Quadrophenia: Director's Cut (My long winded review)

OK... here we go! For those of you who know me the following my surprise you!!!

Last week I got my hands on the new 5 disc Quadrophenia box set! A wonderfully packed set of new mixes of the album, unreleased demos, a 5.1 mix of select songs and "essay" written by Pete on the works. The Super-Fan in me squealed with each turn of a page.  Every time I ran my fingers across the text I began to feel the great joy of greater music.  I couldn't wait to dive head first into one of my all time favorite albums again.  I carefully read all the inserts of copies of hand written lyrics and type-writer pages of story outline, oh so gently looked over the French Pressing 45 of 5:15/Water, my head was swimming.  I spent the next few hours reading bits from the essay and pieces of the studio log but I kept waiting to listen to any of it and I don't know why???

My wife and I had the next day off together and we usually spend our mornings catching up with DVR's or current events. Sooner or later I'll go outside with the dog and end up spending most of the day out there.  The whole time I couldn't wait to listen... but I still didn't.  After a few hours of this and that I sat, plucked the first disc of demos, iTunes uploaded, one click on the Play button and BANG!!! Eighteen all over again!!! I felt like I was being let in on all the secrets.

SIDE NOTE: Pete not only writes great songs but his demos are almost greater.  When Glyn Johns isn't sure how to make a song better off a demo you must be doing something right!

Needless to say I was rockin'. I've never lost touch with my inner dork for The Who but he goes on break now and again.  This, though, was like learning to fly. Untouchable and awesome.  Then something happened. The more I listened I only liked to demos from the tunes that made the album. The other songs seemed, well, bad! Maybe not so much bad as wrong for the work. Thankfully they didn't make the cut.  To me, what makes Quadrophenia a great concept album is how easily you relate to the lead character, Jimmy. You don't need "filler" songs to move the story, if you know only a fraction of this story you can put it together yourself when you hear it. Mostly cause you've lived it, you've felt the same way many, many times! Anyway some of the songs written for the project just didn't work and that's OK. So I moved on to the remixed album, which I might add was remastered and re-released in '94 (the first recording I had heard of it.) So from my seat, like radio shows of old, I sat and listened and heard nothing new. Actully heard everything worse, even now at this exact moment I am listing to the new mixes on my headphones and only hear the slightest bit of clearness, but only on the vocals. One of Roger's biggest problems with the '73 original album mix was the lead vocal was mixed to low and lost, which the '94 mix took care of. Saddly I realize that until quadrophonic sound is as hip as 5.1 will this album never be properly heard, which will be about the same time that I get to heaven! Either way, the new mix doesn't do a damn thing for me. I'll gladly keep these disc in the set till I can't play my old ones anymore. So I moved on to the essay again. Pete was nice enough to do small write-ups on the demos, the why's and how comes of them all. And that's when I saw it. Son of a Bitch he added drums in the last year or so! That's not a real demo!!! Pete you went all Jar-Jar Binks on me dude!!! How could you? Your loyal fans, myself and millions like me listen to every junk track you spilled out on all your "Scoop" albums. We the defenders of "Face Dances" and "It's Hard" beyond the singles.  The ones who read the same chapters of two different biographies released within 3 years of eachother. Us the ones who sing the B sides back at you in concert. Ugh!!! I never want to lump you into "cash-grabber" catagory but you've gotta help me to help you. After more listens it seems as though that's all this is. The essay, inserts and just under half of the demos are the only things worth having. I'll admit I'm proud to own this box set and add it to my collection. But I doubt I really ever take it out to play. I'll read through the eassy a few more times before it goes on the self but I'll say this in closing:

Again, as this is one of my favorite and one of the most important albums I've ever heard, I'm not at all upset with my purchase.

BUT...

