WNEW | Where Rock Lives

Video Classics: 'The Acid Queen'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

The Who's original double album, Tommy, was released in 1969 and tells the story of a deaf, dumb and blind boy who becomes the leader of a messianic movement. At the time of its release, it was both hailed as a masterpiece, the first work to receive the billing of 'rock opera' yet also panned for the dark nature of its subject matter. Most of the album was composed by Pete Townshend, who, according to Wikipedia, wanted to ...

"express how he felt after being taught by Meher Baba and other writings and expressing the enlightenment he believes he received --  "a metaphorical story of different states of consciousness."

The Acid Queen comes just before the midpoint of the story, at a point where Tommy's parents are still trying to cure his unresponsiveness. They undertake the rather questionable tactic of placing him in the care of a woman who tries to coax him into full consciousness with hallucinogenic drugs and sex. The song contains an extensive instrumental representing Tommy's experience on acid.

In the original video below, the Who in their prime give a live performance of Acid Queen from 1975. After the jump, watch an outstandingly high-energy performance of the song by Tina Turner, who played the role of the Acid Queen from the 1975 film version of Tommy. Acid Queen comes in at spot #432 on the 1991 Firecracker 500.

Video Classics: 'Eminence Front'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

Written by Pete Townshend and appearing on their 1982 album It's Hard, the Who's single Eminence Front comes in at #465 on the 1991 Firecracker 500 and #423 on the 1996 list. It also has the distinction of being the only song on the album that Roger Daltrey once scornfully remarked was worth bothering to release (though during their 2006 tour he requested that Cry If You Want be played, so it's possible he has revised his opinion somewhat, over the years.

Townshend wrote the song as a commentary on the times. During their time together, the band had seen the free-living, turbulent sixties give way to the shimmering, swinging and ultimately superficial '70s, and then to the cooler, distanced self-indulgence of the '80s. Townshend saw in the new decade a level of prosperous self-indulgence mixed with a disconnectedness from the realities of life, and wrote a song that was flatly critical of the attitude.

The lyrics of Eminence Front tell the story of a party in which people ignore their problems and hide behind a facade, their 'eminence front'. Townshend has often introduced the song as being about 'what happens to you when you take too much white powder'.

The video below shows the band in their '80s incarnation, so the 'Members Only jackets can probably be forgiven, especially given the quality of this studio performance.

       

Have memories of this song or the Firecracker 500? Add your thoughts to the comments below or take a look at Video Classics past...

Video Classics: 'The Real Me'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

In John Entwistle, the Who had one of the most talented bassists of all time. In their 1973 song The Real Me, the band had a proper showcase for his talents. The song features an impressive bass performance from Entwistle, all the more so because of the circumstances in which it came about. When recording the song for their upcoming rock opera, Quadrophenia, Entwistle recorded the now-famous bass part in one take. Entwistle was just 'joking around' by his own admission, trying to loosen up to get ready for the 'real' takes, but his bandmates loved it so much they left it in.

Written by Pete Townshend, the song is something of an anthem for Quadrophenia's protagonist, Jimmy. Jimmy is a young English Mod with four distinct personalities. The album's liner notes indicate that each of Jimmy's personalities is meant to symbolize one of the band's members. The song's lyrics chronicle Jimmy speaking angrily to several people, asking them to help him identify who 'the real me' genuinely is.

The Real Me comes in at #336 on the 1991 Firecracker 500, and #443 on the 1996 list. When Quadrophenia was made into a movie in 1979, The Real Me was the song used to underscore the opening credits. You can watch those credits in the video below, though the bass part was altered somewhat from the original version. For the original performance (and Entwistle's famous bass), check out after the jump.

      

Video Classics: 'Squeezebox'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

So how far can you milk a rather lame dirty joke? All the way to spot #371 on the 1991 Firecracker 500 if you're Pete Townshend and the Who.

It seems early in 1974, Townshend had purchased himself an accordion. Certainly, anyone who has a little money in their pocket (and the Who's success had ensured Townshend had plenty of that) has felt the urge to just go out and spend it on a fine polka and/or gypsy musical instrument. Well, perhaps not. But for whatever reason, Townshend had purchased one.

Who fans should perhaps count themselves lucky that Townshend's mind ran more to filthy jokes than to learning the instrument and incorporating it in the band's act (bringing the accordion and rock together would have to wait a few more years for 'Weird' Al Yankovic to appear). Realizing that 'squeezebox' was slang for female genitalia, Townshend was struck with the idea of making a song that could ostensibly be about both, then performing it.

