WhiteFang's Who Site - The World's Largest Collection Of The Who Records & CDs

The Who | Previous Showcase Items (2006):

Previous Showcase: Happy Jack (EP) - 1967 France Cassette

The Who Showcase: Week of December 31, 2006   Pictured to your left is what is known as a "lucky find". Without paying too much attention, I thought I was buying another "best of" cassette with an unusual cover. As it turns out, it's an obscure EP from France (circa 1967) featuring Happy Jack, I Can See For Miles, Pictures of Lily and I'm A Boy. The cover is made from the same laminated material as the one's used for the vinyl EPs of the period.     Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: My Generation - 1965 Switzerland Club Edition 45

The Who Showcase: Week of December 24, 2006   Pictured to your left is a very obscure version of the 1965 My Generation single (45 RPM), released only in Switzerland. To my knowledge, there were only two Who records released in Switzerland - This one and another variation of the 1965 Germany 45. Both are "Club Edition" releases, made in Germany for export and relatively difficult to find. You have to wonder who all these people are on the cover and what the ultimate purpose was of this release. Anyone know? Please send me an e-mail.   Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: English Boy - 1993 Germany CD Single

The Who Showcase: Week of December 17, 2006   Recently Pete Townshend's solo albums have been re-released on CD and with varying bonus tracks. One potential track, Electronic Wizardry, seems to have eluded the reissue program and is still only available on the 1993, Germany CD single of English Boy. As some of you may remember, this track was used as an instrumental bridge on the live performances of Psychoderelict. The track on this CD is the full version and according to the packaging, a previously unreleased Lifehouse track. Here's a sample of what it sounds like: Electronic Wizardry MP3 Looking for a copy of this CD? Try eBay.   Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Johnny Bundrick (Rabbit) - Strange Love - 1966 USA 45

The Who Showcase: Week of December 10, 2006   I would like to dedicate this week's showcase to Rabbit to show appreciation for all the hard work and dedication for both Pete Townshend and The Who since 1977. Pictured to your left is Rabbit's very first record, "Strange Love", released in 1966. A "family" recording, featuring his dad on bass and his brother, Sam on drums. The "b" side coincidentally is "Made In Japan, but has no relationship with the John Entwistle solo song, which came along ~9 years later.   Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Kids Are Alright - 1966 Holland 45

The Who Showcase: Week of December 3, 2006   Twice a year I travel to Holland for the world's largest record show. These days it's pretty tough to find rare records in person and sometimes the "competition" on the internet is fierce. Unfortunately, shows are a dying breed - with every visit, each of these shows seems to shrink smaller and smaller. Fortunately, I was able to find quite a few rarities - most of which should be posted on the site sometime this week. Stay tuned! For this week's showcase, I am honoring Holland, with this week's showcase - The Kids Are Alright - and to symbolically thank them for hosting this great record show.   Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Rachel Fuller - Shine - 2006 USA CD (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of November 26, 2006   This week, I would like to honor a very special person, Rachel Fuller. In all the years that I have been a Who/Pete Townshend fan, I have never known Pete to be as happy as he is now - and we can all be very thankful for his current creative output, undying energy and desire to perform. For much of this, I credit Rachel, her love and unique relationship with Pete. Thank you Rachel! Rachel is a talented artist in her own right. She has released an album, Cigarettes & Housework in 2004 and most recently, a new EP, Shine (which coincidentally features Pete Townshend). The EP is available exclusively via Barnes & Noble and iTunes. (Hint: It's really good!) You may also be fortunate enough to see Rachel at one of her Barnes & Noble in-stores or at one of her In The Attic shows. Check her out!   Endless Wire out now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Endless Wire - 2006 CD (October 29 - November 26, 2006)

The Who Showcase: Week of November 19, 2006 (Endless Wire - Carried over another week by popular demand!)   This is it folks, the album we've all been waiting for... 24 years after the last Who studio album (It's Hard) and 13 years after the last Pete Townshend studio album (Psychoderelict)... It's finally here!    The album has been released world-wide to overwhelmingly positive reviews and many happy Who fans.   Each of the releases will be also available as "limited" or "deluxe" editions with different bonus tracks. Please visit the Endless Wire section of my Discography for more track listing and sound comparison details.   The singles, It's Not Enough and Tea & Theatre are also available as downloads on iTunes (and similar). The UK promo of Black Widow's Eyes has an extended guitar part on Its Not Enough. Perhaps an official single is on its way too...   Go out and buy the album now!   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Exciting The Who - 1968 Japan LP