Almost $150 for a poor remix and a uncomplete 5.1 mix album? The information in the essay and on the demos are priceless and I'm glad your put your heart into those, but it should have just been a book with a double album of demos for about $30/$40.  It took you 30 years to get Lifehouse out and Lord it was worth the wait, there's just not enough here for me to understand more or conect more. Perhaps I never needed it beyond collection! I saw some online review gave you 3.5 stars for demos and the essay. I can only give you 2.5 though. This was the chance to make arguably your best work as a writter and The Who as a band as talked about as Tommy and Who's Next yet still with all this it's just 3rd.  Maybe this is why I've been losing sleep.  All I know is that all the souls in Hells must be enjoying this blast of cold weather! Who'd have ever thought I'd have something not so great to say about The Who, let alone Pete Townshend. Still I can't wait to own the next bit of something good, bad or ugly.  Rock is just about dead.... Long Live Rock!

Can you dig it Daddy-O/Mommy-O?

Though my father wasn't really a Who fan while I was growing up, it would be really stupid to say that he had nothing to do with it.  I spent this morning driving about town to doctor's office's and farmer's market's listening to Ian Hunter. Ian Hunter is the lead singer from the band Mott the Hoople. A fine 70's British group. And although my childhood was riddled with Zeppelin tunes and Yes and of coarse Neil Young, there was Mott! Now in the early '00's  Ian released a live album called "String's Attached" and needless to say Dad really dug it and made a copy for me. Needless to say I dug it. Some time in the summer of '05 I took two weeks off and went home for a bit. The weather was nice: sun was hot, shade was cool. But the music was always great. I remember sitting at a table on the porch my Dad, myself and my new guitar listening to Ian Hunter. I'll never forget that summer!

One other great moment in Father/Son music was my 21st birthday. My Dad have only been to two concerts together. One of which he didn't know I was at and that was Neil Young's Silver and Gold tour 2000. I knew he was going but I went with some friends at the last minute. Turns out we weren't too far away from each other. But on my 21st birthday July 29th 2002 The Who played the Hersey Park Stadium with Robert Plant opening for them. HELLO! My favorite band with the singer from my Dad's favorite band opening on my 21st birthday THE FIRST SHOW MY DAD AND I ARE SEEING TOGETHER!!! My dad taught and coached me when I played youth hockey. He taught me how to golf. Even nowadays we talk about food and cooking, but this was the greatest musical moment in my life. Beyond playing with Livingston Taylor, beyond performing the Blues Brothers for Paul Shaffer, beyond performing my own music to a crowd of 50 kids. All of those I'm proud of but at the end of the day listening to music is always what you return to. I took in all my favorite Who tunes, Dad realized Pete was a really good player, I heard the voice of one of the greatest bands of all time. I don't think I had a drink just got drunk on Rock and Roll. Thanks Dad.

Now with all that said, black has a white, up has a down, hell Rock has a Roll. My mother had just has much to do with my young ears as my dad did.  I love classic rock, heavy hitting power chords and such. Yet I still set and listen to Jim Croce and Bread. My Mom had a bit more of the "AM" sound in her catalogue which was just fine by me. I remember standing in the kitchen helping her with something and being hit with the heaviness of: "If there's someone you know you're loving them so but taking them all for granent. You may loose them someday, someone takes them away and they don't hear the words you long to say." It stopped me dead in my tracks which maybe the reason I say "I love you" to all the people I love ALL THE TIME!

And now I will tell you a story of the poentsy of good music. When I was a hockey playing lad my mother, responsible for 5:30AM practices and games would play Herman Hermits tunes in the car while on the way. They always seemed to wake me up. We would sing in our British accents song after song. Thankfully all those song were only 2 minutes long cause it meant we got more in on the drives. It became one of those things my Mom and I had to hold onto even now. Peter Noone came to South Park for a free concert in the summer of '99 so we went with my girlfriend at the time, Mom and I had a BLAST I don't think said girlie did but that's her hang-up. Years later when Peter Noone came to Busch Gardens(where I worked) I went to just about every show, met him, got an autograph. Everytime I heard those somgs it made everything right for those moments. Even now I still record myself singing songs that are important to me. Last set of tunes I did was for my Mom. It included "Mrs. Brown You've got a Lovely Daughter" and as it turns out my young nephew has taken a shine to the song. You see it doesn't matter what, when, why, how nothing. I good song is a good song. It's ment to be heard and enjoyed. Sung a-long to in proper fashion. Most of all the fact that 3 generations have taken to one silly 2 minute peice of music makes that silly 2 minutes so damn important and special. I know I will never let Sam forget that he likes that song.

