The Who Tommy/Quadrophenia Live 3 DVD Set (1 Viewer)

[TommyJD]

From the official The Who (Thewho.com) website:

22 September 2005
Quadrophenia / Tommy DVD press release
A new three disc set, featuring live performances of Quadrophenia and Tommy is soon to be released. Here's the official press release for the U.K. I'll get back to you with U.S. release details when I get them.

THE WHO

'Quadrophenia' and 'Tommy' Live with Special Guests
Classic 3-DVD set with amazing never-before-seen footage and exclusive Daltrey/Townshend commentaries in MX Technology released 7th November 2005

Total Running Time (incl. commentaries): 6 hours 57 mins UK Cat. No. 034970500-2

"I think the beauty of the 'Quadrophenia' story is …..it's to do withadolescence. It's to do with theturmoil of growing up.

That's why it doesn't age in the same way as other rock music does.

In that sense that is a lot of the reasonwhy The Who is just as relevant today as we ever were. There'sa timelessness to those songs." Roger Daltrey commentary



'Tommy' is such a powerful piece when it's played live. Somethingabout its shape and its original function. You know, as I said, the story is clunky and it's got holes in the plot. But at the end……I don't know why but it works." Pete Townshend commentary



A unique 3-DVD package featuring never-before-seen footage and exclusive commentary from both Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey talking about two legendary stage performances of Tommy and Quadrophenia is released this autumn - an absolute must for all Who fans and anyone with even a passing interest in classic rock. The unseen footage includes some unearthed material from 1964 of The Who performing at a London pub shortly before releasing their first hit single, 'I Can't Explain'. This footage appears as part of an extraordinary sequence during the 'Quadrophenia' show.



The DVD, produced by The Who and Warner Music Video, comprises a live performance of Quadrophenia taken from the U.S. Tour of 1996/7. This was the first time Quadrophenia had been performed as Townshend and Daltrey had originally visualised it - with a combination of acting, specially shot film, and visual and audio treats. It features spell-binding newcomer Alex Langdon in the role of Jimmy, the disillusioned mod, as well as a memorable performance from Billy Idol as The Ace Face and P.J. Proby as The Godfather.



The second DVD features the 1989 live performance of 'Tommy' at the Universal Amphitheatre in L.A., with special guest performers Elton John, Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Patti La Belle and Steve Winwood. Highlights include Patti Labelle's show-stopping performance of The Acid Queen, Elton John's rendition of Pinball Wizard and the appearance of Phil Collins as you've never seen him before - as the creepy, filthy Uncle Ernie.



Both performances show Townshend, Daltrey and bassist John Entwistle at their musical peak and the many DVD extras include the first ever use of MX Technology as an interactive visual commentary which allows the viewer to access exclusive interviews/commentary by Daltrey and Townshend while the action progresses, simply by pressing the Enter button.



There are also mind-blowing menus containing souvenirs and photos of the shows, a new interview with Billy Idol, the Story of Quadrophenia with Aubrey Powell -director of the special film shot for the live performance - telling how the show was put together.



A third DVD in the package has nearly two hours of live Who and Townshend solo hits including some rare acoustic performances of some Who favourites making this truly an exceptional piece of Who history all in stunning 5:1 sound.



Both 'Tommy' and 'Quadrophenia' include a candid commentary from Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend about the events surrounding each performance, insights into each song and many asides - often funny, sometimes moving, always fascinating. While discussing the 'Tommy' performance, Daltrey explains that after Elton John had had a bit of a 'moment' in rehearsal, no-one knew whether he would turn up to perform at the actual show! "I was quite ready to jump in and sing it ('Pinball Wizard') if he hadn't appeared on stage. I remember the night before at rehearsal I had to sit pretending I was playing piano and singing like Elton John sings it, in his key - because we thought well we'd better do it in his key just in case he does turn up. And I remembered sitting at his piano and singing through his microphone and I don't know what they do to his voice on the microphone but I was absolutely amazed that I sounded like Elton John!"