The Who Showcase: Week of October 22, 2006 In 1983 I saw the 1968 Japan LP, Exciting The Who for the very first time. It was hanging on the wall of a small record store in New York City. Unfortunately, the owner said he "...might consider an offer over $400..."   It was at least 15 years later before I saw another copy (I bought this copy in 2001). The internet has made our world much smaller - while still very rare, copies are now obtainable from time to time - with prices ranging from $400 - $800.. This album cover has been reissued as a promo sleeve with the Japan, My Generation Deluxe CD and rumor has it that it will be reissued on CD along with the other original Who Japan albums in the very near future. Track list: Happy Jack, Pictures Of Lily, Substitute, I've Been Away, Doctor, Doctor, Waltz For A Pig, The Last Time, Under My Thumb, So Sad About Us, A Quick One While He's Away. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: You Better, You Bet - 1981 Hungary 45

The Who Showcase: Week of October 15, 2006 In 1981 The Who released their first album of new material (Face Dances) after the tragic death of Keith Moon. The single, You Better, You Bet was played extensively on The Radio and the album <at the time> was very well received. Since then, and the year and album (It's Hard) thereafter, there's been a lot of criticism and controversy over what the band should have or could have done. At some point the nonsense surrounding these issues got too deep and The Who ceased to exist as a band.  In retrospect, the music was very good and is still very enjoyable 24/25 years later. In two weeks, The Who will be releasing their first studio album in 24 years. (Samples and more info: USA and UK)  If fans are discussing this album for the next 24+ years, the band will have done their job... Pictured to the left is the only "different" picture sleeve of You Better, You Bet (from Hungary). It used to be a tough find and expensive. Now they're pretty easy to find...  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Keith Moon/Odds & Sods - 1974 USA Store Display

The Who Showcase: Week of October 8, 2006 In the early 1980's I used to shop at the small, "boutique-like" record stores in New York City. Who records were flowing back then and there was always something new to buy. On one such trip, the store owner said, "I have something for you, but it's big." He then came from the back of the store with this ~5 foot, Keith Moon standup/store display (pictured left), which was designed to "advertise" the 1974 Who album, Odds & Sods. How much? "$25".  Sold! So, I'm looking at this thing and wondering to myself - how am I going to get this thing home. Fortunately, the legs fold under the body, so I was easily able to carry it to the car and get it home safe. What a great collectable and a fantastic tribute to Keith Moon. Fast forward to a few years ago, another collector offered me $1,000 for it. I told him he'd have to buy the whole collection to have it. I have yet to see another one, but I'm sure they exist... I am missing the large "group" standup made for The Kids Are Alright. They were plentiful many years back, but it always seemed that one of the band's heads were "bent" - so I passed. Somehow I doubt the price of $25 is still good... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Pete Townshend - White City - 1985 Video

The Who Showcase: Week of October 1, 2006 Recently, Pete Townshend's back catalog of CDs was re-released and each CD included bonus tracks. Some of these bonus tracks were tracks never before released on CD (i.e. Dance It Away) and others, never released before (i.e. Vivienne).  One of my personal favorite rarities, is Night School (video sample) which was only released on the White City video (pictured left). I was excited to learn that it was being included as a bonus track on the new, White City CD reissue. However, as it turned out, this version of "Night School" is a completely different version - sort of a "Part 1" compared to the video version as a "Part 2". Who would have thought? It is always nice to get bonus tracks. Perhaps one day someone "official" might compile a CD of solo rarities. In the meantime, if you are looking for a list (with sound samples), click here.  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who USA Tour - 2006

The Who Showcase: Week of September 24, 2006 PNC - 9/21/06: I loved it. Probably the best Who show I've seen since John's <sad> death. With the insertion of all the new material (some of which I haven't heard before) - I thought it was just great. The show had a "surprise" element to it (vs. previous "greatest hits" shows, which all tended to blend after awhile and  too many years). We all said we wanted new material - we got it! Roger sang his heart out (I'm just amazed how he can do this at 62!) and Pete played his heart out. The rest of the band was great too - although I would have liked to see more of Simon. :( Some notable differences - the mix seemed just right. Several people commented how "Zach is playing much better". I disagree. He was much louder in the mix - so now you can hear what he's playing. Made a huge difference. When Pino played the bass in songs like "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Pinball Wizard" - you felt it throughout your body. Pete and Roger both seemed to be in exceptionally good moods. They were having a great time and so was the audience. I was glad to have the EP since it was released as I knew all the lyrics to the "mini-opera". The new <other> material sounded pretty interesting and I'm looking forward to hearing it again soon. I think we (as Who fans) have a lot to look forward to soon (new album, remainder of the tour, etc). Go get tickets, buy the CD when its released and have fun! Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: In The Attic - Joe's Pub, NY City - September 14, 2006

The Who Showcase: Week of September 17, 2006 - In The Attic (9/14/06) - Click On The Picture

Previous Showcase: Magic Bus - 1968 Canada LP

The Who Showcase: Week of September 10, 2006 In 1968, The Who's USA record company, Decca became increasingly impatient waiting for the band's new album, Tommy to be delivered. So, acting on their own (without any involvement of the band or its management), they released the Magic Bus LP - an odd compilation of previously released album tracks, singles and b sides. Not "live" as the "on tour" part of the cover implies. Besides the nice cover, this LP was the only source for the true stereo mix of <the song> Magic Bus for many years - and in my opinion - still the best version even today. The album was originally released only in the USA, Canada <pictured left> and Taiwan - eventually being re-released on CD years later, but not with the same sound quality of the title track. For long-time USA Who fans, this album was viewed as the band's "4th album" and to their dismay, not properly reissued on CD.  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Bucket "T"/Run, Run, Run - 1966 Denmark 45

