Tommy

Roger Daltrey Vocals
John Entwistle Bass Guitar, French Horn & Vocals
Keith Moon Drums
Pete Townshend Guitar, Keyboards & Vocals
Paul and Simon Townshend background vocals

Produced by Kit Lambert at IBC Studios, London
Executive producer: Chris Stamp
Engineer: Damon Lyon-Shaw
Cover Design and Paintings: Mike McInnerney
Photos: Barrie Meller
Avatar: Meher Baba

Liner notes by Brian Cady

The recording dates of the individual tracks, with the exception of “Pinball Wizard,” are unknown.

Recording proper began September 19, 1968 at IBC Studio A, London. The studio was block booked on weekdays starting at 2pm and sessions would often go pass midnight (weekends were reserved for U.K. concerts to keep some money coming in during Tommy’s long gestation).

Recording continued on-and-off until March 7, 1969.

According to Roger, the total time spent in studio was about eight weeks; the total cost, $36,000.

The moment of Tommy’s conception is equally unclear. The earliest mention was in a report in Disc magazine May 4, 1968 where Chris Welch reported that Pete was then hard at work writing the new opera under the title “The Amazing Journey.” Pete said at that time that “Now I’m A Farmer” would be included.

Tommy was released in the U.S. May 17, 1969 reaching #4 and remaining in the charts for 126 weeks.

The U.K. released followed on May 23, 1969 and reached #2 (1st place went to Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline).

In addition to the standard album, selections from the album were given to U.S. disc jockeys as a box set of four 45’s.

An EP of four tracks (“See Me, Feel Me;” “Christmas”/”Overture;” “I’m Free”) was released in the U.K. November 7, 1970.

Two budget-priced LP’s Tommy Part One and Part Two were released in the U.K. May 13, 1972 and June 24, 1972 respectively and a one album abridgment called The Best From Tommy was released in the Netherlands.

A version remixed and remastered from the original multi-track master in Pete’s possession was released March 4, 1996.

The cover was changed to eliminate the faces of The Who in the diamonds which were not intended by the cover’s creator, Mike McInnerney.

On Oct. 28, 2003, Tommy was released as a two-CD Deluxe Edition set.