There's also a definitive answer to the question of why Townshend smashed up a few guitars in his time: "The guitar smashing thing in my life was not what it appeared. I was never ever angry on the stage. I was never out of control of my emotions. I was very, very cool. I've never been nervous on stage. The bigger the audience, the less nervous I am. I'm very detached, quite cold on the stage. It was definitely an artistic act. When I was at college, I studied with a whole bunch of really fascinating people and, I came out with what I felt was an idea which was that I would be in this band and we would destroy ourselves. That was the thesis, in a word. And the guitar-smashing was just a part of it. And we failed. I think we failed really because we had a hit and really an artist's vanity got me. I desperately wanted The Who to be like what the Sex Pistols actually went on to do later, which was to be a band for five minutes. If you look at my interviews of the day, I say, 'The Who is a band chopping away at their own legs.' This is what we wanted."



Aubrey Powell, speaking about how he and the band had trawled through the vaults to uncover the 'new' footage, explained: "I feel that we are acting almost as documentarians for future generations. I believe these works, which sound as relevant today as they did when they were written, will still resonate hundreds of years from now."



In 2005, The Who's status has never been higher - with an acclaimed and show-stopping performance at Live 8, a raft of new bands ,paying homage to their influence and a new album on the way, the band enter their fifth decade arguably more relevant than ever.

The full track-listing on each DVD is:
DVD - 1
Quadrophenia - Live on US Tour 1996
I Am The Sea
The Real Me
Quadrophenia
Cut My Hair
The Punk And The Godfather
I'm One
The Dirty Jobs
Helpless Dancer
Is It In My Head?
I've Had Enough
5:15
Sea And Sand
Drowned
Bell Boy
Doctor Jimmy
The Rock
Love Reign O'er Me
Extras: The Quadrophenia Story (documentary piece), Visual Commentary by Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend

DVD - 2
Tommy - Live at Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles 1989 featuring special guests Elton John, Steve Winwood, Patti Labelle, Phil Collins and Billy Idol.

Overture
It's A Boy
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Eyesight To The Blind
Christmas
Cousin Kevin
The Acid Queen
Pinball Wizard
Do You Think It's Alright?
Fiddle About
There's A Doctor
Go To The Mirror!
Smash The Mirror
Tommy Can You Hear Me?
I'm Free
Extra Extra/ Miracle Cure
Sally Simpson
Sensation
Tommy's Holiday Camp
We're Not Gonna Take It
Extras: Photo Gallery, Visual Commentary by Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend

DVD - 3
TOMMY ENCORE
Substitute
I Can See For Miles
Baba O'Riley
Face the Face
Love Reign O'er Me
Boris the Spider
Dig
Join Together
Rough Boys
You'd Better You Bet
Behind Blue Eyes
Won't Get Fooled Again
Who Are You

QUAD ENCORE
Won't Get Fooled Again (Acoustic)
Substitute
I Can't Explain
The Kids Are Alright
Behind Blue Eyes
Who Are You

Giants Stadium -
Acid Queen
A Little Is Enough
Pinball Wizard

Extras: Billy Idol interview

Wow.Was lucky enough to see all these live shows:
Tommy at Radio City,Quadrophenia at MSG,and the Giants Stadium show(The Clash opened).Looking forward to this set especially the Quadrophenia show.Zak Starkey and Pete's brother Simon were in the band.Pete played acoustic and Simon electric guitar for the whole show.Pete was having hearing problems which accounted for the acoustic guitar.Gary Glitter was also on hand as the Godfather.He looked like Devine.Roger,Pete and John were all amazing and an amazing show to have a document of.

 

[Grant B]

Very Cool!!!!
Thanks

Gilmore of Pink Floyd fame played electric guitar at the Hyde Park show.....should have been the 4th disc.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Good stuff. Although I haver heard a variant of why he started smashing guitars. Something to the effect that one rehearsal space they used (long time ago) had a low ceiling, and one time they were playing he threw his guitar up into the air, hit the ceiling, and broke. So he got the idea to do it on stage.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

if i was to only buy one dvd release for the rest of my life...

CJ

 

[Philip Hamm]

That's great, I can retire my 1989 LaserDisc of the "Tommy" concert. It's the best recording (video or audio) of that band that Pete affectionately called "The Who On Ice". The Albert Hall performance was kind of dissapointing to me, I missed the Quadrophenia tour.

 

[Ruz-El]

This sounds GREAT! Makes me think, I really should get off my butt and pick up both "Royal Albert Hall" and "Live At The Isle Of Wright"

I'm glad the encors are inclued, the Tommy Encore was better than Tommy itself. I never saw the complete Quad, Much Music just showed hilights.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Kick. Ass.

Oh yes, it will be mine. . .

