I think this is a POLL of shit while John Sinclair rots in prison: THE WHO RESULTS THREAD (ilm artist poll #25)

Wow, I had no idea people hated "Magic Bus".

Loved "Magic Bus" when I was 15, was sick of it within a few years.

I imagine being at a Who show in the 70s and hearing them start up a 15-minute version of "Magic Bus" = beer/bathroom/joint time

YOU CAAAN'T HAVE IT!

"Magic Bus" is one of those songs that has annoyed me since i was a kid, has only been redeemed for me by the explosive Live At Leeds version. ended up not even doing a least favorite list on my ballot, though, felt like all the big hits i don't like have their merits and i don't have much passionate dislike for the album cuts i don't enjoy.

(lol xpost)

Not a huge fan of the studio version myself, but every live version I've heard (even from the 2000 tour) is completely and brilliantly insane.

hating magic bus makes me ;_;

xp I didn't do a least favorite either. They're my favorite band, and I've liked most of those songs at some time in the past. I'll have to look up the forgotten "Why Did I Fall for That?". It can be my new underated Who song I have loved.

"Magic Bus" has some cow bleat sound or vocal mixed in the chaos of the studio version that I always thought was my dad yelling at me to turn it down from the other side of the house.

Said bleating is the voice of one Jess Roden from The Alan Bown Set.

7. "The Real Me" (72 points)

Wow

I love "Magic Bus," but I'm pretty partial to the Who's goony/goofball side. Much more than their strident '70s rawk stuff, which made up all of my least-favorites.

"The Real Me?" John Entwhistle is glaring at some of you from the grave.

6. "Long Live Rock" (76 points, one #1 vote)

Ah, like that. I was the #1 vote there.

I know predictions are frowned upon in results threads, but indulge me in just one: Squuze Box is voted most hated song, getting 30% more votes than the #2.

See, I can't hate "Squeeze Box," it's too silly. It would be like hating "My Ding-a-Ling."

When I was a boy, I heard "Long Live Rock" almost daily on the radio, and I thought it was a tribute to their dead drummer, possibly named "Rocky". Rocky's Dead.

hahahaha

5. "Fiddle About" (91 points)

4. "Silas Stingy" (102 points)

Some people consider "The Real Me" one of the worst Who songs!?

I never submit worst-ofs (I'd end up listing too many songs I once liked), but I'll second "Love Live Rock." Also agree that "Squeeze Box" is a cinch...and truthfully, I've never minded that one at all.

"Long Live Rock" was the only non-It's Hard/Face Dances track on my worst-of list.

I didn't vote, but this least favorite list has already made me sad a couple times.

3. "Love Reign O'er Me" (106 points, one #1 vote)

: O

Aw, I love "Silas Stingy"

This list would make an excellent Portuguese or Argentinian semi-official greatest hits LP from 1985.

2. "Who Are You" (110 points, two #1 votes)

OK, now I'm shocked

I'd second that one, too. It sounds so bombastic now. (Again, I liked it way back when.)

1. "Squeeze Box" (240 points, six #1 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9WivuyE_PU

wuh at 2 and 3. my least fave list was surprisingly hard (tbf i somehow forgot 'long live rock', which i do kinda hate), many songs i was 'eh' about but none i actually loathed (again, somehow forgot 'long live rock'), not the case w/ the kinks or the stones, two bands i like more than the who but had no trouble coming up w/ hated candidates.

I should note that all votes for "Squeeze Box" as least-fave were #1 votes. I dig the song myself, but the live versions (Moon-era) put the studio recording to shame.

and now on to the top ten albums!

Missed the worsts during yardwork/lunch/nap, but the only one that surprises me is "The Real Me." The only one I voted for was "Silas Stingy," a real turd imo.

10. TIE: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 (56 points)
The Kids Are Alright soundtrack (56 points)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mTFd61ORL._SL500_AA300_.jpghttp://www.rhythmhouse.in/ProdImages/images/D168903.jpg

The film of the The Who's set at the IoW festival is awesome.

(I may have to bail soon due to incoming stormage and a dog that will need comforting during said storm)

9. The Who By Numbers (61 points)
http://www.thewho.info/images/75WBN-Ad-Who.jpg

Underrated record; glad to see it made the top, er, 10.

