The Who = music.

A simple equation and one which I learnt from a very early age. Every album and single at my disposal and parents who didn't mind it being blared out of the old National Panasonic stereogram. 'Who's Next', released in 1971 to great acclaim, is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the greatest live rock 'n' roll bands career.

The album came about after Pete Townsend, guitarist and main songwriter, failed to complete his 'Lifehouse' project, a huge, interactive musical saga that he envisaged as eclipsing the hugely successful 'Tommy' and which led to a nervous breakdown. What it also led to is a dearth of high quality material with no home. Cue 'Who's Next', nine superbly performed and produced tracks

While not being my favourite Who album (that honour goes to 1973s 'Quadrophenia') it does give a flavour of every band member at their very best, managing to capture a studio version of the live energy that saw them crowned as the worlds greatest live rock and roll band.

Roger Daltrey (vocals) puts in his application for greatest rock vocalist with a typically raw performance on 'Won't Get Fooled Again' while showing a more delicate side on three tracks, the most notable being 'Behind Blue Eyes'.

Pete Townsend (guitar/songwriter) confirmed his position as one of the all time great songwriters, penning all but one of the tracks. His musicianship is impeccable and imaginative and his use of synthesisers inspired. At a cost of £14,000 in the early 70s his synthesisers were going to feature somewhere on the album and the opening two tracks ('Baba O'Reilly' and 'Bargain') feature the new kit in a way unheard of before and, to my knowledge, since. He also puts in a creditable vocal performance on 'Goin' Mobile', a easy-going, atypical Who track about life on the road.

John Entwhistle (bass), in my opinion, redefined bass playing. In the absence of a support guitarist for Townsend, Entwhistle developed a style that could almost stand alone as lead guitar while managing to sound like a jumbo jet taking off right beside your ear. I was lucky enough to see The Who live in '96 and listening to the man play is something else. His throbbing bass lines underpin the whole album and as was custom, an Entwhistle track makes the final cut, with 'My Wife', a song about running from 'er indoors after one too many lengthy boozing sessions.

Finally, the legendary Keith Moon on drums. While not being the technically most adept drummer in the world (he never kept a kit at home and never practiced) he must surely be the most energetic and with Entwhistle keeping the pace so tight he could be forgiven a bit of slack. On live performances of 'Won't Get Fooled Again', which usually closed the show, Moon plays out of his skin, hitting more drums per second than is surely humanly possible. But I suppose the insane level of drugs in his system helped. He also demonstrates a degree of musical finesse on the album, arranging the (unsurprisingly) manic strings finale to Baba O'Reilly.

It is 'Baba O'Reilly' (often referred to as 'Teenage Wasteland') that lifts the curtain on the album, and what an entrance! Inspired by Townsends spiritual mentor Meher Baba and the man who interested Pete in electronic music, Terry Riley, the song opens with a pre-recorded section Townsend obtained by programming certain personal vital statistics into his synthesiser. The synth presence is there in the background throughout the track mee, mee, mee, mee, keeping rhythm as the band play on, before the violing finale, arranged by Moon.

A classic album should have great opening and final tracks and 'Who's Next' does not break this formula. An epic 8 minute version of the politically motivated 'Won't Get Fooled Again', the fans favourite show closer is the 9th and final track. The track goes into a hypnotic synth section about 5 minutes in before Moons drum solo and a Daltrey scream set us up for a final flurry, every band member playing at their peak. If ever a closing track leaves you begging for more, this is it.

The second track, 'Bargain' is a rock track from the classic mould, a firm favourite of Who fans and the perfect vehicle for Daltreys vocal talents. The lyrics are again inspired by Meher Baba, "I'd gladly lose me to find you" being the opening line of a Baba teaching.
"I'd gladly lose me to find you
Gladly give up all I've got
To catch you I'm going to run and never stop.
I'd pay any price just to win you
Surrender my good life for bad
To find you I'm going to drown an unsung man
I'd call that a bargain
The best I've ever had."

Any Who fan recognises the songwriting talents of John Entwhistle. 'Boris the Spider' regularly makes it onto Who compilations, but it is 'My Wife' that in my opinion shows Entwhistle at his best. His vocals seem quiet, masked slightly by the heavy musicianship. Many see this as an act of jealousy by Townsend during the production stages. Personally I like it Entwhistle, while the heartbeat of the band, was always the quiet one, and the slightly overlaid vocals match his persona. After yet another long, long boozing session
"Gonna buy a fast car
Put on my lead boots
And take a long, long drive.
I may end up spending all my money
But I'll still be alive."
Entwhistle has a very dry humour and this track is brimming with it.

The album does contain tracks that I would in no way regard as classics. What there is a lack of, however, is album fillers. The non-classic tracks ('Love Ain't For Keeping', 'Song Is Over' and 'Getting In Tune') are still great tracks and ones you'll not want to skip over. A sad omission from the album is the lynchpin track of the 'Lifehouse' project, 'Pure and Easy', which appeared on a later album.

One of my favourite Who tracks is 'Behind Blue Eyes', which is the penultimate track on 'Who's Next'. Daltrey juxtaposes gentle, sorrowful lyrics supported by Townsends gentle guitar
"No-one knows what it's like to be hated,
To be fated,
To telling only lies.
But my dreams aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be.
I have hours only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free."

with his more typical raw vocals and the Who on full form
"When my fist clenches crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool.
When I smile, tell me some bad news,
Before I laugh and act like a fool.

And if I swallow anything evil
Put you fingers down my throat.
And if I shiver please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat."

On that note I'll wrap things up. If you don't own anything by The 'Oo, then buy, steal or borrow a copy of 'Who's Next' - it's the classic all-round album (no.28 on Rolling Stone magazines all time top 100 list) and won't sit gathering dust like my wife's Boyzone albums. If you do like the band but don't own this, what have you been waiting for?! Go now!