| Live at the Isle of Wight Festival | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 29 October 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 29 August 1970; East Afton Farm, Isle of Wight, England, UK | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 112:19 | |||
| Label | Columbia/Legacy | |||
| Producer | Jon Astley, Andy Macpherson | |||
| The Who chronology | ||||
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Live at the Isle of Wight Festival is a double live album by The Who, recorded at the Isle of Wight Festival on 29 August 1970, and released in 1996. A DVD of the concert was also released for the first time in 1996. [1]
The Who were one year and three months into their Tommy tour when they played their second engagement at the Isle of Wight Festival. As in 1969, they played most of their famous rock opera Tommy, which by this time was quite familiar to the festival crowd. Huge spotlights bathed the audience of between 600,000 and 700,000 attendees (according to the Guinness Book of Records ) [2] and as The Who's tour manager John Woolf recalls, attracted "every moth and flying nocturnal animal on the island". The Who started their set at 2:00 A.M. [3]
By August 1970, Pete Townshend was already introducing new songs to the setlist including "Water", "I Don't Even Know Myself" and "Naked Eye". These songs, which were being recorded at the time of the festival, were intended for an upcoming project known as Lifehouse . Although Lifehouse was eventually abandoned, the sessions paved the way to the Who's classic album Who's Next .
The Who also performed some live staples such as "Substitute", "My Generation", "Magic Bus", "I Can't Explain", and the perennial covers of "Shakin' All Over" and "Summertime Blues".
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Robert Christgau | C+ [5] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [6] |
| MusicHound | 4.5/5 [7] |
| Rolling Stone | (favourable) [8] |
All songs were written by Pete Townshend except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Heaven and Hell" | John Entwistle | B-side | 5:16 |
| 2. | "I Can't Explain" | single | 2:45 | |
| 3. | "Young Man Blues" | Mose Allison | cover | 6:06 |
| 4. | "I Don't Even Know Myself" | B-side | 6:11 | |
| 5. | "Water" | B-side | 10:53 | |
| 6. | "Overture" | Tommy | 5:08 | |
| 7. | "It's a Boy" | Tommy | 1:33 | |
| 8. | "1921" | Tommy | 2:27 | |
| 9. | "Amazing Journey" | Tommy | 3:19 | |
| 10. | "Sparks" | Tommy | 5:10 | |
| 11. | "Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)" | Sonny Boy Williamson II | Tommy | 1:58 |
| 12. | "Christmas" | Tommy | 3:25 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Acid Queen" | Tommy | 3:41 | |
| 2. | "Pinball Wizard" | Tommy | 2:50 | |
| 3. | "Do You Think It's Alright?" | Tommy | 0:22 | |
| 4. | "Fiddle About" | John Entwistle | Tommy | 1:15 |
| 5. | "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" | Tommy | 0:58 | |
| 6. | "There's a Doctor" | Tommy | 0:22 | |
| 7. | "Go to the Mirror!" | Tommy | 3:32 | |
| 8. | "Smash the Mirror" | Tommy | 1:16 | |
| 9. | "Miracle Cure" | Tommy | 0:13 | |
| 10. | "I'm Free" | Tommy | 2:24 | |
| 11. | "Tommy's Holiday Camp" | Keith Moon | Tommy | 1:01 |
| 12. | "We're Not Gonna Take It" | Tommy | 9:37 | |
| 13. | "Summertime Blues" | Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart | cover | 3:24 |
| 14. | "Shakin' All Over/Spoonful/Twist and Shout" | Johnny Kidd/Willie Dixon/Phil Medley, Bert Russell | cover | 6:27 |
| 15. | "Substitute" | single | 2:10 | |
| 16. | "My Generation" | My Generation | 7:15 | |
| 17. | "Naked Eye" | Odds and Sods | 6:33 | |
| 18. | "Magic Bus" | single | 4:35 |
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [9] | 84 |
| US Billboard 200 [10] | 194 |
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Their contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack, large public address systems, the use of synthesisers, Entwistle's and Moon's influential playing styles, Townshend's feedback and power chord guitar technique, and the development of the rock opera. They are cited as an influence by many hard rock, punk, power pop and mod bands. The Who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Who, a double album first released on 19 May 1969. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, and is a rock opera that tells the story of Tommy Walker. Tommy is traumatized from witnessing his father murder his mother's lover. Tommy's parents compound his trauma by denying the experience. In reaction, Tommy becomes dissociative. Tommy then experiences the trauma of being sexually abused. As a way of coping with his trauma, Tommy dissociates further through playing pinball. He gains a following because of his skill at playing pinball. After numerous misguided attempts to heal Tommy, a doctor prescribes him a mirror so he can confront himself and his experience. Instead, Tommy becomes self-absorbed and comes to think of himself as a messianic figure. When the mirror is eventually broken, Tommy comes out of his dissociative state. Tommy then tries to lead his followers to believe that the only path to healing is through him. His followers eventually reject him and his teachings.
Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album Tommy. The project was cancelled owing to its complexity and to conflicts with Kit Lambert, the band's manager, but the group salvaged some of the songs, without the connecting story elements, to release as their next album. Eight of the nine songs on Who's Next were from Lifehouse, the lone exception being the John Entwistle-penned "My Wife". Ultimately, the remaining Lifehouse tracks would all be released on other albums throughout the next decade.
