Who, in arrivo la Super Deluxe Edition di “Who Are You”

Il box set con 71 brani inediti e mix curati da Steven Wilson esce il 31 ottobre

Il 31 ottobre gli Who pubblicheranno una nuova edizione di Who Are You, il loro ottavo album in studio, in cinque diversi formati. Tra questi spicca la Super Deluxe Edition in tiratura limitata, composta da 7 CD e 1 Blu-ray, che include 71 brani inediti. Il cofanetto contiene versioni alternative della title track, registrazioni dal vivo del primo tour senza Keith Moon, prove in studio del 1978-1979 e i nuovi mix in formato Atmos e stereo firmati da Steven Wilson.

Saranno disponibili anche una versione deluxe in 4 LP, un’edizione in 2 CD e due versioni in vinile limitato, una colorata e una masterizzata in half speed.

Originariamente pubblicato nell’agosto del 1978, Who Are You fu un successo commerciale: raggiunse il secondo posto nella Billboard 200 negli Stati Uniti e ottenne il doppio disco di platino. In Inghilterra arrivò fino alla sesta posizione. È anche l’ultimo album della band con Keith Moon, morto una settimana dopo l’uscita del disco.

L’album rifletteva l’impatto del punk britannico sulla band, evidente in brani come la title track, scritta dopo una serata con Steve Jones e Paul Cook dei Sex Pistols, Music Must Change e Sister Disco. Pete Townshend arricchì le tracce con sintetizzatori e arrangiamenti orchestrali, spingendo il suono della band verso nuove direzioni.

La canzone Who Are You venne pubblicata come singolo nel luglio del 1978, diventando subito una hit. Ancora oggi resta tra i brani più ascoltati della band, anche grazie al suo utilizzo come sigla della serie TV CSI.

Le sessioni iniziali dell’album si svolsero ai Ramport Studios, con la produzione di Glyn Johns e Jon Astley. La nuova edizione presenta, per la prima volta, il mix originale di Glyn Johns, che fu rifiutato all’epoca, accanto a una versione rimasterizzata del mix pubblicato e a registrazioni dalle sessioni di prova agli Shepperton Studios. Sono inclusi anche demo, versioni alternative e materiale precedentemente inedito, come un assolo di chitarra “perduto” nella traccia Sister Disco, ritrovato nei nastri multitraccia da Steven Wilson.

Nel 1978 l’album fu accolto come un ritorno alle radici per gli Who. L’uscita venne seguita dall’attesa di un nuovo tour che, dopo la morte di Moon, ripartì nel 1979 con Kenney Jones alla batteria e John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick alle tastiere. Uno degli elementi centrali del cofanetto è proprio una serie di registrazioni dal vivo remixate dal tour americano del 1979, che documentano l’energia della nuova formazione e le esibizioni dell’intero album.

Negli anni successivi la band ha continuato a esplorare nuovi progetti, tra cui il film The Kids Are Alright, Quadrophenia e l’album Face Dances del 1981.

THE WHO – WHO ARE YOU

SUPER DELUXE EDITION

DISC ONE: Who Are You (Remastered)

New Song

Had Enough

905

Sister Disco

Music Must Change

Trick Of the Light

Guitar And Pen

Love Is Coming Down

Who Are You

DISC TWO: Glyn John Mix

New Song (Glyn Johns mix) Previously Unreleased

Had Enough  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

905  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Sister Disco  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Trick of The Light  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Guitar and Pen  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Who Are You  (Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Trick of The Light (Single Version Edit – Glyn Johns mix Previously Unreleased

Guitar and Pen ( Glyn Johns Alt mix Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Glyn Johns Single edit) Previously Unreleased

New Song (Pete Vocal – Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

Sister Disco (Lost Guitar Mix- Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

Had Enough (No Orchestra- Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

Guitar and Pen (Pete Guide Vocal- Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

Love Is Coming Down (No Orchestra- Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Early Run Through -Pete Vox- Steven Wilson mix) Previously Unreleased

DISC THREE:  Sessions & Demos

Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix)

Guitar and Pen (Olympic 78 Mix)

Love Is Coming Down (Early Run Through)

Empty Glass (Session Out Take)

No Road Romance (Session Out Take)

Trick of the Light (Unused Olympic Edit) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Clean Radio Edit)

905 (John Entwistle Demo) Previously Unreleased

Had Enough – John Entwistle Demo Previously Unreleased

Back On the Road (John Entwistle Demo)

Wild Horses (John Entwistle Demo)

Trick of the Light (John Entwistle Demo) Previously Unreleased

Good Time Coming (John Entwistle Demo) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (John and Cyrano’s mix from The Kids Are Alright)

DISC FOUR: Shepperton 1977

Who Are You (Early version recorded live in Toronto, 1976) Previously Unreleased

The Kids Are Alright (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Run, Run, Run (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Spoonful / Smokestack Lightning (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

I Saw Her Standing There (Shepperton Studios Previously Unreleased

Instrumental Jam (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Knocking It into Shape 1 – Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Knocking It into Shape 2 – Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Baba O’Riley (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Shakin’ All Over (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Bell Boy – Shepperton Studios Previously Unreleased

Won’t Get Fooled Again (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Barbara Ann (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

I Saw Her Standing There 2 (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

Drowned (Shepperton Studios) Previously Unreleased

DISC FIVE: Shepperton 1978/79

Baba O’Riley (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

My Wife (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

My Generation (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

Join Together (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

Won’t Get Fooled Again (Shepperton for The Kids Are Alright 1978) Previously Unreleased

Sister Disco (Shepperton Tour Rehearsal 1979) Previously Unreleased

Music Must Change (Shepperton Tour Rehearsal 1979) Previously Unreleased

Won’t Get Fooled Again (Shepperton Tour Rehearsal 1979) Previously Unreleased

Who Are You (Shepperton Tour Rehearsal 1979) Previously Unreleased

DISC SIX: Live USA 1979 – Part One

Substitute Previously Unreleased

I Can’t Explain Previously Unreleased

Baba O’Riley Previously Unreleased

The Punk and the Godfather Previously Unreleased

Boris the Spider Previously Unreleased

Sister Disco Previously Unreleased

Behind Blue Eyes Previously Unreleased

Music Must Change Previously Unreleased

Drowned Previously Unreleased

Who Are You Previously Unreleased

5.15 Previously Unreleased

Pinball Wizard Previously Unreleased

See Me, Feel Me Previously Unreleased

DISC SEVEN: Live USA 1979 – Part Two

Long Live Rock Previously Unreleased

My Generation Previously Unreleased

I Can See for Miles Previously Unreleased

Trick Of the Light Previously Unreleased

Sparks Previously Unreleased

Won’t Get Fooled Again Previously Unreleased)

Jam /Take A Fool Like You Previously Unreleased

How Can You Do It Alone Previously Unreleased

Magic Bus Previously Unreleased

Summertime Blues Previously Unreleased

Dancing in the Street / Dance It Away Previously Unreleased

The Real Me Previously Unreleased