The Who Who's Next (half Speed Mastered) (1971 2023)

Deluxe half-speed mastered edition pressed on 180-gram black vinyl. With Abbey Road Studios obi strip. Also includes “Half-speed Mastering Certificate”, poly-lined inner sleeve in addition to separate, standalone printed inner sleeve.

Deluxe half-speed mastered edition pressed on 180-gram black vinyl. With Abbey Road Studios obi strip. Also includes “Half-speed Mastering Certificate”, poly-lined inner sleeve in addition to separate, standalone printed inner sleeve.

Featuring 155 tracks, of which 89 are previously unreleased and 57 feature fresh remixes, the set will delight longtime Who fans with its long-sought, complete picture of Townshend’s incredibly prescient songwriting, while captivating a new audience with his visionary description of a future that has, in many ways, come true. It features all of his songs, in their many stages of development, from the abandoned, audacious Life House project, started in 1970 as a follow-up to The Who’s epic Tommy, and from the undisputed rock classic of 1971 that it evolved into, Who’s Next.

My remix of what for many is the greatest rock album ever made (and who am I to disagree?), Who’s Next by The Who is released as part of a lavish box set by Universal on 15th September. The set is really a beautiful thing to behold, although I appreciate that some many have preferred a cheaper option in order to hear the remix (the Atmos mix will however also be available on streaming services). I made new stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mixes of 8 of the original 9 album tracks (the multitrack for Bargain was not available so appears as a Penteo upmix), as well as new stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mixes of 14 bonus tracks from the 1970-72 era, meaning there are a total of 22 tracks newly mixed from the multitracks. The stereo and 5.1 mixes are in 96/24, the Atmos mixes are at 48/24.

Who's Next is not an album lacking for reissues. In addition to a deluxe edition from 2003, there have also been multiple audiophile editions and remasters of the album since its 1971 release. So what could a "super deluxe edition" possibly contain? Quite a bit, as it turns out. As even casual Who fans know, the genesis of Who's Next was as Lifehouse, a multimedia rock opera even more ambitious than Tommy. Pete Townshend had developed a bizarre, dystopian story that somehow merged his devotion to Indian guru Meher Baba, his recent fascination with synthesizers, and the idea that the only thing that could save humanity from a test-tube-bound future was "real rock 'n' roll." Yeah, the aftereffects of the '60s were wild.

Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy has the distinction of being the first in a long line of Who compilations. It also has the distinction of being the best. Part of the reason why it is so successful is that it has an actual purpose. Meaty was designed as a collection of the group's singles, many of which never appeared on albums. The Who recorded their share of great albums during the '60s, but condensing their highlights to just the singles is an electrifying experience. "The Kids Are Alright" follows "I Can't Explain," "I Can See for Miles" bleeds into "Pictures of Lily" and "My Generation," "Magic Bus" gives way to "Substitute" and "I'm a Boy" it's an extraordinary lineup, and each song builds on its predecessor's power.

This landmark compilation has introduced generations of fans to the incredible history of the most storied band in music. For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 9 additional tracks added chronologically, including “Blackbird”, “Glass Onion” and the new song, “Now And Then”. The last Beatles song, “Now And Then” completes John Lennon’s 1970s vocal and piano demo recording with parts played by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, as well as a new arrangement for strings.

This landmark compilation has introduced generations of fans to the incredible history of the most storied band in music. For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 12 additional tracks added chronologically, including for the first time some of George Harrison’s earliest songs and some classic Beatles versions of R&B and rock ‘n’ roll hits that were so influential on the band.

On July 6, 2019, The Who headlined a sell-out show at the world-famous Wembley Stadium in London for the first time in 40 years. Performing many of their greatest hits, the show featured the band as they've never been seen before, accompanied by the 57-piece Isobel Griffiths Ltd. Orchestra. The Who with Orchestra Live at Wembley relives that iconic show. The 2 CD/Blu-ray Audio set features the audio remixed in Dolby Atmos and a booklet with unseen photos from the show.

One of the major bands of the rock & roll era, the Who straddled the gap separating art-pop and hard-rock, creating kinetic, exploratory music that expanded the lexicon of rock & roll. Arriving during the second wave of the British Invasion, the Who came out of the UK's R&B-besotted Mod scene and married that groove to the crunching power chords pioneered by the Kinks.