It almost snuck in as my #5, but not quite.

One of the best ever sleeves, btw

8. A Quick One (228 points)
http://jojoplace.org/Shoebox/Valis/QuickOne/thewhoq1.jpg

Will pick this back up hopefully later this afternoon!

Some people consider "The Real Me" one of the worst Who songs!?

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, September 8, 2012 2:27 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

kinda surprised contrarians didn't manage to rally around one of the big Tommy or Who's Next singles for the worst list

Late to this, but the most perplexing thing about the ten worst was how did "Guitar and Pen" miss? (Other than me not being arsed to do any worst songs.)

"Long Live Rock" (which would've made a great Sleater-Kinney cover) and "Magic Bus" almost but didn't make my main ballot. It's funny how the latter and both "The Real Me" and "Love, Reign O'er Me" (which is a little too portentious out of context, and that Sandler/Cheadle movie didn't help) went from deep cuts to near-staples on classic rock radio in the Clear Channel era.

yeah it's definitely something i'm going to write about at length at some point, just hasn't gelled into a clear idea to write around yet

sent btw

Saw this on FB today:

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/564425_10151219933541743_1172810701_n.jpg

#1 Kids are Alright
My Gen
Substitute
I'm One
Magic Bus
Real Me
A Quick One(R&R Circus vers)
I Can See for Miles
Pix of Lilly
Girl's Eyes
Early Morning Cold Taxi
I Can't Reach You
Disguises
Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
Song is Over
SO Sad about Us
Pure n Easy
Sea and Sand
Bargain
#20 Athena

Albums (best--->less best):
Quadrophenia
Live @ Leeds Complete
Sell Out
Who put a better boot in 1976
Isle of Wight

Worst
Squeeze Box
Blue Eyes
Bellboy
Who Are You
Tattoo

Here's my ballot:

Won't Get Fooled Again
I Can't Explain
Baba O'Riley
Substitute
Quadrophenia
Go To The Mirror
Pictures Of Lily
The Seeker
Mike Post Theme
I Can't Reach You
The Punk and The Godfather
I'm One
Behind Blue Eyes
Love Ain't For Keeping
Overture/It's A Boy
Sally Simpson
Christmas
5:15
Pinball Wizard
I Can See For Miles
Top 5 albums
1. Who's Next
2. Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy
3. Quadrophenia
4. The Who Sell Out
5. Tommy

Worst Songs
1. Squeeze Box
2. The Real Me
3. Silas Stingy

So, nobody voted for "Man with the Money." I know it's a cover, but it's this brilliant thing that the Everly Brothers wrote and had out as a 1965 b-side and album track. There's something moving about how the Who feel like just the right band to do it and they absolutely nail it.

I haven't heard "Sally Simpson" in so long. A little awestruck at how SF Sorrow it is.

Great job Tarfumes, thanks so much for doing this. They were the first band I ever paid my own way to see, in 1989.

the kids are alright
the ox
5:15
i can see for miles
anyway anyhow anywhere
i'm a boy
eminence front
baba o riley
love reign o'er me
a quick one, while he's away
sparks
christmas
cousin kevin
dogs
the song is over
underture
won't get fooled again
substitute
getting in tune
circles (instant party)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4aevx16eU1qehaupo1_500.jpg

Here is a real nice set of Entwistle stuff.

http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/46221

...and my ballot:
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
Baba O'Riley
I Can't Reach You
Armenia City In The Sky
Bargain
Sunrise
My Generation
Naked Eye
The Real Me
I Can See For Miles
Who Are You
The Seeker
Sparks
The Punk And The Godfather
So Sad About Us
Blue Red And Grey
Sea And Sand
Trick Of The Light
The Kids Are Alright
Relay

Top 5 albums:
Live At Leeds
The Who Sell Out
Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy
Who's Next
My Generation

Least favorite songs:
Athena
Long Live Rock
Did You Steal My Money
Why Did I Fall For That
Don't Let Go The Coat

One Ox curiosity that's worth mentioning is the Tipton, Entwistle, & Powell album (Glenn Tipton, Entwistle, and Cozy Powell). The songs aren't all that great (wish Entwistle was writing/singing instead), but it's great to hear Entwistle playing something that isn't The Who. Monsterous sound he gets.

