The music on LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970 was originally recorded for the soundtrack to a concert film of the same name.
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals, harmonica); Pete Townshend (guitar, background vocals); John Entwistle (bass, background vocals); Keith Moon (drums, background vocals).
Recorded live at The Isle Of Wight Festival, England on August 29, 1970. Includes liner notes by Michael Heatley and Ted Tuksa.
This 2-CD set documents the Who's performance at a music festival that has achieved an almost mythological status over the years. Whether the event deserves its reputation as Woodstock 2 or not, this staggeringly powerful set captures one of the most important rock groups of the '60s and '70s at the height of its powers. A monstrous, roaring, behemoth of a band, the Who wielded electricity like a lumberjack wields an axe, creating a mountain of distorted wailing and thrashing as thrilling as it was overwhelming. One listen to these discs will quickly confirm that Pete Townshend and company were clearly the founding fathers of grunge-rock.
Early tunes like "Substitute," "I Can't Explain" and "My Generation" all receive muscular reworkings here. The bulk of the set is taken up by a performance of the rock opera TOMMY, which, in this raw, biting incarnation, stands head and shoulders above the studio version. There are also versions of two songs, "Water" and "Naked Eye," from Townshend's never-finished LIFEHOUSE project.
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (12/26/96, p.199) - "...Is this excavation...necessary? Yeah, if only for the white-riot theater of 'Young Man Blues'...the rare, live reading of Pete Townshend's wonderful hymn to self-doubt, 'I Don't Even Know Myself'; and the raw, glowing power of 'Naked Eye.'..."
Entertainment Weekly (11/29/96, p.92) - "...ranks right up there with their masterful LIVE AT LEEDS." - Rating: A
Musician (1/97, p.86) - "...This is the Who at their peak, with a nearly complete TOMMY and three songs of roaring introspection from the unreleased LIFEHOUSE project. Anyone with even a moderate interest in the Who needs it bad."
