Townshend solo stuff

[tms13pin]

I've been listening to "Empty Glass" and "White City" a lot lately. I'm
really hooked on Townshend's writing and textural playing and production
on these records. Just great stuff.

--Tom

[johntoste]

My favorite Townshend solo is his first - Who Came First. It's a beautiful, transcendant record. Very "spiritual," if I may use that vague term.

[pir8matt]

I really enjoy 'Slit Skirts' - what a well done song.

[Terry McInturff]

I like all of his solo efforts!

[Tomo]

I've been listening to "Empty Glass" and "White City" a lot lately. I'm
really hooked on Townshend's writing and textural playing and production
on these records. Just great stuff.

--Tom

I want to get those.. thanks for sharing!

Tomo

[Tripower455]

Great stuff for sure......

But my favorite version of "Empty Glass" (the song) is the bonus track on "Who Are You" Deluxe edition, where The Who played it.

[Jet Age Eric]

"White City," in particular, is magnificent. The DVD-A version of "Rough Mix" is a lot of fun.

Before he released "Psychoderelict," Pete said he was working on a jangle-pop album; oh, how I wish he'd made that record. -E

[The Golden Boy]

All the best cowboys have chinese eyes.

[Saul Koll]

There was a great compilation he put out in the early 80's called SCOOP. It had a bunch of his original demos for what would become Who or solo tunes. It was cool to hear how the songs evolved or didn't when they were rerecorded with a band.
Great stuff! I don't know if it is still in print, but well worth looking for.

[ethandt]

There was a great compilation he put out in the early 80's called SCOOP. It had a bunch of his original demos for what would become Who or solo tunes. It was cool to hear how the songs evolved or didn't when they were rerecorded with a band.
Great stuff! I don't know if it is still in print, but well worth looking for.

This stuff is incredible. All available on iTunes. I think there are like three volumes. His demos are pretty much complete recordings on their own, he's very meticulous.

[Born2Blues67]

" I Am An Animal " is one of the best songs in Pete's canon.

:phones

[jimfog]

DEFINITELY pickup " All the Best Cowboys have Chinese Eyes"......some of his finest writing ever.

I love "Who Came First" and " White City" a lot, as well.

Really, there's nothing bad......"Iron Man" and " Psychoderelict" are a bit theatrical, but once you get into them, they offer up a lot of rewards. There was a limited release "Psychoderelict- the music only" cd that's worth a pickup if the dialog gets annoying to you.

[Jet Age Eric]

I think he's done four editions of Scoop; 3 official releases and one that was a free download. V. 2 is the best I think (and is available on DVD-A). Some AMAZING, beautiful songs on there, including what might be my all time fave (solo) Pete song, "The Shout." -E

There was a great compilation he put out in the early 80's called SCOOP. It had a bunch of his original demos for what would become Who or solo tunes. It was cool to hear how the songs evolved or didn't when they were rerecorded with a band.
Great stuff! I don't know if it is still in print, but well worth looking for.

[dsj]

I think he's done four editions of Scoop; 3 official releases and one that was a free download. V. 2 is the best I think (and is available on DVD-A). Some AMAZING, beautiful songs on there, including what might be my all time fave (solo) Pete song, "The Shout." -E

I haven't heard the 4th volume, but I agree, volume 2 ("Another Scoop") is even better than Scoop, wonderful stuff. Girl In A Suitcase, Brooklyn Kids, Ask Yourself, The Ferryman, Driftin' Blues, the aforementioned The Shout: there's an alternate Pete Townshend universe on that record that contains some of his most beautiful work, and not many people have heard it.

I didn't dig Vol. 3, but some might.

"Deep End Live" hasn't been mentioned yet. Great mid-80s solo recording, features another one of my Townshend closet classics, his take on The English Beat's 'Save it for Later'. There's a studio version as a bonus track on the White City reissue but the Deep End version is the one to have. Bonus: the entire set features Dave Gilmour on lead guitar.

