The Who - Magic Bus (1968)

Versions:
LP
CD

Tracklisting:

Side One:
1. Disguises
2. Run Run Run
3. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
4. I Can't Reach You
5. Our Love Was, Is
6. Call Me Lightning

Side Two:
1. Magic Bus
2. Someone's Coming
3. Doctor, Doctor
4. Bucket T
5. Pictures of Lily

Best Tracks:
Magic Bus
Pictures of Lily
Call Me Lightening
Disguises

Currently listening to: LP

Magic Bus is a weird addition to The Who's catalogue. It is typical of an American released compilation by a British band in the 60's - a mish mash of B-sides and tracks from previous UK albums, built around their - then current - single.

For some reason, I have a real soft spot for a lot of these American releases. While The Rolling Stones' catalogue was completely butchered, I quite enjoy a bunch of The Beatles' American LPs (which isn't say that The Beatles catalogue wasn't completely butchered, either - it was). Though, it still hurts my brain to think that those LP's were what American audiences knew as The Beatles and The Stones' albums. For me, they're curios, often with interesting (though, not necessarily, great) artwork and tracklistings.

While The Who didn't suffer quite so badly, Magic Bus shows there weren't completely immune.

Magic Bus' biggest flaw is that the cover boats that it's The Who 'On Tour', giving the impression that this is, in fact, a live album. Instead, it's all studio recordings, including three tracks already released on previous albums (at least The Stones and The Beatles' sloppily compiled LPs never repeated tracks from older albums).  Despite this, I find Magic Bus a very enjoyable listen.

Like the American release of The Beatles' Rubber Soul was re-sequenced to sound like a folk-rock album, Magic Bus feels like it's been sequenced to present The Who as the energetic live band they were. This would certainly explain the misleading 'On Tour' subtitle. Aside from the lovely feedback we got in 'Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere', none of The Who's 60's recordings captured their ferocious live sound (and none did until 1970's Live At Leeds). Given the wonderful material The Who released in the 60's, this is merely an observation rather than a criticism. The main success of Magic Bus, as an LP, is that it actually presents The Who as a great 60's rock band better than A Quick One and The Who Sell Out did.

The first three tracks kick things off on a high. It could be that most of the tracks are presented in their mono mixes, but they really leap off the vinyl, particularly 'Run Run Run' and the great 'Disguises' ('Run Run Run' on the A Quick One CD sounds noticeably limp in comparison). The first side loses steam with 'I Can't Reach You' and 'Our Love Was', unnecessary repeats from The Who Sell Out. Given the amount of Who B-sides available at the time, there certainly could have been more inspired choices than these two tracks (personally, I'd have gone with the insanely underrated gem, 'Circles' from the Ready Steady Who EP, from which two tracks on this album were already pulled. Or even 'The Last Time' or 'Under My Thumb' from their 1967 single in support of the then recent arrest of Mick Jagger and Keith Richard). The first side ends with lesser-known single 'Call Me Lightning', another gem.

Side Two also plays well, featuring both sides of both the 'Magic Bus' and 'Pictures Of Lily' singles, along with 'Bucket T' from the aforementioned Ready Steady Who EP. You wouldn't think the silliness of 'Bucket T' would sit well along the quality of the other four songs on this side, yet somehow, it works. Again, the mono mixes give these songs a grit and rawness missing on the CD (and even some later vinyl compilation) releases.

I had my CD copy of this album since the late 90's, but only (and FINALLY) picked up a vinyl copy today. Which is why I'm writing about it like it's a revelation. The vinyl copy is far superior to the 80's pressed CD. All of the songs on this LP are well worn into my brain, which is why it's been so nice to finally listen to a vinyl copy.

Magic Bus isn't an essential addition, but a very enjoyable one. It's worth the price of admission for that cover art, alone.

The Who - 'Tommy' (1969)

Versions:
LP
CD
CD (Deluxe Edition)

Tracklisting:
1. Overture
2. It's a Boy
3. 1921
4. Amazing Journey
5. Sparks
6. Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)
7. Christmas
8. Cousin Kevin
9. The Acid Queen
10. Underture
11. Do You Think It's Alright?
12. Fiddle About
13. Pinball Wizard
14. There's a Doctor
15. Go to the Mirror!
16. Tommy Can You Hear Me?
17. Smash the Mirror
18. Sensation
19. Miracle Cure
20. Sally Simpson
21. I'm Free
22. Welcome
23. Tommy's Holiday Camp
24. We're Not Gonna Take It
25. See Me, Feel Me

Best Tracks:
See Me, Feel Me
Amazing Journey
Christmas

Currently listening to: LP/CD/Deluxe Edition CD

I became obsessed with The Who as a teenager. While the obsession faded over the years, the love never did. Though, ashamedly, I do sometimes forget just how much I love The Who these days. Every 6 months or so, I stumble upon a Who album and am quickly reminded.