I always liked this review: http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/the-who-join-together-baby-dont-you-do-it

“Baby Don’t You Do It” was first born in 1964 as a pleading ballad by Marvin Gaye and quickly thereafter became one of The Who’s earliest covers. Giving it seven years of rough handling in the studio and on the road, it mutated into an apocalyptic beast of heavy Rock. Their live rendition doesn’t sound remotely Tamla nor Motown: it sounds like “Live At Leeds” and the songwriting credits should’ve read Holland-Iommi-Holland instead. It’s a raging soul plea shot with a Benzedrine dart to its heart. It’s a flippin’ template for their forthcoming “The Real Me.” It’s heavy, it fucking moves and it’s got it all: Townshend’s SG guitar power chords roar through dominant HIWATT loudspeakers; pretzel-shaped bomb-bass-tic Entwistlian 4-string runs are tautly performed with the greatest of ease; Daltrey’s throat-tearing vox and the outbreak of Mooning drum frenzy that continues unabated throughout. There are several sections where Townshend’s guitar cuts out and stays that way to leave Moon’s unaccompanied ferocious riding of cymbals and rapid double bass drumming to briefly hiccough then regain their lunatic balance on its rhythmic tightrope. After ending the song with several synchronised band crescendos, Daltrey places the microphone gingerly on the stage floor and instead of clinking it sounds like an explosive-filled projectile going off. Luckily, he didn’t sneeze into it or the walls of the venue would’ve probably collapsed or at very least: rendered them structurally unsound.

I just won a "Live at Leeds" LP with all the inserts on e-bay.

The dude selling just mailed me saying "we've sent all our old Who albums rather than dump them.."

So, I guess they'll probably be the "face dances" and so on stuff...

I never saw the Who, but I have this story: When I was 13, my dad took a friend and me to see U2 on the War tour, which was my first real rock 'n' roll show. I was of course completely blown away by it, being 13, and as we walked back across the parking lot to the car my friend and I were going on excitedly about it. Of course, eventually I had to ask my dad, "Did you like it?" He sort of shrugged and said, "Yeah, they were good. But you should've seen the Who in 1968..."

What a trump card.

I keep thinking of this anecdote told to me by someone who saw the Who at the Marquee in 1968. He said that the audience was packed right up against the stage, which was maybe a foot off the ground. As was normal for the space/times, guitars went through unmiked amps, only the vocals went through the PA, and the drums were unmiked. They were incredibly loud and powerful, as you'd expect. But as soon as they tore into the midsection of "Shakin' All Over," when Keith started his double-bass rolls, the entire audience took a sudden and fearful step back, exchanging glances like "the fuck is going on?!" The guy who told me this said it felt like Keith was stomping on his chest.

it sounds like “Live At Leeds” and the songwriting credits should’ve read Holland-Iommi-Holland instead.

^awesome. There's a version of that song on the Who's Next reissue that has Leslie West guesting on lead and just killing it.

I've been watching the Quad doc -- the studio secretary said she has a ruptured eardrum from when they did their first sound test at Ramport. They said it came out at like, *140 decibels*? O_O

I busted my first pair of speakers, in high school, cranking the Who; the speakers were shit but it was a great way for them to go.

That 140 decibels thing, yeah, kind of scary. Especially since their volume that set the Guinness record for "Loudest Pop Group" was 120 decibels.

Thanks to the poll results I have now heard "Melancholia" for the first time. Great song!

I busted my first pair of speakers, in high school, cranking the Who; the speakers were shit but it was a great way for them to go.

This happened to me too!

did anyone ever read that big biography of keith moon that came out like a decade ago?

i read the dave marsh book as a who-obsessed teen; remember it mainly seeming to consist of long mopey quotes from townshend and insufferable analysis of each song by marsh.

Moon bio is a wealth of info, and you'll feel like you're drunk when you finish it. Supposedly it's been updated since '99.

Marsh bio is beyond essential; his analyses of the state of rock at the time, among other things, elevate it far above most group bios.

I read that Moon bio; it's good but don't expect to like him afterwards. :(

Is it Dear Boy, or Moon: Life and Death of a Rock Legend?