The Who Showcase: Week of September 3, 2006 Keith Moon had a love and passion for "Surf Music" - and prior to his joining The Who, was in a band called, The Beachcombers". In 1966, The Who put out their first EP, called Ready Steady Who, which was very "Keith Influenced" as it included cover songs of "Batman", "Bucket "T" and "Barbara Ann" - the latter two featuring Keith on lead vocals.  Apparently with the rising popularity of the band,  their EP carried over as their single, "Bucket "T" (released in Sweden, Norway and Denmark <pictured left>) was released in 1967 and <supposedly> reached #1 in the charts in Sweden! Bucket "T" has been featured on various Who rarity albums and in 2002 remixed to stereo on the A Quick One CD.  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Summertime Blues/Heaven And Hell - 1970 France 45

The Who Showcase: Week of August 27, 2006 One of my favorite Who songs is Heaven And Hell, which was written by the late John Entwistle. Played live beginning in 1968, it was used as the band's opening song during the period of 1969 to 1970 and was one of The Who's more powerful performances. The studio version which was featured as the "b" side of most pressings of Summertime Blues (and subsequent rarities collections) was released only in mono and with a great drum track which quickly disappears into the mix moments after the start of the song. John Entwistle wasn't satisfied with The Who's recorded version and rerecorded it for his first solo album, Smash Your Head Against The Wall. The song was revived in 1975 for several Who shows and John Entwistle's first solo tour - later to be revived again by John in 1996 for his <then> current solo band . Perhaps one day The Who studio version of Heaven And Hell will get a proper remix - Until that time, the best way to listen to the song is on the 1995 version of Live At Leeds.  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Pete Townshend - Uniforms - 1982 UK 12" Picture Disc

The Who Showcase: Week of August 20, 2006 Sometimes when new music is released, its not always accepted right away. Case in point, in 1982, when All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes was released, I liked several of the songs, but as a whole, didn't care much for the album and put it away. As the 1982 Who tour rolled around months later, the magazines featured many articles and interviews by the band members. In one of them, Roger Daltrey was quoted as saying something like, "...Uniforms <from Chinese Eyes> was like all of Quadrophenia wrapped up into one song..." I was intrigued by this comment and pulled the album out again - I'm very glad I did. To this day, Uniforms is one of my favorite songs and Chinese Eyes one of my favorite albums. Go figure. Pictured to the left is the 1982 UK 12" picture disc of Uniforms, which also includes Dance It Away. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again - 1988 UK CD Single (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of August 13, 2006 In 1988, The Who released a "best of" album called, Who's Better, Who's Best. In the UK, two singles were released, This Is My Generation (My Generation) and Won't Get Fooled Again. While the former was issued in a "plain vanilla" sleeve and with nothing special about the track listing - this single more than made up for it. Issued as a 45, 12" and CD single, it featured an unreleased <at the time> song, "Boney Moronie" (live from the Young Vic, 1971 - since released with a different mix on the 1994, 30 Years Of Maximum R&B box) and an unreleased version of "Dancing In The Street" (live from Philadelphia, 1979). The track listing also includes a 1968 live version of "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" - but this version was pulled at the last minute and substituted for a studio version. (Note: The 45 version only has "Boney Moronie" as a b side). Unfortunately, this CD was pressed at the famous UK PDO plant, which at the time was having "technical problems" and caused this CD <version> to deteriorate and make some of the songs unplayable on many pressings. If you own a copy (and its still playable), you might want to transfer its contents to another disc. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - 1967 USA Tourbook

The Who Showcase: Week of August 6, 2006 As fans of The Who around the globe are purchasing tickets for upcoming shows, to your left is a reminder of the band's first USA tour - the 1967 USA tourbook. The tourbook is filled with about 26 pages of cool live and posed pictures, as well as bio information of John, Keith, Roger and Pete. Original copies of this tourbook are commonly available - many in mint condition. Apparently several years ago, unopened boxes of these tourbooks were found in California and have been "slowly" distributed via eBay and other on-line sources at relatively high prices. A nice piece of Who history to own...  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Wire & Glass - 2006 CD Single (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of July 30, 2006 Most long-time Who fans knew The Who would be back in the studio one day to continue their important contribution to music. That day is upon us now! Recently released in Europe on CD, 12" vinyl and MP3 type download is the Wire & Glass EP - a collection of 6 songs (Sound Round, Pick Up The Peace, Endless Wire, We Got A Hit, They Made My Dreams Come True, Mirror Door).   The good news is, it's great! I highly recommend it. Almost all of the feedback and reviews around the internet have been extremely positive. The bad news is, there is some ambiguity how to find it - specifically because it hasn't been released in the USA <yet>. Besides your typical on-line sources (eBay, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) to get the UK import, I have found one on-line download source which currently works from the USA: 7Digital.com (I am not associated with any of the above sources.) So, good luck on your quest to find it - and enjoy! Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Phases Box Set - 1981 UK/Germany 9 LP Box Set