The Who's back catalogue is an interesting one to trawl through in 2014. Back in the mid-90's, when I started buying their albums, all of their albums were newly remastered (and many remixed) on CD with a ton of bonus tracks. Almost 20 years later, most of the albums have been re-issued again since - at least once - with more bonus tracks. There's been a staggering amount of Who stuff released (or re-released) over the last 20 years. I've kept up with most of it.

Tommy is an interesting one. I have three versions and each one is noticeably different. Unlike most albums I have, I think I've played the vinyl version the least. Playing it now, I think it may be only the 5th time I've listened to the record. The main reason for this, though, is that the vast majority of my Who vinyl was given to me by my Media Studies teacher in high school. My record collection was meagre back then, and being impressed by my taste in music, this teacher was happy to indulge me. God, he gave me some fucking great records. This was also the height of my Who obsession, and it just so happened that The Who were also his favourite band. Like many people in the 90's, he was happy to see his records go to a good home. He had no use for them. In return, a few years later, I made him an mp3 disc of every Who album. He was extremely happy with this at the time. In retrospect, it hardly seems like a fair deal. The records he gave me were mostly American imports and in immaculate condition. I was too scared to play them to death, like many of my other records. I felt as if I'd let him down if I trashed his beautiful records. Not that I frequently trashed my records, I was just ultra paranoid about these ones. Today, I feel like I'd let him down if I didn't listen to them. And, they're still in great condition. I just hope he doesn't, after all these years, regret giving them away.

The first version of Tommy that I ever heard was the 1975 film soundtrack. I somehow ended up with the record, after falling in love with Live At Leeds and Who's Next. Being that Tommy was their best known work, I was excited to hear it. Once I did, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. It was pretty ordinary. My favourite Who song was (and probably still is) the version of 'See Me, Feel Me' from the Woodstock film - and, the version on this record sucked. Thankfully, in these days before the internet, someone educated me and I realised it wasn't the original album. Once I did get the proper Tommy album, it took a bit of getting used to. I was madly in love with the sound of Live At Leeds and the Woodstock performance - and Tommy didn't pack the punch I expected it to. It didn't take long, however, for me to fall in love with it. For a time, though, I preferred the live version of Tommy. The Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 album came out around the same time that I got Tommy, and, while I played both to death, I came to like the live version a little more. I always longed to get the Live At Leeds version of Tommy, but by time it was finally released in 2001, I realised I preferred the original album (although, Live At Leeds is probably the definitive live version of Tommy. More on that when I re-visit Live At Leeds).

And, yes. There are lots of fucking versions of Tommy.

The version of Tommy that I came to know and love was the 1996 remixed CD. Despite reading in the linear notes that this was a new mix, I didn't realise how different it was until many years later. Having not listened to the vinyl version often, it wasn't until the Deluxe Edition was released in 2003, using the original mix, that I realised the differences. Listening to the vinyl version tonight, it seems different again from the 2003 version. When I first got the Deluxe Edition, I fell in love with Tommy all over again. I loved the original mix, and it's been my preferred version since. I thought it made the 1996 version limp in comparison. Revisiting the 1996 remix tonight, for the first time in many years, however, has made me re-think which version I like more. The remix is actually really good.

The 2003 Deluxe Edition is probably the definitive CD version. For hardcore fans, the 1996 CD is a very interesting addition. The Deluxe Edition does, of course, feature a bonus disc of outtakes and demos. Most of the tracks on the bonus disc are unremarkable, however. There's an interesting outtake called 'Trying To Get Through'. And there's a studio version of 'Young Man Blues' (which is different, and not as good, as the studio version released as a bonus track on Odds & Sods). And, that's about it. Pete's demos are quite interesting - I think he's since released all of his Tommy demos (yep, another version out there!). Of course, like most of The Who's re-issues, the Deluxe Edition is beautifully presented. Although, the 1996 CD faithfully recreates the original artwork.

Fuck it. Both are great. If you've got one, but not the other, you're not going to lose sleep. If you don't have either and you're curious which to get, both will do the job nicely. Tommy is a great album, however you find yourself listening to it.