The Who's Cautionary Tale "Eminence Front" Still Resonates

Everyone has that one song, that special track that requires cranking it at top volume.  No matter where you are—whether driving while listening to the radio, or walking down the street with your iPod and earbuds, that one song never fails to stop you in your tracks.  For me, the particular song has always been "Eminence Front" by The Who.

Before describing the tune, I must confess: I did not become a Who fan until college.  Perhaps it was due to the first Who song I ever heard—"Magic Bus."  As a sixth grader, I could not understand what in the world Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon were talking about.  "I want it," Daltrey drawls.  "You can't have it!"  Townshend cries.  What the heck were they haggling over?  Why does Daltrey want a bus? 

But when I reached college, I listened to the band again, noting their R&B roots as well as their rock music.  "Join Together," "Who Are You," "Slip Kid"—these songs gradually converted me into a fan.  While I also enjoy their straightforward rock sound and Townshend's experiments with rock opera (namely Tommy and Quadrophenia), it's their integration of rock and blues, with Entwistle's hint of funk, that keeps me listening. This aspect of The Who is best summarized by the title of a box set: Maximum R&B.

This rock-blues-soul mixture comes together in "Eminence Front" from the group's 1982 album It's Hard.  Their previous album, Face Dances, experienced success but rose out of turmoil.  Moon had recently passed away, and so The Who brought in two new members: Kenney Jones (drums) and  John "Rabbit" Bundrick (keyboards).  Despite hits such as "You Better You Bet" and "Another Tricky Day," both Townshend and Daltrey stated that they felt disconnected from the Face Dances material (see Brian Cady's liner notes page at The Hypertext Who).  However, Townshend struggled with drugs and alcohol, eventually entering treatment in early 1982.  By then, he was eager to reunite his bandmates to write and perform live again.  It's Hard hit the stores in Fall 1982 and received decidedly mixed reviews from critics.  Even Daltrey said in a 1994 interview, "I hated it. I still hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it!"  Stung by the critical reception, The Who did not release another studio album until 2006's Endless Wire. 

Despite the album's inconsistent and slightly dated quality (just look at the cover photograph of the band standing around a kid in an 80s video arcade), it contains the superior cut "Eminence Front."  The swirling keyboards draw the listener in, building anticipation until the drums and guitar kick in.  Once Entwistle's incredibly complicated yet funky bass lines join in, Townshend's clear voice soars over the track.  The words are clear and direct: "The spray flies as the speedboat glides/People forget/Forget they're hiding," he sings, exposing people hiding behind possessions.  "It’s an eminence front—It's a put-on," he declares, eerily predicting the 80's excessiveness.  People may be partying, carefully eying their investments, living the high life, but this fast life is a sham. 

Article Author: Kit O'Toole

Kit O'Toole is a lifelong music enthusiast who maintains a music blog, Listen to the Band. In addition, she is the internet columnist and a contributing editor for Beatlefan magazine. She also holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology.

Visit Kit O'Toole's author page — Kit O'Toole's Blog