The Who has today released their first new album in 13 years, the defiant and fiery WHO.
The album features the three tracks already released ‘BALL & CHAIN’, ‘ALL THIS MUSIC MUST FADE’ and ‘I DON’T WANNA GET WISE’ along with 8 more brand new songs.
The bonus tracks for the deluxe versions of the album include two previously thought ‘lost’ tracks from 1966 ‘GOT NOTHING TO PROVE’ and ’SAND’. The deluxe CD of WHO also features ’THIS GUN WILL MISFIRE’ and ‘DANNY & HIS PONIES’ two tracks recorded and sung by Townshend during the sessions for the album.
The eleven-track album was mostly recorded in London and Los Angeles during Spring and Summer 2019 and was co-produced by Pete Townshend & D. Sardy (who has worked with Noel Gallagher, Oasis, LCD Soundsystem, Gorillaz) with vocal production by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Roger Daltrey, Wilko Johnson).
Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend are joined on the album by long-time Who drummer Zak Starkey, bassist Pino Palladino along with contributions from Simon Townshend, Benmont Tench, drummers Carla Azar and Joey Waronker, bass player Gus Seyffert and Gordon Giltrap.
The album cover has been created by famed pop artist, Sir Peter Blake who first met the band in 1964 at a taping of the legendary TV show Ready Steady Go. Sir Peter designed and contributed a painting to the sleeve of The Who’s album Face Dances in 1981.
The songs on WHO cover a myriad of subjects including the Grenfell Tower fire, musical theft, spirituality, reincarnation, the power of memory and ‘an old rock star that has lost his marbles’. Singer Roger Daltrey rates it amongst their strongest “I think we’ve made our best album since Quadrophenia in 1973, Pete hasn’t lost it, he’s still a fabulous songwriter, and he’s still got that cutting edge”.
After their triumphant return to Wembley Stadium in the Summer, the band will be embarking on a UK tour featuring a full orchestra in Spring 2020.