube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzmH3Pxsm_Q
and here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fElT-YrtWhM
I've taken the liberty of editing out the "extra" (non who) portion, and I've done a bit of color correction.
That rhythm section is unmistakable
Sounds like part of The Who Sell Out 🎶
great commercials from the time. also my favorite Keith Moon drum tone.
These spots have always fascinated me on a level that I can't quite define.... Kind of like the real life incarnation of The Who Sell Out... Lol..
Biba's Boutique, wasn't that where Mary worked and where she met Freddie Mercury?
👍👍
Cool tune
Video of the day (1 of 2)
On this date in 1967 Coca-Cola London registers receipt of two spots from MRM Productions. They are filmed commercials to be used in promoting a tie-in between Coca-Cola and Biba's Boutique in Piccadilly. The music for both spots is performed by The Who and is not officially released by the band until the mid-1990's.
The BFI website published these ads two years ago - if you are in the U.K. you can watch the originals here: player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-coca-cola-bibas-boutique-1967-online
The "Coca-Cola Kid" also posted them to Youtube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzmH3Pxsm_Q
and here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fElT-YrtWhM
I've taken the liberty of editing out the "extra" (non who) portion, and I've done a bit of color correction.
Concert of the day
On May 11, 2019 The Who played Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia
Visit our friends at petetownshend.net for more information about this show here:
petetownshend.net/gigography/the-who-moving-on-tour/the-who-at-bristow-may-11-2019
Visit thewho.com for their "Backstage Blog" here: www.thewho.com/backstage-blog/moving-on-tour-bristow-va-may-11-2019/
Visit our friends at The Who Concert Guide for the setlist and a fan report here:
www.thewholive.net/concert/index.php?id=2343
You can see more photos from the show here: parklifedc.com/2019/05/13/snapshots-the-who-jiffy-lube-live-5-11-19/
Concert of the day
On May 11, 2015 The Who played the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
Visit our friends at petetownshend.net for more information here:
petetownshend.net/gigography/the-who-hits-50-tour/the-who-at-nashville-tn-bridgestone-arena
Visit The Who's official site for the "Backstage Blog" about this show here: www.thewho.com/backstage-blog/nashville-tn-bridgestone-arena-may-11-2015
You can read a review of the show here:
www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/05/12/play-key-nashville-songs-bridgestone/2716...
The Who at Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
petetownshend.net
The Who performed in Nashville, TN on May 11, 2015. Check out all the great photos, videos, reviews, setlist and articles for the show!Photos of the day
On May 11, 2007 Roger attended the launching of Scotland's first hospital unit for teenage cancer sufferers in Glasgow.
Read more about it here: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6645655.stm
Gettyimages.com has photos here:
Gartnavel General Hospital Daltrey - Fotografias e Filmes do Acervo - Getty Images
www.gettyimages.com.br
Navegue pela coleção premium de fotos de stock autênticas, imagens royalty-free e imagens de alta qualidade de Gartnavel General Hospital Daltrey da Getty Images. As fotos de stock de Gartnavel Gen...As I think Pete said he Should get a Knighthood for this/ And anyways both should have for their contribution to Music cause as we All know that many lesser have?
Tv show of the day
On May 11, 2005 Roger told the press he will play a surgeon's assistant in a Battle of Waterloo drama for Britain's Channel 4. It is released in August as Trafalgar Battle Surgeon.
You can watch the show on YouTube here:
Concert of the day
On May 11, 1997 The Who played the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Visit our friends at The Who Concert Guide for the setlist, a fan report, and some ads for the show! www.thewholive.net/concert/index.php?id=35
Thanks again to Marc Starcke for allowing us to share his collection of photos from this show!
Photos by Paul Bergen and Rob Verhors
Ahoy is a great venue for some great Rotterock.❤️ I was there!
I was at the concert was really great.
I was there!
I was there too !
I saw them in Paris the same year 🤩
Pete sounds way better playing Gibsons.
I was there! Steven de Cock
Remembrance of the day
On May 11, 1981 Pete and Chris Stamp attended a memorial service for The Who's late manager Kit Lambert at St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden. It would have been his 46th birthday and was almost exactly 20 years after the memorial service was held for his father Constant at the same church. Pete arranged for the London Symphony Orchestra to perform selections from Tommy and Kit's favorite piece, Purcell's "The Gordian Knot Untied." Pete also delivered one of the eulogies. None of the other members of The Who attended
Article of the day
On this date in 1973 the Harrow Observer and Gazette carries an article titled "Keith Moon knows Harrow well".
Transcription (needs improvement):
Keith Moon knows Harrow wel
l
As the title song “That’ll Be The Day faded way after the film's Press showing last week, the audience headed towards the bar to discuss this reconstruction of the rock 'n' roll era of the fifties with the people behind it.
