‘WHO ARE YOU’, The Who’s eighth studio album, is to be revisited and released as a super deluxe edition, as fans will get to experience never before heard content.
The release is set to include newly mixed live tracks from the 1979 tour, never before heard live versions of sensational eponymous track ‘WhoAre You’ and candid recordings of the band rehearsing in the 70s.
Released in 1978, ‘WHO ARE YOU’ is the final album from the band that features legendary drummer Keith Moon, who passed away in the weeks following the album’s release in August of that year. This led to the album tour being postponed to the following year.
It is a significant album for The Who. In the changing era of the 70s, it was important to change if relevancy was your goal. Punk was on the rise in the late 70s and early 80s and this record at least somewhat gave a nod to the changing face of music and specifically the punk genre.
Bands like The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Buzzcocks were all at the peak of their powers during this era, all revelling in an anti establishment mentality which the people really correlated with.
Tracks like ‘Music Must Change’ and ‘New Song’, explore the influence of punk and are heavily critical of the banality of music at the time due to the older bands not making way for the younger. This was despite them being aging rockstars in a changing world.
‘WHO ARE YOU’ peaked at #2 on the US Billboard and achieved double platinum status. It’s often praised for its ambition, and demonstration of songwriter Pete Townshend’s open-mindedness, but also is widely seen as lacking the power and gusto of their earlier albums.
The band are currently touring North America on what has been touted as their last. Vocalist Roger Daltrey has confirmed this, although hasn’t ruled out the band performing again on select occasions in an interview with ‘American Songwriter.‘ The man is 81 years old after all… they can’t go on forever !
The album will also be released as a deluxe 4-LP box set, a 2-CD deluxe edition, and limited-edition coloured and half-speed master vinyl editions.
It will be available for purchase from October 31.
