quadrophenia
The great truth about the elder statemen of rock is that as they enter their twilight years, the urge to reflect on their finest moments becomes overwhelming.
Sadly, David Bowie was only present in archive form in the recent Ziggy Stardust documentary.
But tonight on BBC4, The Who’s Pete Townshend is present and correct to give us the lowdown on ‘Quadrophenia.’
And as you can see in the clip on the programme webpage linked below, he’s as fascinating and engaging as ever.
The production team have also unearthed a great story about the ‘studio’ where the album was recorded, which I won’t spoil, but you can also read about on the attached link.
Unlike ‘Ziggy Stardust’ which didn’t find its way into our house via an album-affording friend, I do remember my brother bringing home ‘Quadrophenia’ on loan from one of his mates.
Released in 1973, it’s perhaps The Who’s last hurrah, and off the back of albums like ‘Tommy’ and ‘Who’s Next,’ it’s amazing to think about what Townshend and co achieved during that late 60s and early 70s period.
If you want an insight into the forces that helped inspire these projects, Andrew Motion’s book ‘The Lamberts’ (Faber) has a great account of the role in The Who of their co-manager Kit Lambert.
Another music documentary that I can’t wait to see and enjoy.
The Who – 5.15 – Top of the Pops 1973
Quadrophenia: Can You See The Real Me? – BBC iPlayer
