Maximum Quadrophenia
Published October 21, 2005
Incidentally, the commentary track on the Tommy and Quadrophenia discs is unique--unlike most DVDs which feature only an optional second audio track, these discs overlay new video of Pete and Roger discussing the projects, (and on Quadrophenia, the history of Mods), and can be switched on and off via remote control (or mouse, if you're viewing these discs on your PC).
The Punk Beats The Godfather
For their stage version of Quadrophenia, Townshend and Daltry cast American singer P.J. Proby as the Godfather, and the ultimate punk, Billy Idol, as the Ace Face who hides a horrible secret: (WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!) when he's not dancing the night away in Brighton discos, he earns his money as a hotel bellboy to buy his expensive mohair suits and boss Italian Vespa motorscooter.
I'm not sure how well Proby works as the Godfather--he comes across here as vaguely looking like Meatloaf (but with a rougher, less charismatic voice), but sporting the world's biggest set of muttonchop sideburns. But Idol steals the show as the Ace Face, essaying a role that helped launched Sting's acting career in 1979. That he has a similar vocal range as Keith Moon (not to mention a similarly flamboyant stage presence), doesn't hurt either.
As an album, Quadrophenia has sold in huge numbers in America, like most of The Who's catalog. And unlike the more stripped down, acoustic guitar-dominated Tommy, it rocks ferociously; it's probably the closet a studio album can get to capturing the onstage thunder of The Who when Moon was stoking the coal. And finally, the 1996 live version, documented here, does justice to that album in its entirety.
There's plenty of fine music on the two other DVDs, but for me, it's The Who's live version of Quadrophenia that makes this an essential new DVD. And at $24.49 on Amazon, I'd call that a bargain.
- Maximum Quadrophenia
- Published: October 21, 2005
- Type: Review
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Music
- Writer: Ed Driscoll
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Excellent review... not at all what I expected when I opened this up. I don't know enough about The Who's catalogue, I think. I can recognize them when I hear them, but y'know, they were a little before my time. This sparks my interest... I think I have to take a longer, closer look.
I can't wait to receive my 3 DVD set!!1
I saw them live in 1996 with Quadrophenia...wow...A MUST SEE...now ...A MUST OWN!!!
I just picked up the 3 dvd set and have to say the 1996 Quadrophenia set is absolutely stunning.
Played in it's entirety, the music and story line ebbs and flows in a way that is only hinted at with the original 1973 release.That LP's mix suffered, but you knew there was some great stuff buried down there. The '79 soundtrack yielded 3 or 4 more odd tracks from the story, which I suppose lended themselves to flesh out the character complexity.
The remix from 1996 breathes new life, and brings the band more to the front.
Then the dvd '96 concert version appeared. Viewed in it's entirety as with the others, The Quadrophenia concert, bought out all kinds of emotion. Pure raw emotion.
No one word can accurately describe this.
But wasn't this the intent of the storyline?
I'm not going to hash over details, as many folks have heard this body of work and it's side-bars, but I will say that personally, the Quadrophenia show is the best concert I never went to, and the final concert I ever want to see.
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I was a big fan of the who when I was younger. I can remember buying the Tommy double CD when I was about 13 and thinking it was pish. I took it back to the shop and swapped it for Quadraphenia, a move I'm still very happy with.
Where Tommy has a few great songs and a lot of brass-driven nonsense, Quadraphenia is a much more balanced experience driven by good old fashioned guitar tunes.
Plus the film version is infinitely better.