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I heard that the new version of Isle of Wight doesn't improve much on the original release. You might want to hold out for the eventual 3rd edition. . .

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Or just enjoy The Kids are Alright DVD and the Maximum R&B DVD some more.

 

[Jeff_CusBlues]

I never heard the original release, but I really like the current release. In my opinion, the DTS track sounds great. The bass and drums really come out nicely and realistic. Especially for a concert filmed over thirty years ago. The concert is still not complete and the songs are still not in the correct order, but what is there is fantastic.

 

[Ruz-El]

Huh? I hadn't heard that the concert wasn't comlpete. I have the CD, is that complete? I've only seen an hourlong version of the Wight concert on TV.



Funny you mention this: I just bought "The Kids are Alright" 2 weeks ago, finding the 2 disc version miss-priced. Haven't had a chance to watch it yet though. How is "Maximum R&B"? I have the VHS, but held off on the DVD, as it appeared to be exactly the same, with out 5.1 sound.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

it's probably the same as the vhs. i watched it last night, although it was never my favorite. the dvd itself is nothing special.

CJ

 

[Jeff_CusBlues]

I am not the definitive source on The Isle of Wight show, but I have always heard that Tommy was actually done in the middle of the show and not at the end. And that some songs are omitted from the film. I'm sure somebody else here can be more precise. I have the CD also but have never compared the CD to the film.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I don't know if there are any differences between the VHS and DVD of Maximum R&B. I do prefer the Kids are Alright though.

 

[Grant B]

I bought MAX R&B right when it came out and was not impressed with the sound....havent listened to it since.

 

[Matt Stieg]

The Who's standard setlist around 1969-70 was to perform one set of standards ("I Can't Explain," "Heaven and Hell," "Substitute"), then Tommy, then finish up with some hard rock ("Summertime Blues," "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation," "Magic Bus"). The CD release of the Isle of Wight show is complete, the DVD is heavily edited. The first and third parts of the concert are at the beginning (and heavily edited, "Shakin' All Over" is incomplete etc). Tommy is moved to the end, this was probably done for dramatic reasons, because the version of "See Me, Feel Me" is very intense and amazing. In the interview on the DVD, Pete says they should've ended the concert there; so in effect, the DVD is edited to reflect that. The original concert is about 2 hours, the DVD is edited to about 90 minutes.

 

[Jim Rakowiecki]

Awsome. I saw the Who do Quadrophenia in 1997 and it still stands out as one of the best shows I've ever seen.
I can't wait.

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

This is terribly exciting. Quadrophenia is my favorite rock album of all time and has been since high school. I missed the 96/97 tour. Whoopee!!

 

[Christ Reynolds]

anyone pick this up yet? i'm going to get it at best buy on the way to my hockey game, it will take me a few days to get through it.

CJ

 

[Craig S]

I got it last night. It's excellent - except for one very minor and one MAJOR problem.

The "Tommy" disc is great. Video is full-frame, as was the original release (I got this one on VHS about 15 years ago), so I consider it OAR. Looks fine for its age. Sound is fine.

The commentary is cool. Not only do you hear Pete & Roger, you see them superimposed over the concert video. Their gestures & facial expressions really add to the commentary. There's a cool feature where you just press "Enter" on your remote to toggle the visual commentary on & off. Excellent.

The "Quadrophenia" disc is where the problems surface. The minor one is with the visual commentary. If you are listening to the concert in 5.1, and hit enter to turn on the commentary, when you turn off the commentary the audio goes to the stereo track, not the 5.1. This seemed to work correctly on the "Tommy" disc. Minor issue, many will just listen to the commentary all the way through anyway.

But... the "Quadrophenia" show is in widescreen - looks to be 2.35:1. And ... it's NON-ANAMORPHIC!!!

C'mon, Rhino, it's 2005. There's no excuse for this!!!

Third disc contains the extra songs. Many duplicates from the two performances, but they good thing is they are often very different takes on the song. For example, "Won't Get Fooled Again" from the "Tommy" show gets the full-band treatment, with synth opening. In the "Quad" encore, it's a stripped down version with Pete on acoustic and Roger singing. Nice to hear the different treatments.

But, once again, the "Quad" encore video is non-anamorphic widescreen.

A very frustrating release. This could have been a near-perfect set for Who fans (especially at Best Buy's $25 price), but the video issue with the "Quad" footage really hurts it.