The Who Showcase: Week of July 23, 2006 In my early days as a "Who Collector", I was introduced to the 1981 Phases Box Set (pictured left). At the time, I had been under the mistaken belief that the early Who albums were "bad albums". What turned out to be true, was that the albums I had were just "bad pressings" and made the music sound bad and almost unlistenable. The LPs (My Generation, A Quick One, The Who Sell Out, Tommy, Live At Leeds, Who's Next, Quadrophenia, The Who By Numbers & Who Are You) included in the box were high quality pressings, <mostly> excellent sound and beautifully packaged in glossy LP sleeves. Upon playing the early albums, I quickly realized that the music was great - it was just the bad pressings I had previously which was the problem. This experience started me on a hunt to find the best sound quality pressings and later be an advocate for high sound quality - it really makes the difference between enjoying the music and ignoring the music. The Phases box was made in Germany and marketed in the UK and Germany. Mint copies are still available today at bargain prices. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Don't Let Go The Coat - 1981 Canada 45

The Who Showcase: Week of July 16, 2006 In my early collecting days, I overlooked The Who records made in Canada. At a glance, they seemed as though they were made from a different pressing plant than their more common USA counterparts. However, this just isn't true. While there are many similarities between them, some of their differences are pretty interesting. For example, pictured to your left is a Canada, Warner Brothers copy of Don't Let Go The Coat. This was issued with a picture sleeve in several countries, but not in the USA. Other notable differences include: The 1966 Substitute. While using the same, altered lyrics, in Canada it was issued on Polydor, not Atco, as in the USA. In 1981, Canada issued the single, Had Enough, for the release of Hooligans - this single was not released in the USA. If you compare the Canada and USA singles, you will find many physical differences as well. While the same is mostly true for the 60's LPs - as they reached the 70s, the LPs were mostly similar, but again with some interesting differences... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Who's Next - 1971 Spain LP

The Who Showcase: Week of July 9, 2006 What's wrong with this picture? Since when did John Entwistle stand on the right of the stage and Pete Townshend to the left? Besides the "backward photography", the 1971 government of Spain thought that Won't Get Fooled Again was a bit too radical and it wasn't included on the original release of the Who's Next LP ("Love Ain't For Keepin' " wasn't included either, but that was probably due to the song order change to "balance" both sides of the LP). The revised track listing on this album version is: Baba O'Riley, Bargain, Song Is Over, Getting In Tune, Going Mobile, My Wife, Behind Blue Eyes Likewise, the original Spain pressings of Quadrophenia deleted "Dr. Jimmy" and censored some of the contents of the accompanying book. Go figure...    Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Cliff Townsend - The Singing Saxophone - 1957 UK 45 (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of July 2, 2006 The theme of this week's Showcase is "Who Related" - hence the picture sleeve to your left, Pete & Simon Townshend's dad, Cliff Townsend (and The Singing Saxophone). Included in this website's Discography are sections for Who Related Singles and Who Related Albums. Essentially these sections include: Performances by The Who (or band members) on compilation or other artists releases, cover songs performed by other artists, Who artwork used on non-Who releases and other varying combinations of interesting rarities. I don't think I ever got the story straight as to the "missing h" in Cliff's name (Townsend vs. Townshend). Perhaps one day someone will explain it to me... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - A Legal Matter - 1966 Holland 45 (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of June 25, 2006 For the last 5 years, about twice a year - I've traveled to Holland for the world's largest record show. One of the ironies about this show, is that you rarely find any domestic record dealers with rare Holland Who singles. It seems that the Brunswick label singles were manufactured in fairly small numbers - and perhaps scooped up over the years by various collectors around the world. The A Legal Matter EP (pictured left), is extremely rare and one of only a few copies I've ever seen. I was very fortunate to purchase it in the last year, and I'm very happy that I can share it with the rest of you. Perhaps one day the discography will be complete... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Mirror Door - 2006 UK CD Single

