The Who’s “Tommy”, Better Than Ever In New Release

Tommy, The Who’s breakthrough concept album – a full-blown rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind boy that launched the band to superstardom – is being re-released in Deluxe and limited edition Super Deluxe editions.

The Who were at a career crossroads in May of 1969, they were known mainly as a singles band but this project launched them as a serious “album band” and has now sold over 20 million copies as well as regularly turning up in lists of the most influential albums of all time. This new Deluxe and Super Deluxe remastered version of the album comes with a wealth of previously unheard material in the form of 20 demos from Pete Townshend’s archive and also a full, live performance of “Tommy” from 1969 taken from tapes that infamously Townshend asked the band’s sound engineer to burn!

Eighteen of the previously unheard and thought to be long lost live tracks are taken from a live show at the Capital Theatre in Ottowa, Canada, on October 15, 1969. Three others, “I’m Free,” “Tommy’s Holiday Camp” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” were lost due to tape reels being changed during the show, so they are taken from later shows of the same era. As discussed at length in Pete Townshend’s autobiography, the tapes were all supposed to be destroyed but were kept by longtime Who sound man Bob Pridden, despite Pete’s instructions.

The limited edition Super Deluxe box features a 5.1 mix featuring the complete album remixed in surround sound on new Hi-Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray format. The box set also comes with a hardback 80-page full-color book featuring rare period photos, memorabilia, a 20,000-word essay by legendary Who aficionado Richard Barnes and a rare facsimile “Tommy” poster, all housed in a hardback deluxe slipcase.

Play The Who memory game!

Buy now/more info: 2CD Deluxe | Super Deluxe Box | Shop for The Who

TRACKLISTING AND FURTHER INFORMATION:

Limited Edition Super Deluxe Edition

Disc 1 – The original album (2013 re-master)

Digitally remastered in HD

Disc 2 – The demos and outtakes

Features 20 previously unreleased tracks from Pete Townshend’s demo archive

Disc 3 – The 5.1 album mix – Hi-Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray

The complete album remixed in surround sound on new Hi-Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray format

Disc 4 – The live ‘bootleg’ album

Features 21 previously unreleased tracks from various live shows from 1969

Hardback 80-page full-color book featuring rare period photos and memorabilia

20,000-word essay by legendary Who aficionado Richard Barnes

Rare facsimile “Tommy” poster

Tracklisting:

Disc 1 The original album (2013 re-master)

1. Overture 5.20

2. It’s A Boy 0.38

3. 1921 2.49

4. Amazing Journey 5.04

5. Sparks 2.05

6. The Hawker (Eyesight To The Blind) 2.13

7. Christmas 4.34

8. Cousin Kevin 4.05

9. The Acid Queen 3.34

10. Underture 10.01

11. Do You Think It’s Alright? 0.24

12. Fiddle About 1.29

13. Pinball Wizard 3.01

14. There’s A Doctor 0.23

15. Go To The Mirror! 3.47

16. Tommy Can You Hear Me? 1.35

17. Smash The Mirror 1.34

18. Sensation 2.25

19. Miracle Cure 0.12

20. Sally Simpson 4.10

21. I’m Free 2.39

22. Welcome 4.32

23. Tommy’s Holiday Camp 0.57

24. We’re Not Gonna Take It 7.06

Disc 2 Demos & Extras

1. Overture 4:07

2. It’s A Boy 0:41

3. 1921 3:13

4. Amazing Journey 4:47

5. Dream One 3:09

6. Sparks 7:38

7. The Hawker 4:45

8. Christmas 4:42

9. Acid Queen 3:35

10. Underture (Dream Two) 1:47

11. Do You Think It’s Alright 0:26

12. Pinball Wizard 3:42

13. There’s A Doctor 0:24

14. Go To The Mirror! 4:32

15. Success 0:10

16. Tommy Can You Hear Me 1:15

17. Smash The Mirror 1:37

18. Sensation 2:47

19. Miracle Cure 0:11

20. Sally Simpson 4:50

21. I’m Free 2:27

22. Welcome 3:26

23. We’re Not Gonna Take It 5:02

24. Trying To Get Through 2:27

25. Young Man Blues 2:47

Tracks 1 – 23 – Pete Townshend – original demos.

All previously unreleased except 2, 11 and 12 – released in 2003

Track 24 – The Who – studio demo/outtake.

Track 25 – The Who – studio recording (NOTE: This version was previously only available on “The House That Track Built” vinyl sampler).

Disc 3 Hi-Fidelity Pure Audio – Blu-ray disc (5.1 mixes)

Overture 5.20

It’s a boy 0.37

1921 2.49

Amazing journey 5.05

Sparks 2.05

The Hawker 2.14

Christmas 4.34

Cousin Kevin 4.07

The acid queen 3.34

Underture 10.05

Do you think it’s alright? 0.25

Fiddle about 1.31

Pinball wizard 3.01

There’s a doctor 0.24

Go to the mirror! 3.48

Tommy can you hear me? 1.35

Smash the mirror 1.33

Sensation 2.27

Miracle cure 0.12

Sally Simpson 4.11

I’m Free 2.39

Welcome 4.32

Tommy’s holiday camp 0.57

We’re not gonna take it 7.06

Disc 4 Live Bootleg

1. Overture (including Introduction) 7.00

2. It’s A Boy 0.39

3. 1921 2.28

4. Amazing Journey 5.07

5. Sparks 2.49

6. The Hawker (Eyesight To The Blind) 1.54

7. Christmas 3.11

8. The Acid Queen 3.30

9. Pinball Wizard 2.47

10. Do You Think It’s Alright? 0.21

11. Fiddle About 1.12

12. Tommy Can You Hear Me? 0.55

13. There’s A Doctor 0.24

14. Go To The Mirror! 3.22

15. Smash The Mirror 1.10

16. Miracle Cure 0.12

17. Sally Simpson 4.01

18. I’m Free 2.12

19. Tommy’s Holiday Camp 0.48

20. We’re Not Gonna Take It 3.28

21. See Me, Feel Me / Listening To You 7.51

OTHER FORMATS OF THE WHO’s TOMMY

2-CD deluxe edition, digi-pak

CD 1 Original album remastered

CD 2 Live Bootleg

1-CD remastered version

Original album (single disc)

Deluxe vinyl edition

2-piece, heavyweight

Original LP configuration

Buy now/more info: 2CD Deluxe | Super Deluxe Box | Shop for The Who

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