"Who's Next" 40th Anniversary

Remembrances by Armand Vaquer, Don Holmes and Carl Glass

It is said that music is "the soundtrack of our lives." This is an apt description of "Who's Next."

This summer marks the 40th Anniversary of the release of "Who's Next" by The Who. It is incredible that forty years have passed since the album's release. 1971 was a "vintage year" in rock music (you'll see why further down).

The Who was comprised of Pete Townshend (lead guitar, vocals), Roger Daltrey (vocals), John Entwistle (bass guitar) and Keith Moon (drums). Sadly, Entwistle and Moon have since passed away.

"Who's Next" takes me back to the summertime 40 years ago of just before I was about to enter my senior year at Hawthorne High School (the high school of the Beach Boys, I might add) in Hawthorne, California. I spent much of the summer going to the beach, movies or cruising around in Hollywood or Topanga Canyon with friends. The Viet Nam War was still going on and Richard Nixon was president of the United States and Ronald Reagan was governor of California. Gasoline was under forty cents per gallon and LP records and audio tapes (reel-to-reel, 4-track, 8-track and cassette) were our modes of listening to recorded music, besides radio. There were no CDs or iPods in those days. Records and tapes were generally around five dollars (double albums were a few dollars more).

During that summer, one of rock and roll's greatest albums was released on August 14, 1971 by Decca Records. It was The Who's "Who's Next" album. It was the group's fifth studio album.

During our jaunts into Hollywood, we always made a stop at Tower Records on the Sunset Strip to pick up the latest music releases by our favorite bands. This time, in late August, one of my purchases was "Who's Next."

Some of the tracks on the album were already being played on FM's progressive rock stations such as KMET, KLOS and KPPC (which later became KROQ) in Los Angeles. They were some of the greatest tracks I've ever heard.

"Baba O'Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again," "The Song Is Over," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Bargain," "Love Ain't For Keeping," "My Wife," "Getting In Tune" and "Going Mobile" were the tracks on the album. Each song, on their own, were masterpieces.

I've since worn out that first copy and bought one or two later (due to wearing out each previous copy). It's one of those albums that has to be in one's record collection for it to be complete. Essential is the word.

Fellow Adventures of Superman fan and music aficionado Don Holmes remembers it (and a few others) this way:

In March of 1971, I turned 21 & what a year it was for Music!!! 40 years ago now............. (WHEW!!)

Below, I have a list of just some of the many influential Albums from 1971; but right now, we’re talking about “WHO’S NEXT” by The Monkees...... uh..... The Who!!!

“Who’s Next” began a love of the Synthesizer for The Who; as evidenced by the opening number, “BABA O’RILEY” (aka": ‘Teenage Wasteland’) & the closing behemoth, “WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN”. Who (pun intended) on this Planet has not heard of these 2 songs alone???? The remaining Tracks are all good, typical “Who” songs; w/ perhaps “THE SONG IS OVER” warrantying a closer ear!! Pete Townshend’s lyrics; as well as his & Roger Daltreys’ Vocals on this song totally compliment each other........ probably the stand-out Track (after ‘Baba.....’ & ‘Won’t.....’).

I know Armand has asked for a critiquing of “WHO’S NEXT”; but there were SOOOOOOO many f*cking great LP’s (yes, VINYL ALBUMS!!!!!) released in 1971 that' it’s hard to JUST talk about this (wonderful) WHO album!! Being an “Old School” guy, Music just did not get much better than in 1971.......... 40 years ago now..........................!!!!

Just check-out this list of other VERY significant LP’s from 1971 & you’ll see why an entire Book could be written about that year:

“RAM” by Paul & Linda McCartney

“STICKY FINGERS” by the Rolling Stones

“AQUALUNG” by Jethro Tull

“PEARL” by Janis Joplin

“FIRST ALBUM” by ZZ Top

“SALISBURY” by Uriah Heep

“THE YES ALBUM” by Yes (duh!!)

“ONE WAY..... OR ANOTHER” by Cactus

“LOVE IT TO DEATH” by Alice Cooper

“THE CRY OF LOVE” by Jimi Hendrix

“ROCK ON” by Humble Pie

“TAPESTRY” by Carol King

“4 WAY STREET” by CSNY

“L.A. WOMAN” by The Doors

“WHAT’S GOING ON” by Marvin Gaye

“RORY GALLAGHER” (his 1st Solo LP)

“EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY” by Rod Stewart

“LIVE” by Johnny Winter And

“BROKEN BARRICADES” by Procol Harum

“LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST” by the Allman Brothers

“FIREBALL” by Deep Purple

“MAGGOT BRAIN” by Funkadelic

“SHAFT” by Isaac Hayes

“SURF’S UP” by the Beach Boys

“IMAGINE” by John Lennon

“ELECTRIC WARRIOR” by T. Rex

“200 MOTELS” by Frank Zappa

“ROUGH AND READY” by the Jeff Beck Group

“MEATY BEATY BIG AND BOUNCY” by The Who

“AMERICAN PIE” by Don McLean

“ROCKIN’ THE FILLMORE” by Humble Pie

“RAINBOW BRIDGE” by Jimi Hendrix

“TEASER AND THE FIRECAT” by Cat Stevens

“TUPELO HONEY” by Van Morrison

“MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER” by Elton John

“UNTITLED” (4th Album) by Led Zeppelin

“LIVE-EVIL” by Miles Davis

“FRAGILE” by Yes

“STRAIGHT UP” by Badfinger

“THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH” by George Harrison & Friends

Another Adventures of Superman fan and music aficionado (there seems to be a common thread here) Carl Glass adds:

Never in my wildest dreams could I ever believe that Rock & Rolls first rock opera, Tommy, by The Who in 1969, would ever be capitulated. I thought they had reached Mt. Everest, and the group would never be able to achieve that kind of genius and magnitude again. It lived up to the hype; actually prevailing it, and became a motion picture. However, the 1971 release of Who’s Next is the classic, standard and measure by which the group will always be remembered. It exceeded Mt. Everest and went into the stratosphere. The album is considered the groups magnum opus; rich, expressive, commanding, vibrant and illuminating The Who at their peak performance and power. Each member without a doubt gave their best effort in this musical triumph that continues to resonate in the ears and hearts of rock lovers from generation to generation. Roger Daltrey broke through vocally and with stalwart command and authority, soaring to new heights with Baba O’Riley, Bargain, Love Ain’t For Keeping, Getting in Tune, Behind Blue Eyes, and one of rocks great anthems, Won’t Get Fooled Again.

We instantly loved and appreciated this brilliant use of engineering sound that the synthesizer brought to our ears in a fresh, creative and invigorating way from Pete Townshend, along with his wind mill guitar licks that emanate excellence in musical precision, power and dynamism. Bassist, John Entwistle not only established new heights and distinction on his four strings, but also treated us with his horn and brass talents with, My Wife, a song about an enraged wife over her husbands rocker lifestyle. Words to describe drummer Keith Moon’s performance on this LP is riveting, thunderous, explosive, grandiloquent, and just damn beyond excellent. It’s an album that transcends the ages. Television viewers of NCIS get treated to The Who everyday! I rest my case.

Happy 40th Anniversary and thanks to Roger, Pete, John and Keith!