The Who Showcase: Week of June 18, 2006 One might think that with the coming of the first new album by The Who since 1982 (24 years) - that Who fans everywhere would be extremely happy! One of the problems (and good things as well) of the Internet is the speed at which information travels. In "the old days", you would have to look at the "coming soon" board at the record store or read a magazine to find out when the new albums were being released. Now, you are privy to "MP3 samples" as well as all kinds of details about the album, before its released. Pictured to the left is a UK CD single (promo) of Mirror Door - an extract from the new mini-opera "Wire & Glass". Since it was played on BBC2, an MP3 of the song has traveled all over the Internet. Pete Townshend has also commented in a recent diary that Rachel Fuller has contributed a song to the upcoming album. Fans seem to be upset everywhere! Nobody seems to mind that Speedy Keene wrote "Armenia City In The Sky" for The Who Sell Out or that Mose Allison wrote Young Man Blues (remember those songs?). Mirror Door is part of a larger piece and nobody has heard Rachel's song <yet>. You might love them, hate them or otherwise (like any other songs in the world). However, please be patient - and judge them after you've heard them. Since we've all waited 24 years, I think we can afford to be patient a little longer. Enjoy The Music!  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - My Generation - 1965 France/Belgium 45 (Promo)

The Who Showcase: Week of June 11, 2006 What appears to be an ordinary French Who single (45), is really nothing of the kind. This particular record has been the topic of discussion among many collectors throughout several countries, trying to sort out its origin - which is actually pretty unique... Apparently this picture sleeve was used for promotional purposes both in France and Belgium. In France, it came with a single, My Generation/You're Gonna Know Me (Out In The Street), with the same catalog number (12968) as the sleeve. However, in Belgium it was released with a single, My Generation/I'm A Man, which was actually an export from Germany, using catalog number (12937). Adding to the confusion, most of these singles are found today without the picture sleeve (and many of them never came with one)...                                          Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Simon Townshend - Among Us - 1996 USA CD

The Who Showcase: Week of June 4, 2006 After the last Quadrophenia show at Madison Square Garden in 1996, I was in the "Green Room" after the show ( where you get free soda and chips if you have the right guest pass - Pete was there too). I had heard rumor that Paul Townshend was going to be there with copies of his brother Simon's new CD, Among Us. The rumor was true... On the way home from New York City, we played this CD and couldn't get over how fantastic it was. I ended up keeping this CD in the changer for over a year! The copy pictured to your left was autographed by Simon and his son, Ben (who plays drums on the album). After listening to this album, I became a real Simon Townshend fan and went to all of his concerts that I could - He's even better in person! There are two versions of the album - find the one on the Stir label, the mastering is much better. (You can get a copy on Simon's official website ) Simon is now playing with the Casbah Club and sounding better than ever. Check out their website, www.casbahclub.co.uk          Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Pete Townshend - 1979 USA Poster

The Who Showcase: Week of May 28, 2006 Way back when (in 1982) as a relatively new Who fan, I bought my very first Who poster - the 1979 Pete poster, pictured to the left. Living in a small dorm room at the time, I really didn't have the proper place to hang it - so I hung it on the wall outside my room where everyone on my floor could enjoy it as well. The poster drew a lot of positive attention - The Who were very popular at the time and embarking on their "final tour" (at least the first one). People would stop by and discuss the band with me, i.e. "Hey, do you have that album, Rough Mix? Isn't that a great album!" And it even got me a few dates - "Oh, I didn't know you were a Who fan!" When the tour started that September, they were giving away the Schlitz Rocks America posters on campus, so I was able to add to my "collection." Who knew? Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - A Legal Matter/Instant Party - 1966 Holland 45

The Who Showcase: Week of May 21, 2006 Besides the nice picture sleeve, this Holland version of The Who's 1966 A Legal Matter/Instant Party single was released with 2 different "b" side variations. The first version was "Instant Party Mixture" and the 2nd version is just "Instant Party". Both read, "Instant Party" on the picture sleeve and the only way to tell them apart is to look at the record label title. They both play the Shel Talmy recorded song, "Circles", which until the 2002 My Generation CD release, was formerly titled, "Instant Party". "Instant Party Mixture" is actually a completely different song. How the titles got confused in 1965/66 is a good question that will probably never be factually answered. The only other 60's original release to use "Mixture" was also from Holland, on the 1965 LP, Instant Party. Why only in Holland? "Who" knows?  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - You Better You Bet - 1981 Hungary 45

The Who Showcase: Week of May 14, 2006 One of my favorite post-Keith picture sleeves is pictured to the left, You Better You Bet from Hungary. Made up of four of the pictures from the Face Dances album cover - it's a lot more colorful versus the common sleeve, which seems to represent all the other countries. I first saw this sleeve at a record store in New York City in the early 80's, but it was purchased by my friend, Bryan (who used to go "Who record shopping" with me almost every week) - until those record stores started "drying up" a few years later... I finally found another copy of the single (over 10 years later) at the 1995 Who Convention. Today they are pretty easy to find via internet resources such as e-bay. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Can't Explain - 1965 USA 45

The Who Showcase: Week of May 7, 2006 Pictured to your left is an interesting rarity - The first single by The Who in the USA - Can't Explain. Apparently the record company made a title error and a small amount of these singles were released before the title was properly corrected. I bought this record in 1982 from another collector in Florida. He had many original Who records which he purchased new, and helped me "fill the gaps" with some of them. Throughout the years, I've only seen a handful of these singles and have never seen a promo version (does it exist?) Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Batman - 1966 Sweden Sheet Music

The Who Showcase: Week of April 30, 2006 After records & CDs, my next favorite Who collectable category is Sheet Music. The pictures are sometimes a bit different and like the Swedish "Batman Theme" pictured to the left, sometimes a bit unusual as well. Every time I think I've completed my domestic sheet music collection, something else <previously unknown to me> seems to come along. I recently picked up an "Eminence Front" and "Let Me Down Easy". I can only assume there might be others. There doesn't seem to be any good sources to find  these sheets, so they kind of pop up randomly every now and then.  Maybe one day I'll capture them all... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Original 1995 Web site

The Who Showcase: Week of April 23, 2006 - How This Site Began...
 