I can't think of a more musical up bringing by parents that didn't even play an instument. They helped shape me into the person I am today with the lessons they taught me, but the music that was played and heard and loved will forever remind me of their love, which believe it or not is far greater then any song or artist I've ever heard. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you!

30 Day Song Challenge

http://www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=02b01b62a847b9fd21eb40ce5375777e&#!/notes/dan-drnach/30-day-song-challenge/10150229595948793


Now that that's outta the way. There is this thingy going about Facebook where in you post songs for 30 days all the while following the headline of the day: Favorite, least favorite, etc... Nothing say "Song of the Day" like this! Always fun. Songs and lists go together like music and lyrics and/or peanut butter and chocolate.

"I can't get to sleep..."

With great thanks to my friend Kenny, Martha and I took in an evening with Colin Hay! For those of you who don't recall the name maybe you'll recall this: "I come from a land down under." That's him the man behind all the Men at Work tunes and tonight we heard them all acoustic. Just the man, the guitar and the tunes. Wonderful stuff! If you're old enough to remember the group from the 80's or like myself and got switched on from his appearence on Scrubs you can not deny the songs however they come out. I saw him a few years ago with a full band and it was rockin'. Tonight was just as rockin', more so actully. There's an honesty that happens in small venues when artist take the stage themselves. No flash, no ripping 5 minute guitar solos,(and I love those) just singer and song! At one time tonight some shumck from the crowd shouted out some tune and he played it. Which means to me that that song must be heard. How many times have you gone to a show and some asshole screams out some tune and just pisses everyone off? I'd imagine it's happened to you. But how many times has the player played the tune, shit not just play it but PLAY THE HELL outta it. You could tell it was one of those songs Colin was proud of and he played it proudly and beautifully.
On top of all the great Men at Work songs his opener Chris Trapper, which was the selling point for me, was fantastic. I had seen him once before in at a club in Ybor City opening for Martin Sexton he was great enough then for me to buy a CD and thankfully his songs have only gotten better since. I strongly suggest you try out some Chris Trapper. It's not the best songs you've ever heard but again I use the word honesty, which there is plenty of. 
Such a wonderful feeling this ringing in my ears. I have to say that even if I mess up next years audiogram... It was worth it! Your favorite songs live? Any day my friend, any freakin' day!

It's all in the voice!

I was watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs last night and starting thinking. What would you do if the person you loved sang to you like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOdXQGNImI8

On a honest level I understand that each gereration has it's way of singing and how they sing! I'm not putting this vocal style down, I think it's great. Just use your imagination and think of what your boyfriend/girlfriend would say or do if you pulled out this old hat?

Welcome to the camp...

... I guess you all know why you're here! Well, I had this thought this evening about starting a blog to stake claim to yet another corner of the "inter-web." I'll start by saying the idea was stolen, like most riffs, from my sister and a friend of mine who was once upon a time named: Cheech! So thanks ladies!

Though the name "Song of the Day" may let you believe I'll be here everyday... I will not. This blog has been started for the sheer fact that at times some songs will be come so awesome when I hear them I feel the need to share the awesomeness with you. !!!WARNING!!! There will be spelling errors, there will be grammar issues. You may agree you may disagree. I will not censure myself and I will ask that you do not censure yourself. Please!  Chances are you'll see me do this "..." far more time then should ever be done. The idea behind this blog is that every now and then you hear a song that seems to make more sense than the last time you heard it. I know you know what I mean! Most times I'll be blogging about some tune that I've heard a billion times and feel you should listen to as well. More then likely you'll find I talk about The Who or old timey Blues more than anything else. For that I do not apologize, The Who rock and if the blues wasn't so cool you wouldn't know what it was!

Dig it or don't, the blog is here and when the spirit moves me I shall ramble on about some bit of music I think is great. I hope to learn and learn you in some good tunes and good fun! Several time I've said that I "believe in music" and I mean it dammit!

-Dan