I have to get working, but first: Quadrophenia

[likethebeer]

A couple of weeks ago, low_delta wrote a post with his list of the top 10 songs by The Who, which got me searching for my old tapes of Quadrophenia and Who's Next. Couldn't find 'em. I'm willing to bet that I lost those tapes years ago but consistently do not realize it until I start looking for them again. Then getting the recordings again is in the back of my mind, but I don't feel the need to spend the money (cheap-ass frugal person that I am).

Anyway, after looking at some of the songs and going to Amazon.com to hear snatches of them, I had to buy both those recordings. I've just finished Quadrophenia. Oh my god.

Seriously: this has got to be one of the greatest recordings in the history of rock 'n roll. It's amazing, it's beautiful, and oh damn, I completely remember why I've always said that recording basically saved my ass when I was 14 & 15 years old (it's still beautiful, I should say [edit--the music, not my ass]).

By the time I was 14 or so, I'd been depressed/suicidal for a couple of years. I got along all right (I was out of the danger zone) but I certainly was not a happy person (being fat, w/no friends, and the butt of everyone's jokes didn't help). Listening to Quadrophenia was this damned revelation for a sad/angry teenager. Not only did Pete Townshend write about alienation and confusion in a way that I could connect with, but the music allowed me to drown out the pain. It gave voice to the anger. And it sounded so good at the same time.

The other thing I remember, and why I have a goofy crush on Townshend to this day, is when I began to realize that this ugly guy, who was all nose (seriously: All.Nose.) when he was a teenager, was responsible for a lot of the melodies and lyrics. Not the pretty one (Roger Daltry). The damned ugly, totally awkward one. And I realized that he probably could write what he wrote b/c he'd been totally rejected, I thought, as a teenager. I'd never come across anyone like that before. Ugly, rejected people didn't go on to be the most intriguing.

The other thing about listening to the music is, like much music, it completely took me back when the first song began ("I Am The Sea"). All the sudden I was totally sitting on the bed w/the big ear phones, blasting this stuff 25 years ago. So weird.

The music is so great though, it almost made me cry. So good.

Anyway, I'll have to listen to Quadrophenia again after I dress, go to the store for cigs, do other small chores, and get ready to work on my nanowrimo novel.

Maybe I'll make mda listen to the whole thing later. He is the classical music guy (and there are songs that are written like orchestral pieces); maybe he'll see kind of why I like it.

---

Oh, and as for the question of whether or not Pete Townshend is a purchaser of child pornography: I went over to Wikipedia and read about him, and he was completely exonerated of all charges like 2 years ago. The cops took a shitload of computers out of his house and it was as he said it was: he'd gone to one site one time associated w/child pornography in 1999. There was no child pornography on any of his computers. And there wasn't any child pornography on the actual site that he visited.

Comments

it's still beautiful,

[regatomic.livejournal.com]

your ass?,.. i'm sure it is,..;)

music needs to be taken on it's own merit, as does most art,.. there's a goodly amount of classical stuff that's dreck,..o.o

Re: it's still beautiful,

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I didn't read that the way it came off until I read it again. Well I'm sure that my ass still looks the way it did at 14 or 15: lumpy & uneven. Yay!!

mda knows I like the recording, and I've waxed about it often, but he's never had the chance to hear the whole thing. As for classical music, I have tried but I have never been able to listen to an opera. Except of course for Quadrophenia, which is a rock opera (along with The Who's Tommy).

Re: it's still beautiful,

[regatomic.livejournal.com]

many of the classical nerds i know (was one myself) can appreciate the complexitiy of rock operas the one that turned me on to "modern" music(60-70-80) was this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_at_an_Exhibition_(album)

but i love everything by the who as well,..:)

"Jesus Christ Superstar" was the only rock opera i've ever seen live,..:)

Re: it's still beautiful,

[regatomic.livejournal.com]

crap, leave it to wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_at_an_Exhibition_%28album%29

Re: it's still beautiful,

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I already found it, thanks. Looked for "disambiguation" and I remember the album, but not enough.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

write about alienation and confusion

He's such a great writer. He writes about all kinds things that people can really identify with. He writes life.

And I must say that even though I don't identify with the music like you do, it's still one of my top albums. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere, as it were.

It's funny about Daltrey being "the pretty one." I don't think he's very good looking at all. Funny how celebrities can be sex symbols, and not be all that good looking. On the other hand, some people really do the he's good looking...

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Daltry seemed really good looking to me with the long hair and there is the sex appeal from being the front man, but looking at photos of him now, he wasn't that good looking. But he had an attitude and cool clothes. And he didn't have that hangdog look about him that Pete had in those early photos.

Yeah, I forget about Pete Townshend's writing skills from time to time since I don't listen to music as much as I used to. I've not been a consistent fan of his, although I picked up his greatest hits CD a few years ago. I'm guessing that Townshend would be surprised to find out that some 14 year old girl--who was born after he and the rest of the guys had started to become famous--got so much out of the music--it's hard to be honest like that w/out being embarrassing later on. Or maybe he wouldn't be surprised: it's not like I'm bound to be the only person who ever listened to his music as a teenager.

Pretty

[drunk-bohemian.livejournal.com]

Actually, from the Who's inception, Keith Moon (Bell-boy! I gotta get runnin' now!) was considered the pretty boy of the band. Daltrey was a gawky working class stiff with a boxer's nose, Townshend was a geek, and Entwistle was a zombie. But yeah, the later Sixties Tommy-era curly flowing hair did bring Daltrey somewhat to the fore in the "teen dreamy" department.

Quadrophenia remains one of my all-time favorites. A complete musical experience. Townshend was brilliant not only in his musical composition but in his apprehension of youthful angst and disassociative tendency. I remember writing an essay on his work early in college Comp. and having my prof opine that I should seek a more appropriate hero. (He mentioned Aquinas as a possible substitute--HA!) Rawk on wit' the Sea and Sand.

Your Brother in Who-ity,
CAW

Re: Pretty

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

You know, I was thinking as I was looking at old pix of The Who and the thought went fleetingly to my head, "Hmmmm: I think Keith Moon looks more like little boy cute...," so I guess we're both right!

I do have to say that I've had "5:15" going through my head most of the day, which is not what I would have wished, but what are ya gonna do?

I had mda listen to "The Rock," leading into "Love Reign O'er Me," the other day, trying to explain it, how it had these 4 lietmotifs, and seems to represent the psychological dissolution that the main character is coming through until he comes back together with "Love Reign O'er Me," but I was really self-conscious while doing it. It didn't come off the way it did in my head as I talked to myself all day. But I wrote it pretty well I think (I should just send him the damned link to this post!).

Oh, and by the way: I am not really getting notification of comments via e-mail right now (per usual), so any delay in response is due to simply not knowing that any comment is out there.

[brianlee.livejournal.com]

I had a very similar experience with those albums in my teenage years.
They remain 2 of my favorite albums.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I'm gearing myself up to listen to Quadrophenia again (I listened to Who's Next yesterday, too). Part of the reason I'm listening again is because I haven't heard it in a long while, but I suspect the other reason is that I'm reconnecting w/the "obsessive music listening, teenage" part of myself. It's the weekend so that seems an ok choice.