Sometime in 1995, I had the "brilliant" idea to launch my own website. It was a good idea, but unfortunately at the time, it just couldn't be done "right" - or at least the way I hoped it would come out. Slow modems, limited hard disc space, poor scanners, etc. What I wanted was a site similar to what you see today, but unfortunately the results weren't even close. Pictures that I scanned had wavy lines, poor resolution, etc. I always believed that no matter what you did, it had to be done, "right". (And, if you couldn't do something "right", it wasn't worth doing.) So, what I ended up with was a lot of text and not much in graphic content. Surprisingly, I still received a lot of hits and feedback from fans all over the world. The information that I was providing was still "helpful", but not even close to what I wanted to do.

 

Fast forward to 2001. After 9/11, I quickly realized that life was "too short". From the top of the closest mountain, I could see the smoke from where the Twin Towers used to be. It was a tragic event and it motivated me to "complete my work" (as well as several other things). While there certainly are many more important things in life than a Who website (although some fans may argue differently), it was one thing that I wanted to do, and wanted to do "right".

 

From 9/11 on, I began work on this site. I first bought all the right equipment (multimedia computer, digital camera, tabloid sized scanner, etc.) and began cataloging images from my collection. This took approximately 3 months of work - about 5 hours every week night and almost all day on the weekends. After that, came the layout and text. The latter I found the most difficult. After having written about all these records & CDs over the internet for years - repeating the same words <again> was difficult. Generally speaking, I like to write "stream of consciousness" and now I had to place my thoughts in a "standardized format" to keep a consistent approach. It wasn't easy for me, and to this date, I'm not quite satisfied with the results. However, it will do for now...

 

On March 31, 2002, I completed everything I needed to do for the site, and it was re-launched. It was set up in such a way where all I had to do was "add new stuff" and put the link to it, under... "new stuff"! I've added quite a bit since then! At some point (if I ever find the time), I will create a cool data base, with all kinds of neat bells and whistles, including sound snippets of each and every song. This probably won't happen any time in the near future, but it's something I'd like to do...

 

Ever since I purchased "The Who: An Illustrated Discography" (and grew a substantial collection), I wanted to do something along the same lines as what you see here today. Before the Internet - an enhanced version of Ed's book. However, the problem with a book (of this kind), is that the moment its published - it's obsolete. I have a copy of "Happy Jack" on its way from South Africa - and I have no idea what it even looks like. It may not be included in the site today, but it will be listed on here soon enough, and we can all see what it is...

In essence, I'm happy to maintain and add to the site, because it benefits "The Who Community". At some point in the future, someone <perhaps> will buy my collection, but I would still like to maintain the site and keep it active - why not? I've pretty much got the maintenance of the site down to a science (after 3,000 pictures, what's a few more), so it doesn't take much of my time these days. I'm still open to suggestions about ways to improve the usability of the site, etc. Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Pete Townshend: The Promo Video - 1989 USA VHS Tape

The Who Showcase: Week of April 16, 2006 In 1989, after a 7 year absence and "Farewell Tour" The Who returned to the stage once again. Most of these shows were played to sold out stadiums (~50,000 seats) and the band played some of their longest, most diverse set lists (including solo material) whereas some shows ran over 4 hours. For most people, it was an incredible experience. The "Return Of The Who" featured the band playing cover songs like, "Hey Joe", "Born On The Bayou", "Love Hurts", Bare Footin'", "I'm A Man", etc. as well as rarities like "Maryann With The Shaky Hand", "Pictures Of Lily", "I'm A Boy" and many, many more. It was great! One of the cool elements to come out of the 1989 tour, was the "A Friend Is A Friend" video that played during the intermissions. For whatever reason, the video seemed to be only available via this promo only VHS tape (pictured left), but here's a sample to enjoy to bring back memories of 1989... A Friend Is A Friend (video sample) Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Dogs - 1968 South Africa 45

The Who Showcase: Week of April 9, 2006 One of the more interesting Who songs is the 1968 single, Dogs... Pictured to the left is the rare South Africa pressing.   Back in 1995 at a very large record show in Paris, I saw a nice version of the single from Belgium. It had a cover very similar to the common Germany pressing, but used a different photo from the same session. Unfortunately, I have never seen that record again...   If anyone reading this has a copy of the record and either a) would like to sell it to me, b) send me a scan, I would really appreciate it... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who Convention - April 1, 2006

