Thursday, June 1st, 1967

Beat Instrumental features The Who several times:

1) BI's Chart Fax has "Pictures of Lily" at #18
2) A small article titled "Moon Kit"
3) A ad for Rotosound featuring a photo of The Who
4) An article titled "The Who Want Beatle-size Reputation in U.S."

 

Transcript: (unverified)

 

THE WHO WANT BEATLE-SIZE REPUTATION IN U.S.

PROBABLY the most quoted remark in world pop-music circles in recent months is that of Pete Townshend, of the Who. He has said, probably ten-thousand times: “We never let our sound get in the way of our visual act”. Not entirely a true summary from Pete, but the Americans and the Continentals have had it drummed into them over recent months.

But Pete thinks it offers a warning to those who haven’t really sampled the indestructible Who’s act of total destruction. Says manager Kit Lambert: “At long last, the boys have become a really big pop export from Britain. It took plenty of time to crack the American market, but as ‘Happy Jack’ happily progressed up the charts there, so did the group as an in-person attraction. Their recent first tour there was a sensation.”

A smashing success, in fact. They threw guitars and mikes and drum kits at each other . . . yet also got high respect from their record-LISTENING public. Said Kit: “Of course there were so-called incidents. Same in Germany. But the boys generally did a most professional job in boosting their image in new parts of the world. They have, somehow, matured.”

STATUS

I talked to both Pete and drummer Keith Moon about the Who’s current status. Main thing from Pete is that he talks more sensibly about groups who he used to allege copied everything from the Who. “I’ve thought about this and realised that I’ve been influenced by other performers and writers. And if it happens to me, there’s no point in my having a go at others who come in the same category.”

“But most important is the way we’ve all got this deep respect for each other.

“Not so long ago we had some of the most diabolical rows. Up came the rumours of a split in the ranks and, really, listening to us go on at each other, you couldn’t blame people for making headlines out of it. But then it happened quite suddenly; we realised we were a GROUP, and a damned good one, and that each one of us had a big part to play in it.

“I believe we’re getting into a class of our own, and it’s nice to see that some of the reviewers are agreeing with that. ‘Pictures Of Lily’ was an odd sort of song, and it could have been put down by critics, but instead, they felt it was a step forward for us. Earlier, I’d listen to the Rolling Stones’ things, specially ‘The Last Time’, and they’d start off a flow of development in my own mind, as a writer.

“But what’s important to us now is to stay a self-contained group. I mean, the Beatles aren’t doing so much now, but we want to get somewhere near that reputation in America. A group with something different to offer—and singing our own songs.”

There can’t be much doubt that Pete Townshend, whose dad, Cliff Townshend was an alto-saxist and made several “sweet-corn” discs under his own name, is one of the few truly genuine songwriters in the British pop scene. He’d rather not write anything rather than turn out stereotyped material. And right now he’s working hell-for-leather on an operation bit, in the pop idiom, and with big language. But John Entwistle is also writing a lot of material for the next Who LP—and Roger and Keith are also kicking in ideas.

VIOLENT ACT

Said Keith Moon: “People call us a violent act but there is more to it than that. I don’t feel violent when I’m up there behind the drums, but the music leads us into sort of extreme visual ideas. America was the right scene for us. It really IS all happening there, and I think we’ve got a really solid following in the States. Only thing that scares me, sometimes, is when the fans get a bit out of hand. I start panicking . . . that’s when I may find myself chucking the kit about. Only self-defence, though. I mean to say, do I LOOK violent?”

But the main ideas for the Who are created in a lavishly-appointed studio in the flat of Pete Townshend, in London’s West End. He’s been adding equipment to it over the past two or three years . . . says: “My original trouble was that I couldn’t read music, or write it. I had to get my song ideas down, so I started off the studio. I’ve got four recorders now—two stereo Revox jobs at £140 each, and two Vortexions which cost not far short of £200 each. And my pride and joy . . . an Anagra portable recorder, which cost well over £300.”

BRAIN CENTRE

This is, then, the “brain centre” of the so-progressive Who. And like ’em or loathe ’em, it’s obvious that we’re only in at the very start of the quartet’s achievements.

Led by Pete, who took to wearing an “electric” coat while in the States—bulbs light up at the touch of a switch.

As he now says for the 10,001st time: “We never let our sound get in the way of our visual act”. Said, though, with tongue-in-cheek.

—PETE GOODMAN.