The band got the idea of including it in a 1974 television special, in the hopes that they could actually get away with singing about the joys of explicit sex on network TV. The special never came about, and thus Squeezebox instead finally saw exposure on their 1975 album, The Who by Numbers. Townshend never intended for the song to become any kind of a hit, but fans loved it, and it became a concert staple.

The video below, while a bit flat in audio quality, gives the feel of being at a classic Who concert, which is only natural since it was taken at Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland in 1975. Roger Daltrey warms up the crowd for a bit beforehand. For those looking for the studio version, check out after the jump.

   

Video Classics: 'Magic Bus'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

In 1968, the Who released Magic Bus, which reached #26 in the U.K. and #25 in the United States (it comes in at spot #345 on the 1991 Firecracker 500). As with many Who songs, it isn't the lyrics, but the arrangement that makes Magic Bus special. The minimal instrumentals and intense soulful feel add a great deal to the otherwise unremarkable words.

A brief note about the lyrics may be in order, however, as there exists to this day a bit of disagreement as to just what it is the band is singing about. On the surface, the song is a relatively innocent song about a man who rides the bus every day to go see his girl. Apparently, just riding the bus isn't enough for him, he wants to take the bus directly to her house, to which end he begins haggling with the driver about the possibility of buying the vehicle outright so he can accomplish this. There is, however, an argument that the song refers to drugs, with 'Magic Bus' being a name for LSD in the early '70s.

The song was written by Pete Townshend at the same time as My Generation. It was held for release until the album Magic Bus: The Who on Tour. Upon its release, it became a regular at Who concerts (gaining and falling in popularity repeatedly over the years, but rarely vanishing from the setlist entirely). Often, the song would be used as the framework for a lengthy jam session, though John Entwistle reportedly hated playing it, as the bass part is extremely simple and repetitive.

The video below is taken from a Who performance in 1972. After the jump, listen to one of the most famous (and lengthy) performances of Magic Bus, from Live at Leeds.

  

Video Classics: 'Substitute'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

If you've got a bit of an inferiority complex, what better way to make it work for you than to turn it into a Top 10 single and a song that you'll use regularly as one of your concert openers for the next 40 years? The Who's Substitute is just that. The idea behind Substitute came from Pete Townshend's feeling that his band were merely a substitute in many people's minds for the Rolling Stones. He had also recently heard the Stones' hit Satisfaction and attempted to come up with an equally-memorable song in response. While it may not rise to the level of Satisfaction in the rock-and-roll hierarchy, Substitute did become a #5 hit for the Who (and again a #7 when re-released years later), and comes in at #334 on the 1991 Firecracker 500, rising to #267 on the 1996 list.

Prior to the release of Substitute, bassist John Entwistle was a sometimes-forgotten member of the band. Townshend did most of the writing. Roger Daltrey  was the frontman, and Keith Moon was, well, a bit of a maniac. Consequently, Entwistle didn't get much of the spotlight (just check out how little you see of him in the video below, for confirmation). Determined to be noticed, Entwistle reportedly turned his bass up as loud as possible before recording, without the band's knowledge. The intense bass playing that found its way to vinyl is one of the song's hallmarks, along with its clever lyrics.

For his part, Moon found Substitute somewhat less memorable. He once said in an interview "I don't remember playing 'Substitute' at all, I was too stoned, and when it came out, I accused the other members of the group of getting another drummer in!"  Strangely (and sadly) enough, the song may have another tie in to Moon and the subject of rememberance. On Keith Moon's memorial plaque at Golders Green Crematorium, it simply reads 'Keith Moon, Who Drummer: 1946 - 1978. There is no substitute.'

  

Have memories of this song or the Firecracker 500? Add your thoughts to the comments below or take a look at Video Classics past...

Video Classics: '5:15'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

When thinking of the Who's 5:15, many people remember John Entwistle's bass solo. This is largely because in later years, the band would give Entwistle the chance to go on an extended improvisation during performances of the song, often pushing its length past the 10-minute mark (one company even manufactured a bass amp with a 15" speaker and named it the '5:15' in honor of Entwistle). This certainly isn't a bad thing, given that the man was a virtuoso among virtuosos of the electric bass, but it is a bit interesting to note that the song was originally a showcase not for Entwistle's playing, but for the drumming of Keith Moon.

