Who Are You (Remastered) The Who

• 1New Song04:23
• 2Had Enough04:30
• 390503:59
• 4Sister Disco04:24
• 5Music Must Change04:38
• 6Trick Of The Light04:25
• 7Guitar And Pen05:47
• 8Love Is Coming Down04:04
• 9Who Are You06:26
• 10Guitar And Pen (Olympic '78 Mix)06:05
• 11Love Is Coming Down (Work-In-Progress Mix)04:01
• 12Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix)06:19
• Total Runtime59:01

Info for Who Are You (Remastered)

By the end of the '70s, the original version of the Who was reaching the end of its tether (Keith Moon was nearing the end of his life). „Who Are You“ can be seen as something of a swan song for the spirit that ignited the rock & roll juggernaut that was the Who in its prime. The increased prominence of synthesizers here (the electronic flavoring of the title track recalls 'Baba O'Riley') points towards the direction the post-Moon '80s version of the band would take. Instead of casting aspersions on socio-political ills, Townshend was casting glances askance at current musical trends ('Sister Disco') and his own occupation ('Guitar and Pen'). Entwistle's bass still rumbles melodically through the tunes in the grand style, and Daltrey's wounded-beast roar is at its most impassioned on such songs as 'Had Enough.' The end of an era was just around the corner, but the band blazed away regardless, making WHO ARE YOU the last must-have Who album.

'Music must change,' sings The Who in the song of the same name, and yet it is ironic that while the mainstream of rock is moving toward a harder sound, The Who, considered the quintessential hard rock band, has chosen to sweeten its mix with strings and synthesizers in this, the band's first LP in over three years. Nevertheless the LP is unmistakably The Who. As so often in the past, this LP reflects Peter Townshend's preoccupation with the state of current pop culture and his and the band's place in it. Side One is the softer side with the band rocking a bit more on the flip side. Despite the strings and synthesizers, the arrangements are always spare and to the point, with flashes of old power and moments of instrumental brilliance belying any thought the band may be past its peak. The title song is a pop masterpiece. Best cuts: 'Who Are You,' 'Guitar And Pen,' 'Sister Disco,' 'Love Is Coming Down.' (Billboard)

Roger Daltrey, vocals, percussion
John Entwistle, bass, backing vocals, synthesizer, brass, vocals
Pete Townshend, guitars, vocals, piano, synthesizer
Keith Moon, drums, percussion
Additional musicians:
Rod Argent, synthesizer, keyboards
Ted Astley, string arrangement
Andy Fairweather-Low, backing vocals
Billy Nicholls, backing vocals
Michael Nicholls, backing vocals

Recorded from October 1977 – April 1978 Ramport Studios, Battersea; Olympic Studios; RAK Studios, St John's Wood and Pete Townshend's own studio in Goring-on-Thames
Produced by The Who, Jon Astley, Glyn Johns

Digitally remastered

THE WHO
There are four names always on or near the top of the list of all time great Rock ‘n’ Roll bands: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who.

The Who was formed by sheet-metal worker Roger Daltrey in 1963. The the line up, after a couple of adjustments, established itself with Daltrey on lead vocals, Keith Moon on drums, John Entwistle on bass and Pete Townshend on lead guitar. Townshend, honouring his art student credentials, wrote (and still writes) music famous for having an ‘edge’, complemented by the wildly creative performance techniques of each member of the band.

It is generally acknowledged among rock aficionados that The Who in their heyday were the most exciting live band on the planet, with their Live at Leeds album (1970) hailed as the greatest live album of all time. The compositional skills of Townshend have always been way beyond the conventional, as is proven not only in classic songs like ‘My Generation’ and ‘Baba O’Riley’ but also in his two great rock operas (a form he more or less invented single-handed) Tommy and Quadrophenia.

Today, despite the deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle, The Who remain a potent force on the rock music scene. Their Concert for New York City appearance after the tragedy of 9/11 was a classic, as have been their annual performances at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. In 2006, Pete Townshend wrote The Who’s first studio album for the new millennium, Endless Wire and the band toured Europe and the U.S. during 2006 and 2007.

The Who are still highly active, with Townshend continuing to write and seek new musical challenges and Daltrey still the charismatic frontman he’s always been. The Who have recently launched their very first official website, www.thewho.com.

This album contains no booklet.