The Who Showcase: Week of April 2, 2006 On March 30, I flew to London (UK) to participate in the 2006 Who Convention. I had a great time. The Convention was held at Bush Hall in Shepard's Bush, the same place where The Who have rehearsed in the past. The organizers did a great job, there were Who guests, i.e. Simon Townshend, Andy Macpherson, Doug Sandom, and many others - including a surprise appearance by Roger Daltrey - who joined Simon on stage to perform "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Substitute"... There was Who memorabilia everywhere, an auction/raffle to raise money for the TCT and performances by Who's Who, The Casbah Club (with Simon Townshend) and Wholigans. For more details and pictures of the event, click here... Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Quadrophenia (Soundtrack) - 1979 Argentina LP

The Who Showcase: Week of March 26, 2006 Cover art variations is what makes collecting that much more interesting... Most of the Quadrophenia Soundtrack artwork is pretty much the same - except for this one, from Argentina. Quadrophenia is one of my favorite Who albums. I saw them play it 10 times between 1996 & 1997 and I'm a huge fan of Andy Macpherson's 1996 remix (particularly the Japanese pressing). However, I never really cared much for the movie or the Soundtrack album. From my point of view, Quadrophenia is the kind of "art" that needs to be listened to from beginning to end - when you take something away from it, or play parts of it out of context - it just doesn't work as well (for me). "Each to their own sewage..." Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - My Generation - 1965 Italy 45

The Who Showcase: Week of March 19, 2006 One of the nicer Who picture sleeves, is the My Generation from Italy. They must have thought so too, as it was actually released there twice, with 2 different sleeves, using the same photo. I was fortunate enough to find both of them at a large record show in Milan in 2002. It was a pretty decent show, and I was able to find some other, unique Italian Who records, whereas I hadn't seen them elsewhere - or was just having a hard time finding them. One of the more fascinating facets of Milan, was that they served pizza in every restaurant.  I was so impressed by this, I even tried the pizza in the Chinese restaurant - it was pretty good! Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The High Numbers - I'm The Face/Zoot Suit - 1964 South Africa Acetate

The Who Showcase: Week of March 12, 2006 - I'm The Face - South Africa - 1964 Fontana 7" Acetate

Every now and then a "one of a kind" item like this shows up - adding a piece to the early Who history puzzle... This record is the first documented proof of a <1964> High Numbers recording outside of the UK. I have theorized that Fontana had made plans to release the single elsewhere, but after the UK single didn't chart well, these plans were <naturally> cancelled. Of course you have to wonder - are there any more of these singles out there (acetates, test pressings, etc.)? There has been a long standing debate whether I'm The Face was ever actually released as an A side in the UK (no copies have ever been documented proving their existence). I wouldn't draw any conclusions based on the above as various countries have sometimes reversed their A & B sides (based on their perception of their own home market). I have played both sides and compared them to the original UK single. (Initially I thought the mix may have been different on the A side - but it wasn't.) Most of us fans are pretty intimate with the stereo mix of the song from Odds & Sods. However, the mono mix from the original UK single is a little different. For example: At about 1:15 on the single, you can clearly hear Roger Daltrey singing a stand-alone, "yeah" - which you would only notice on the stereo mix, if you strain your ears to find it. The High Numbers Collection  South Africa Who Singles  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: Keith Moon & John Entwistle - Two Sides Of The Moon - 2006 Japan Box Set

The Who Showcase: Week of March 5, 2006 The latest and greatest Who product from Japan, is this neat, promo-only Two Sides Of The Moon Box set. The individualCDs are commercially available as well, but the box set also comes with 3 extra Obis, which replicate the ones from the original LPs. Unfortunately, the sound quality on these CDs is slightly degraded (overall) from their USA or UK counterparts - nice packaging, with all the "stuff" that came with the original LPs...   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Who Are You - 1978 USA Cassette

The Who Showcase: Week of February 26, 2006 How does one start a collection like this? Way back towards the end of 1978, The Who were being played constantly on the radio and various juke boxes - mostly Who Are You and Had Enough. I initially didn't like Who Are You, but after hearing it so many times on the radio, it grew on me. While shopping for new music, I picked up the Who Are You cassette and really liked it! I ended up playing it more than the rest of my tapes - which, led me to the brilliant conclusion - I need more! A friend of mine began giving me Who tapes - Who's Next, The Who By Numbers, Quadrophenia, etc. One was better than the next. By 1982, I had 17 Who albums and thought I had everything. Shortly thereafter, I picked up a copy of Ed Hanel's Discography (below) and realized there was so much more - and I began to "fill the gaps", buy the solo albums, etc. All of it was great. Once you accumulate 100 records/CDs, at what point do you say "stop", or even should you? Good question - I've always found a lot of diversity - both with the music and the artwork. It's a fun hobby... Being much younger and naive at the time, I assumed all Who fans (many of which I thought were much more "hard core" than myself) had all the band's albums. To this day, I'm still pretty shocked that many don't - especially when it comes to the solo music. For a few dollars a CD, you're investing in something you may listen to and enjoy for the rest of your life - it seems like a cheap investment.  Not sure where to begin? Start with Smash Your Head Against The Wall and Empty Glass - you can't go wrong!  It all begins with the music.   Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - It's Hard - 1982 Argentina LP