Taken from their second rock opera, Quadrophenia, 5:15 comes at a point where the protagonist, Jimmy, rides a train while high on far too many drugs, reflecting on his life ('Out of my brain on a train'). Moon's drumming at the end of the song was able to accurately mimic the sound of train wheels clicking over the rails and slowing as it came into the station. Althoug 5:15 only went to #20 on the U.K. singles chart, it comes in at #266 on the 1991 Firecracker 500 and #477 on the 1996 list, and it became a very popular Who concert staple.

The first video is taken from an infamous 1973 television appearance by the Who on the British show, Top of the Pops. At the end, Pete Townshend and Moon go into a characteristic frenzy, smashing their instruments (most notably Moon's drum set), and Townshend shoots the cameraman the finger. These antics caused the band to be banned from the BBC.  After the jump, you can see a more mature Who and the 5:15 bass solo from Entwistle's very last live performance with the band, from February 8th, 2002. While the audio quality is poor, the video, taken from a box seat, is well-positioned to show off the amazing fingering and technique of who many believe was the greatest bassist ever.

Time to Celebrate: WNEW's 1000th Post!

We've reached a milestone here at WNEW.com - our 1000th post. In a little under nine months, since our launch in April 2008, we've brought you a thousand posts on all things rock 'n roll, old and new, and other stuff we felt like posting. By way of a look back, here are some of our favorite things from the first 1000 posts:

• Interview gems featuring Scott Muni, Dave Herman and other favorite voices from the WNEW-FM archives, talking to the top artists of the day like Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, The Who, Stevie Wonder and David Bowie.
• Festival coverage from venues far and wide, from Tennessee to Oregon, Colorado to Michigan and even New Jersey.
• Incredible studio sessions with legends like Richie Havens, Phil Lesh, Bela Fleck, Warren Haynes, Donna Jean and more.
• Performances and interviews with newer artists like the Rumble Strips, Noah and the Whale, Illinois, Kings of Leon, Michael Franti, Chris Barron, Vampire Weekend, Grace Potter and many more.
• Rock commentary of the highest order from our outstanding roster of writers: J.A. Bartlett, Alex Young, Fusion 45, Bill Melville, Paul Rhodes, Kevin Phillips, Chris Clancy, our hardworking Archivist, big winner Mari S. (go Cards!) and the rest of the many awesome contributors we've had so far.

There have been a lot of great moments captured in these first 1000 posts - here's a look at the posts you've clicked on the most:

• Mike Gordon Fans Flames of Phish Reunion (w/Audio)
• Live Dead: Phil Lesh & Jackie Greene Visit the WNEW Studio
• Warren Haynes Visits WNEW Studio for Acoustic Session
• Cardinals (w/Ryan Adams) Rock Houston: Setlist, Photos
• Chopping Block: The Cure
• Kanye's Bonnaroo Troubles
• All Points West Festival: Photo Show
• WNEW Archived Interview: Mick Jagger 1979

Thank you kind reader for hanging in there with us throughout our early days. We've had a great time bringing you these posts and we've particularly enjoyed the conversations (and controversies - sorry Cure fans!) that have resulted. We hope you'll still be with us when we hit our 10,000th post - this time I promise I'll bring cake.

Video Classics: 'Bargain'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

Pete Townshend began what is today known as The Lifehouse Project intending it to be a futuristic rock opera. He also envisioned a concept album recorded live, as well as a film project for which it would serve as the soundtrack. Needless to say, despite Townshend's considerable talent and the Who's considerable success and energy in the early '70s, such a grandiose scheme never came to pass, and Townshend's attempts to bring it to fruition caused considerable friction within the band.

Nonetheless, much of the project eventually saw the light of day, in one form or another, spread out over several albums. Many of its intended songs were released on the Who's 1971 album Who's Next, including the fan favorite, Bargain. Bargain comes in at #194 on the 1991 Firecracker 500, though it fell to #480 for the 1996 list.

Townshend wrote Bargain as an homage to his spiritual advisor, Meher Baba (one of several songs he wrote to illustrate the life and philosophy of the Indian mystic). The first line ('I'd gladly lose me to find you.') is taken from Baba's teachings. The song seems to suggest that losing all of one's material goods for spiritual enlightenment is a good deal, the 'bargain' of the title. Roger Daltrey sings most of the lyrics, though Townshend contributes his voice for the middle section.

Videos of the Who playing Bargain are hard to come by. The video below shows Pete Townshend performing the song at Sadler's Wells in 2000. For the band's original studio version, check out after the jump.

