Today saw the release of a new documentary on DVD: “Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who.” I saw a preview of it a few weeks ago (it’s good to be near the epicenter of the music biz); it’s terrific.
The film is completely different from “The Kids Are Alright.” “Kids…” is basically a collection of great song films and videos. “Amazing Journey” is a straight documentary; songs are only heard in bits. The emphasis is truly on their bio more than their music. Together, “Amazing Journey” and “The Kids Are Alright” complement each other beautifully. They go a long way to explaining why Who fans like me are so passionate about the group and its members.
I’d really hate to sound like a Best Buy shill, but Best Buy not only has the regular 2-disc “Amazing Journey” DVD but also has an exclusive 3-disc version as well. The third disc contains a 1979 (sorry, no Keith) Who concert performed in Chicago.
Anyone who knows my musical tastes knows that I’m a major Who fan. I was honored when The Who asked my permission to use one of my Who bootleg covers as the image on the “Odds and Sods” CD picture disc. “Who’s Zoo”, a TMQ bootleg for which I drew a full color cover, inspired John Entwistle to compile the “Odds and Sods” Who CD.
I met both Keith Moon and Roger Daltrey between sets in 1968 at the Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles. It was the best concert I ever saw. Check out this line-up: The opening group was Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, followed by the original Steve Miller Band (with Boz Scaggs), followed by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, followed by The Who!
And: each group played two sets that night!
And: The Who smashed their instruments at the end of their second set during “My Generation”!
And: it was two bucks in advance, three at the door!
And: the place was only two thirds full! You could dance to the music or easily get as close to the stage as you wanted. And I had no trouble whatsoever getting backstage to meet Arthur Brown and Roger Daltrey (I met Keith in the men’s room!). These were the days before going to a concert had become a scene, a “hip” thing to do with one’s friends; the only people who showed up at the concerts back then were there because they were hugely passionate about the music.
My favorite Who LP, “The Who Sell Out” (the mono version, please! The stereo version is a mere shadow of its mono brother) had just been released. After that show, I was never the same….and my ears rang for days…