I was looking at Dear Boy recently and thinking about picking it up

Moon: Life and Death of a Rock Legend

They're the same book. Different titles for UK and US.

Cool! I was wondering why they were both by the same author, lol. 'Wow he must really like Moony'

I once worked in a pub where the landlord was a Who fanatic. His solution for clearing reluctant customers at closing time was to crank up Won't Get Fooled Again to scary volumes. Trouble was, they liked it and wouldn't leave.

Crank some Squeeze Box, that'd clear the corners, lol

I once worked in a pub where the landlord was a Who fanatic. His solution for clearing reluctant customers at closing time was to crank up Won't Get Fooled Again to scary volumes. Trouble was, they liked it and wouldn't leave.

A local bar tried the same tactic years ago, only they normally played alt/punk/metal and after closing time they started playing Frank Sinatra, figuring that would clear the place quickly. But to their dismay, they found lots of their patrons liked Sinatra and stayed to listen. It nonetheless became a tradition there for a couple of years.

The Who - 20 Greatest Songs

Q - The Who SE

Q Special Edition May 2004

As Voted By Q Readers.

• Won't Get Fooled Again
• My Generation
• Substitute
• Pinball Wizard
• Behind Blue Eyes
• I Can't Explain
• Baba O' Riley
• 5:15
• Pure & Easy
• I Can See For Miles
• Bargain
• The Real Me
• The Kids Are All Right
• Who Are You
• A quick One While He's Away
• Tattoo
• I'm A Boy
• Pictures Of Lilly
• See Me, Feel Me
• Love Reign O'er Me
• The next 5....
• Naked Eye
• Boris The Spider
• Dreaming From The Waist
• My Wife
• Anyway, Anyhow Anywhere

2015 Farewell Tour!

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/24/the-who-quit-touring-after-2015-pete-townshend

New book by original drummer Doug Sandom, with a foreword by Pete (which is part of the preview on Amazon).

New film on managers Kit Lambert & Chris Stamp, so far getting raves at Sundance.

Just heard "I Can't Reach You" on a web radio station — so, so good. Checked to see where it landed in this poll and #12 is too low.

out on the road today i saw a bullseye sticker on a red scooter

There's a lengthy recorded message from Townshend at the beginning of this Dave Marsh panel. He says they're friends--so he's joking around like friends do, or else he actually kind of hates Marsh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXu0alWqjOA

Something VegemiteGrrl inquired about above: Townshend's 1971 review of Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy for Rolling Stone. I found it on the Rolling Stone site--they don't identify it as such, but it is--then when I went back, it was behind a paywall. So I went icongnito and put it on a Google Doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-_XAr43Q4GB7YKz3GitV868DOGzdTokiRWIgZvRu6TI/edit?usp=sharing

:D

I think Pete and Dave are genuinely friends, but Dave never let that get in the way of, say, calling out some of Pete's bullshit politics. In early 2002, Townshend posted the following on his website:

"Dave Marsh took me to task in Before I Get Old - his book about the Who - for doing a commercial in 1967 for the U.S. Aerospace Programme during the Vietnam War. Maybe I was naïve. But recent events make me wonder who was right or wrong. ... I am grateful for American military might."

I sent a link to that post to Dave, who wrote a column about it (and I can't for the life of me remember the site...it wasn't Addicted to Noise), pointing out the numerous problems with Pete's "reasoning." It ultimately led to Pete removing the message board and many blog posts from his site. So yeah, there's been some bumps in the road, but they're still friends.

The ad in question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1VR-QnIw3Y

Marsh wrote in his column:

As my colleague John Swenson said when he read my book, "If I'd heard that spot in 1967, I'd never have become a fan of the Who." The teenage boys who loved the Who took such things personally in 1967. Not only because we didn't want to get drafted, but because we didn't want to kill. It was way different for Townshend, who did not live in a country with military conscription and whose father had been part of the heroic Royal Air Force (albeit in the band) in World War II. Still, my wife was involved with anti-Vietnam demonstrations at the London School of Economics in '67, so the atrocities of Vietnam weren't unknown in Pete's neighborhood.

In Before I Get Old, Marsh wrote that Townshend was "mortified" that he'd ever done such a thing, and how it was fortunate that the ads weren't widely aired.

Interesting, thanks.