In the bar cinema managers and Pressmen jostled for drinks and introductions. David Essex, the star, was the center of attention and David Puttnam, the film's producer, was lost in the mob.
But there, as the end of the bar, looking rather lost was the denim clad figure of Ray Connolly, Evening Standard
journalist and writer of the film.
-The idea came when I went to see David Puttnam and e talked about a film" he said hesitantly, "I wrote and wrote it about six times and we changed it as we went “Filming took three months, and from the original ?? to the time the film went into the cinema had been just over a year, he said.
One of the film's successes is the acting of Ringo Start. Originally, said Ray Connolly, he had been cast as the ock i roll singer at the holiday camp (the role now inen a great lift by Billy Fury) but then he was asked 10 le the acting role of Mike, the fairground worker who pends his holidays as a waiter in the camp. Everyone was impressed with his acting that the role was extended
"That poolroom scene" said Ray Connolly, “was written one evening and filmed the next day” The punchline in the scene is one of the best in the film. "In fact" said its author, "the whole scene was written after ne'd got the punchline."
There seemed to be no sign in the bar of Keith Moon, drummer with The Who and the man who supervised the films music. "I'm told you'll know him from his clothes" cinema manager told me. Whatever he was expecting, it probably wasn't the young man in the brown three-piece suit who flashed his gap-toothed smile as he arrived.
Keith Moon remembers Harrow and Wembley well - he sent to Harrow Art School (when it was in Station Road. "I was there for about a year, until I decided I prefened music. I lived in Wembley you know." The Who first discovered" playing at the Railway Hotel, meldstone, "and we used to play Kodak Hall too". At that time they were under a different name ((*We were called a lot of names").
"The Who wasn't working at the time so they asked me o look after the music for the film. We got together people like Ron Wood, Nillson, Jack Bruce, Stevie Winwood, Eric Clapton, and a couple of boys from Badfinger and went into a studio. We even had Marc Bolan and Alice Cooper - but you won't hear them on the soundtrack," said Keith Moon.
He even got a cameo role written into the film for him
- as a drummer backing Billy Fury. He gets to say two lines and works up a quick frenzy on the skins
Song of the day
On May 11, 1971 The Who completed recording "Song Is Over" at Olympic Studios in London.
You can listen to the song on youtube here:
Nicky Hopkins?
Great Song/lyrics/ Townshend,Daltrey vocals/ Guitar's Bass and Lead and towards the finalle you'd swear Moon had two Sets of Arms and Leg's?!!
Always loved this track... I felt like it was obscured because it was on an album with an embarrassment of riches ( Certainly in the conversation of greatest album of all time) But I love everything about this song, right down to the the final thirty seconds where you can clearly hear the opening of Pure and Easy... Great track!
Flawless album
I just bought a new cd of Who's Next and, every time I get into the car, I crank that sucker. I was at The Music Hall in Boston in July of '71 and witnessed, according to Pete, the first successful performance of Won't Get Fooled Again...AMAZING! When the synthesizer tape kicked in, nobody knew quite what it was we were listening to, except for the group playing live over it. All I can think of right now is.....YEEEAAAHHHH!!!
I wish I'd heard them play the song live. That's one Who's Next song they skipped over in concert. It wasn't until Quadrophenia that they included so much additional instrumentation, and Nickey Hopkins was everybody's go-to piano player.
The outro is beautiful, Townshend’s wistful verses yielding to Daltrey’s reprise of “Pure and Easy” segueing into Moon’s beautiful drumming is magnificent and was intended to be the final song of “Lighthouse”.
The non vocal version on the Who's Next boxset is astounding!
Great song and an excellent album. Love this.
Great song
My favorite Who song and favorite song.
The Who's greatest composition... masterpiece
Probably the greatest song they ever made.
I sing my heart out to the infinite sea
Fantastic album who’s Next
Excellent song ❤️🔥
Great song.
One of their finest recordings.
Loren Gold just posted Roger at 80 singing getting in tune. Still incredible
One of the best albums. of all time..
Daltrey was on Bill Mahr’s show recently talking about the album cover
Die Platte war klasse
deleted not available
Photos of the day
On May 11, 1969 The Who played the third of three nights at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan
Thanks to Marc Starcke for allowing me to share his collection of photos from this show!
Photos by Don Gutz
Mention of the day
On May 11, 1968 The Who played the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland
Article of the day
On May 11, 1968 Record Mirror carried an article titled "America: They Just Don't Know Who We Are"
But They Soon Would!!
Fabuloso, único,,manolo who
They sure do now
Photos of the day
On May 11, 1966 The Who play the Corn Exchange in Bristol
Thanks to Marc Starcke for allowing us to share his collection of photos from this show!
Photographer Rob Cousins
Anyone else curious about the band “Support Group”? 😉
Single of the day
On May 11, 1966 "Substitute" entered the Swedish Kvällstoppen sales chart, peaking at #16