The Who Showcase: Week of February 12, 2006 One of the most controversial (and underrated) Who albums, is the band's last studio album, It's Hard (1982). While it has its share of loyalists (myself included), it also has a heavy list of detractors (mostly British Who fans - for whatever reason). I have to admit that when it first was released, I didn't quite "get it" either (in fairness this has happened with several "new" albums). However, after about 10 listens, I really started to enjoy the music - and the album "sunk in". Having participated in Who newsgroups for many years, it was interesting to observe the reaction of so many fans (who previously disliked the album) when the 1997 remixed CD was released. Many of these fans were surprised by how much they liked the album - 15 years later! (Pictured is the Argentina LP pressing) Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - The Last Time - 1967 Spain 45 (EP)

The Who Showcase: Week of February 5, 2006 For most of the years I have been a collector, I had always heard that the Barcelona (Spain) record show was the best in the world. Apparently at one time this may have been true, but it was no longer so in 2001, when I finally made it there. The show was very good, but not really close to the "monster" show in Utrecht, Holland (which was much, much larger). While walking up and down the isles, I came across this Spanish EP, which I never saw previously. Not only is the cover bizarre, but the combination of tracks is interesting too. Spanish singles and EPs are among the more interesting of the various country's Who releases. Click here to check them all out... Previous Showcase

 Previous Showcase: The Who - Tommy (Soundtrack) - 1975 Austrian Club Edition LP

The Who Showcase: Week of January 29, 2006 After 9/11 - I realized life was too short and decided to spend my nights and weekends (over the six months that followed) rebuilding my website in order "share my collection" with the rest of the Who fans of the world. At the same time, there were all of these great record shows still taking place in Europe. Between 2001 and now, I traveled to Barcelona, Utrecht, Milan, Vienna (and several cities in-between), to add to my collection. Towards the end of 2002, I was debating whether to go to the Vienna record show and figured, "why not?". While in this beautiful (but freezing cold) city, I was able to track down the very rare, Austrian The Who By Numbers and discovered this unusual record to the left. This is an Austrian "Club Edition" of the Tommy Soundtrack. It was the first one I have ever seen and I have only seen one other copy. As I said here before, collecting is endless...  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: It Was You/Join My Gang/Lazy Fat People

The Who Showcase: Week of January 22, 2006 During the early days of The Who, Pete Townshend released several of his songs outside of the band, for one reason or another. The first of which, was his first published song, It Was You. Recorded also by The Detours (and unreleased to-date), it was first released by The Naturals in 1964, then by Chaos & Co in 1966. The 2nd of these releases, was Join My Gang, which was recorded by Oscar in 1966 (Oscar as some of you might know, is actually Paul Nicholas, of "Cousin Kevin" fame from the Tommy movie). Lastly, was Lazy Fat People, recorded by The Barron Knights in 1966. Several other 1960's songs were released in this manner, but eventually released by The Who. In 2001, Pete released the Lazy Fat People demo on his website. Click on the the 4 pix for an MP3 sample of each.  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Complete Japan Who Singles Collection

The Who Showcase: Week of January 15, 2006 - Complete Japan Who Singles Collection

Previous Showcase

 

Previous Showcase: The Who - Substitute - Alternate Lyric Versions

The Who Showcase: Week of January 8, 2006 One of the early Who rarities are on some of the pressings of their 4th single, Substitute (1966). Being sensitive to what might offend "racist elements" in certain countries, the common lyrics of "I look all white but my dad was black" was rerecorded as, "I try walking forward but my feet walk back" and released in the USA, Canada and South Africa. You can also hear Roger singing a verse of this rare lyric on the Isle Of Wight CD. This rare version was finally rereleased in 2002 as a bonus track on disc 3 of the USA and UK, The Ultimate Collection CD. MP3 Sample  Previous Showcase

Previous Showcase: The Who - Tommy (Soundtrack) - 1976 Taiwan LP

The Who Showcase: Week of January 1, 2006   The odd (but colorful), LP pictured to the left is a Taiwan, single LP version of the Tommy Soundtrack. Reviewing the Who catalog in Taiwan, Thailand and Korea, it seems that just about anyone could "create" their own record company and release records on a multitude of different label names with various artwork variations. While I'm sure the band never saw any royalty money from these unique releases (almost all of which are <now> over 20 years old), they do add yet another interesting dimension to collecting The Who. Every now and then, a record like this one shows up and ultimately finds this website as its new home for all Who fans to enjoy. Previous Showcase

 

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