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The Who - Who's Last / The Who Live:

UK - 1984 MCA LP	UK - 1984 MCA Cassette
UK - 1985 MCA CD Issued in both 2 CD and single CD formats	USA - 1984 MCA LP (front cover)
USA - 1984 MCA LP (back cover)	USA - 1984 MCA Cassette
USA - 1985 MCA CD 2 CD set	USA - 1985 MCA CD (Slipcase) 1st pressings were sold with either a long box or slipcase
USA - 1985 MCA CD Long box packaging (front cover)	USA - 1985 MCA CD Long box packaging (back cover)
Argentina - 1984 MCA LP (front cover)	Argentina - 1984 MCA LP (back cover) Titles in Spanish
Argentina - 1991 MCA Cassette	Australia - 1984 MCA LP
Canada - 1984 MCA LP	France - 1991 MCA CD Single CD - Misleading cover
France - 1991 MCA Cassette Misleading cover	Germany - 1984 MCA LP
Germany - 1984 MCA Cassette	Germany - 1984 MCA Cassette
Germany - 1988 MCA CD 2 CD Set	Germany - 1990 MCA CD Single CD - misleading cover
Germany - 1991 MCA CD Single CD - misleading cover	India - 1992 MCA CD
India - 1992 MCA CD Clamshell version	Indonesia - 1984 Atlantic Cassette
Indonesia - 1984 Rock Line Cassette	Indonesia - 1984 Ego Cassette Edited track listing
Indonesia - 1984 AM Audio Cassette	Indonesia - 1985 King's Record Cassette
Indonesia - 1991 MCA Cassette	Israel - 1984 MCA LP
Italy - 1984 MCA LP	Italy - 1984 MCA Cassette 2 Cassette set
Japan - 1984 MCA LP	Japan - 1984 MCA Cassette
Japan - 1984 MCA CD 2 CD set	Japan - 1985 MCA CD 2 CD set
Korea - 1984 844 LP	Mexico - 1984 MCA LP
Mexico - 1984 MCA LP (Promo) Front cover	Mexico - 1984 MCA LP (Promo) Back cover
Mexico - 1984 MCA LP (Promo) Front cover	Mexico - 1984 MCA LP (Promo) Back cover
Mexico - 1991 MCA Cassette	New Zealand - 1984 MCA LP
Philippines - 1991 MCA/Alpha Cassette Vol. 1	Poland - 1991 MCA Cassette
Saudi Arabia - 1991 MCA Cassette	South Africa - 1991 MCA CD
Spain - 1984 MCA LP	Spain - 1988 MCA CD
Spain - 1991 MCA CD (Promo)	Spain - 1991 MCA Cassette
Thailand - 1984 MCA Cassette	Thailand - 1984 4-Track Cassette
Thailand - 1990 (no label) Cassette	Thailand - 1990 (no label) Cassette
Turkey - 1991 MCA Cassette	United Arab Emirates - 1984 777 Cassette
Uruguay - 1985 WEA/MCA Cassette (Volume 1)	Uruguay - 1985 WEA/MCA Cassette (Volume 2)
Venezuela - 1991 MCA Cassette	Yugoslavia - 1984 Suzy/MCA LP
Yugoslavia - 1984 Suzy/MCA Cassette (1)	Yugoslavia - 1984 Suzy/MCA Cassette (2)

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Album: Who's Last aka The Who Live

LPs (vinyl) Sampled: MCA (UK), MCA (USA)

CDs (original mix) Sampled: "Who's Last": MCA (UK), MCA (USA), MCA (Japan), "The Who Live": MCA (Germany), MCA (France)

LP Comments: The MCA (UK) sounds better than the MCA (USA).

CD (original mix) comments: The MCA (Germany) sounds better than other versions.

Compare for yourself!   Below are 30 second WAV samples of "Boris The Spider" from various pressings of the "Who's Last" and * "The Who Live"  as described above. 1984 USA LP   1984 UK LP   1984 Japan LP   1985 USA CD   1985 UK CD   1985 Japan CD   1988 Germany CD   1990 Germany CD *   1991 France CD *  1991  Germany CD *  1991 Spain CD *

Note: Sound comparisons are only as good as your ears and the equipment you are listening to the music with.

Summary: The best source for this music is the MCA (Germany) CD.

Other Comments: This album was released after the breakup of The Who. Apparently none of the band members had any interest in it and the results show it as it features what sounds like some of the worst performances of the 1982 Tour. According to producer, Cy Langston (who mixed the album), MCA was not happy with the original mix and insisted he remix the album. As with the remixed live tracks on "It's Hard" (from the last show in North American, 1982) there was a huge improvement in the perceived performance. I believe a remix would significantly help these songs.

The release of the title, "The Who Live" in Germany and France is somewhat deceiving as MCA used pictures of The Who circa 1970's on the cover(s), misleading the potential purchaser as to what they were really getting ...

CD copies of "Who's Last" were issued as a double CD and single CD in the UK. The single CD version(s) have the same track listing as the double CD's, but with shorter track time. Apparently the crowd noise between tracks was trimmed down to make the album fit on one CD.

About: Who's Last (also known as "The Who Live")   The dreaded "Who's Last"...   I believe most if not all of this album comes from the Cleveland, 1982 show. It was supposed to be a completely different album, taking performances from various parts of The Who’s past - but the record company micromanaged the project, killing both the cool album tracks and the original mix. Hence, we are left with something less desirable… I never really critically figured out what I didn't like about this album - other than "it didn't sound great", "Roger's vocals gave out (like they did in Toronto)" and "Kenney Jones drumming sucks" - well yeah, that's all still true...   However, even with the above, I find one of the biggest issues "clouding" the sound, is the excessive compression used in the mastering. This kind of takes the stereo mix and its distinct parts and pieces and blurs it all up too much. I'm sure that remixing and remastering the album would make it sound 1,000 times better - but then there are still have Roger's vocal issues (which begin with "Baba O'Riley" - early in the concert) and Kenney Jones drumming (which is pretty boring)...   Some of you may not be familiar with "The Who Live". This was the record company's way of "repackaging" "Who's Last" in 1991 - giving it a deceptive cover circa 1970's! Most of these are with the close-up of Roger, but in France they used a full band shot! Oops!

Track Listing: My Generation, I Can't Explain, Substitute, Behind Blue Eyes, Baba O'Riley, Boris The Spider, Who Are You, Pinball Wizard, See Me, Feel Me, Love Reign O'er Me, Long Live Rock, Won't Get Fooled Again, Dr. Jimmy, Magic Bus, Summertime Blues, Twist And Shout

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