Live at Leeds is the first live album by English rock band the Who. It was recorded at the University of Leeds Refectory on 14 February 1970, and is their only live album that was released while the group were still actively recording and performing with their best-known line-up of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon.
Magic Bus: The Who on Tour is a compilation album by English rock band the Who. It was released as the band's fourth album in the United States by Decca in September 1968 to capitalize on the success of their single of the same name. It is a compilation album of previously released material, and was not issued in the UK, although the album was also released at approximately the same time in Canada. It peaked at #39 on the Billboard 200.
It's Hard is the tenth studio album by English rock band the Who. Released in September 1982, it was the final to feature bassist John Entwistle, who died in 2002. It was also the second and final Who studio album with drummer Kenney Jones, as well as the last to be released on Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was released on Polydor Records in the UK, peaking at No. 11, and on Warner Bros. in the US where it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The US rights to both this album and Face Dances subsequently reverted to the band, who then licensed them to MCA Records for reissue. The album achieved gold status by the RIAA in the US in November 1982. It was their last album for over two decades until Endless Wire in 2006.
Who Are You is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released on 21 August 1978 by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and MCA Records in the United States. Although the album received mixed reviews from critics, it was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the US charts and number 6 on the UK charts.
Lifehouse is an unfinished science fiction rock opera by the Who intended as a follow-up to Tommy. It was abandoned as a rock opera in favour of creating the traditional rock album Who's Next, though its songs would appear on various albums and singles by the Who, as well as Pete Townshend's solo albums. In 1978, aspects of the Lifehouse project were revisited by the Who on Who Are You. In 2000, Townshend revived the Lifehouse concept with his set Lifehouse Chronicles and the sampler Lifehouse Elements. On 1 May 2007, he released an online software called The Lifehouse Method in which any "sitter" could create a musical "portrait". The site is now defunct.
Lifehouse Chronicles is a box set released in 2000 by Pete Townshend with the focus of the box being the formerly "abandoned" Lifehouse rock opera. The set contains song demos by Pete Townshend; including solo versions of "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", and "Who Are You", and the Lifehouse Radio Program. The box set release was followed by two Sadler's Wells Lifehouse concerts and the release of a live CD and video/DVD titled, respectively, Pete Townshend Live: Sadler's Wells 2000 and Pete Townshend – Music from Lifehouse.
"Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band the Who, and the opening track to their fifth album Who's Next (1971). It was issued in Europe as a single in October 1971, coupled with "My Wife".
Odds & Sods is an album of studio outtakes by British rock band the Who. It was released by Track Records in the UK and Track/MCA in the US in October 1974. Ten of the recordings on the original eleven-song album were previously unreleased. The album reached No. 10 on the UK charts and No. 15 in the US.
Who Came First is the debut album by Pete Townshend, released in 1972 on Track Records in the UK and Track/Decca in the US.
"My Wife" is a song by the British rock band the Who, written and sung by bass guitarist John Entwistle. It was originally released in 1971 on Who's Next and later as the B-side of the single "Baba O'Riley" on 6 November 1971 in Europe by Polydor Records.
"5:15" is a song written by Pete Townshend of British rock band The Who. Part of the band's second rock opera, Quadrophenia (1973), the song was also released as a single and reached No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart, while the 1979 re-release reached No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Slip Kid" is a song from the Who's seventh album, The Who by Numbers. Written originally for Pete Townshend's shelved Lifehouse rock opera, "Slip Kid" was revived in 1975. The song was originally written as a warning about the music business, though Townshend has pointed out the song's relevance in different contexts. The song was released as a single in the US, backed by "Dreaming from the Waist", but failed to chart.
Join Together is a box set of live material released from The Who's 1989 25th Anniversary Tour. Several of the tracks were recorded at Radio City Music Hall, New York, and at Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, with the rest from various other concerts during the tour.
"Join Together" is a song by British rock band the Who, first released as a non-album single in June 1972. The song has since been performed live multiple times and has appeared on numerous compilation albums.
"Naked Eye" is a song by The Who, written by Pete Townshend. The studio version was released on the group's 1974 compilation album Odds and Sods. Live versions appear on Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, View from a Backstage Pass, Greatest Hits Live, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, and both reissues of Who's Next.
The Tommy Tour was a concert tour by the English rock band the Who. It was in support of their fourth album, the rock opera Tommy (1969), and consisted of concerts split between North America and Europe. Following a press reception gig, the tour officially began on 9 May 1969 and ended on 20 December 1970. The set list featured the majority of the songs from Tommy, as well as originals and covers.
The Who's Tommy Orchestral is a live album by English rock singer Roger Daltrey, performing The Who's 1969 album Tommy alongside members of The Who touring band and a symphony orchestra conducted by Keith Levenson. It was recorded in July 2018 in Bethel, New York, at the site of the original Woodstock festival, during a US tour of the concert. Later, in February 2019, Levenson directed and recorded the Budapest Scoring Orchestra in Budapest with new arrangements from David Campbell, to add a new orchestral backing to the album.