Video Classics: 'Love Reign o'er Me'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

Released in 1973 as the second single from their second rock opera, Quadrophenia, the Who's Love Reign oer Me closed out the album and has been a concert staple of the band for years. It peaked at #76 on the Billboard Hot 100, and comes in at #162 on the 1991 Firecracker 500 and #88 on the 1996 list.

Written by guitarist Pete Townshend, the song takes place at a moment of crisis in the rock opera, when main character Jimmy goes from having nothing left for which to live to redemption in the midst of a pouring rainstorm.  Townshend described his thoughts behind the song thusly (from Wikipedia) ...

"[It] refers to Meher Baba's one time comment that rain was a blessing from God; that thunder was God's Voice. It's another plea to drown, only this time in the rain. Jimmy goes through a suicide crisis. He surrenders to the inevitable, and you know, you know, when it's over and he goes back to town he'll be going through the same shit, being in the same terrible family situation and so on, but he's moved up a level. He's weak still, but there's a strength in that weakness. He's in danger of maturing."

In Quadrophenia, Jimmy exhibits four distinct personalities, one based on each member of the band and each with its own particular song theme. 'Love Reign o'er Me' was the song Townshend chose to represent himself.

The version released as a single (and the one most often played in concert) is somewhat shorter than the album version. For a close live approximation of the single version, check out the Who's 1982 concert at Shea Stadium, below. For the album version, with its longer instrumental introduction, check out after the jump.

Video Classics: 'I Can See for Miles'

To honor WNEW's legendary Firecracker 500, every day we are highlighting the music that populated the 1991 and 1996 lists, with classic videos, live performances and little-known facts about the songs and how they came to be...

So how could the Who's I Can See for Miles inspire Paul McCartney to write Helter Skelter, when he hadn't even heard it? According to McCartney, he was reading a review of the Who's The Who Sell Out album and the critic called I Can See for Miles the 'heaviest' song he'd ever heard. Helter Skelter was McCartney's attempt to make an even 'heavier' song than the one he'd heard praised. But for all his talent, he couldn't outdo I Can See for Miles, which many call the 'quintessential' Who song, and which comes in at #459 on the 1996 Firecracker 500.

Written by Pete Townshend in 1967, I Can See for Miles was indicative of the ever-increasing sophistication of rock music recording techniques at the time. It was laid down over several sessions, mostly in order to get the complex, overdubbed background vocals just right, and was mixed and produced in three separate studios in London, New York and Los Angeles. The effort paid off, as the song went to #10 in the U.K. and #9 in the U.S. (it would ultimately become the Who's biggest U.S. single). But for all of that, Townshend was disappointed with its performance, saying "To me it was the ultimate Who record, yet it didn't sell. I spat on the British record buyer." The Who's success in subsequent years seems to indicate that they forgave him for any metaphorical spitting.

The following video intersperses the Who's 1967 appearance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (mimed so that the complex backing vocals heard on the studio version could be used) with shots of the band cavorting with their instruments in a stream and with, well, daffodils. After the jump is a cut from a 2002 rehearsal session for the Who's then-upcoming U.S. Tour, notable not for the quality of the performance (it's just a rehearsal session for a song they'd been playing for 35 years) but because it was one of the last performances by John Entwistle before he died a few weeks later at the age of 57.

WNEW Week in Review 11/23/08

Yesterday's Founding Fathers post was the fascinating story of Alan Freed, a radio giant from the beginning of the rock 'n roll era who was taken down by the big payola scandal of 1959. That was just one of several interesting stories told on WNEW this week; here's a look at the others:

• Rose Hill Drive, Illinois and Chris Botti each played shows worth writing home about.
• Elvis Costello's Get Happy!! was unearthed in this week's Forgotten Favorites.
• Paul looked at the darker sides of Keith Moon and Brian Jones.
• Bruce Springsteen will soon be back with a new album. While we wait for that Alex checked out new (old) releases from the Who and Pavement.
• This week's Video Classics included Sweet Home Alabama, Captain Jack, All My Loving and Honky Tonk Women.
• Fusion 45 felt 'Alligator Lazy' this week, but still enjoyed the combination of Shannon McNally and Maria Muldaur.

Finally our studio was the place to be once again this week, as we hosted a memorable performance by Rusted Root (grab the free mp3's here) and had an intimate chat with the legendary Richie Havens (read parts 1 and 2).