[Jet Age Eric]

DSJ, lemme know when I'm gonna see you again and I'll bring a copy of vol. 4. "Save it for Later" IS a fantastic cover. I've got a boot of the full (broadcast?) Deep End show; I don't know why the whole thing wasn't released as part of the recent PT reissues. -E

PS I love "Ask Yourself" too.

[supergenius365]

"Deep End Live" hasn't been mentioned yet. Great mid-80s solo recording, features another one of my Townshend closet classics, his take on The English Beat's 'Save it for Later'. There's a studio version as a bonus track on the White City reissue but the Deep End version is the one to have. Bonus: the entire set features Dave Gilmour on lead guitar.

Great one! Save it for Later is an awesome version that introduced me to the English Beat. I also love "Empty Glass" and "All the Best Cowboys....". I only like about half of "White City" and have lost interest since then.

I will also go against the "Scoop" fans here. I enjoy the first one, but found Volume 2 painful. Didn't bother with 3.

Does anybody have the complete "Lifehouse" recordings (maybe 9 or so cd's) he put out a few years ago? I have been wondering about that one lately.

[japhy]

Am I the only one hear with a copy of Horses Neck ?

[supergenius365]

Am I the only one hear with a copy of Horses Neck ?

I have one. Interesting.

[greggorypeccary]

Am I the only one hear with a copy of Horses Neck ?

I've got it too! I also really like Chinese Eyes, but all Pete's stuff is great. Listening to Who records back in the day is what actually got me started on guitar! :phones

[Jet Age Eric]

Does anybody have the complete "Lifehouse" recordings (maybe 9 or so cd's) he put out a few years ago? I have been wondering about that one lately.

Yeah. Love listening to the demos, but I never got around to listening to a lot of the extraneous material. I'm sure I will during one of my quarterly Who jags. -E

[Jet Age Eric]

Am I the only one hear with a copy of Horses Neck ?

I've got one, too. It's actually a replacement copy, so I've had two. -E

[Austinrocks]

My favorite Townshend solo is his first - Who Came First. It's a beautiful, transcendant record. Very "spiritual," if I may use that vague term.

watch it, soundin' religious on us, Who Came First really was a favorite of mine as well, great songs, Pure and easy was a great song, would easily have been a hit if it had been on who's next, oh well

[Frethog]

Pete is my favorite songwriter and I like most of these Cds as much as any Who record. All the best Cowboys and White City are very personal to me.

[Rama]

I was listening to Sheraton Gibson on my way to a cup of coffee today.

I absolutely love most everything he has ever done..a genius.

...and he's still very much with us..the world need him in it.

[iamdavea]

I continue to be a huge fan of "Empty Glass". As has been already mentioned, you really get the feeling that he's getting at something very deep and personal--but not in a maudlin or overly confessional way. Very brave and real. My favorites are probably "I Am An Animal" and "I Moved". How many other rock stars--ever--could have produced such an album?

[Jet Age Eric]

Not to diminish what you're saying, as Pete is my all time favorite songwriter, but I think "I Moved" was written for Bette Middler. -E

I continue to be a huge fan of "Empty Glass". As has been already mentioned, you really get the feeling that he's getting at something very deep and personal--but not in a maudlin or overly confessional way. Very brave and real. My favorites are probably "I Am An Animal" and "I Moved". How many other rock stars--ever--could have produced such an album?

[Nick67]

"Empty Glass" is one of my favorite albums of all time. Just a great work. Hard to pick a favorite song. "A little is enough " is close to masterpiece. My buddy and I do a duo and play most of the album. We also do a duo version of "Slit Skirts". I like a lot of Pete's solo stuff, some of the later stuff gets a little tiresome. Not familiar with "Who came first". I need to correct that. "Rough Mix" is kinda like a Pete solo record, and that is a great record as well.

[Bmused]

There is always at least some good material on all of Pete's solo albums to recommend getting them.

I love "Empty Glass" because he sounds like he's trying to get something off his mind/chest...or perhaps he was messed up. I love the guitar and piano on "Gonna Get Ya". Rough Boys is great, too.

On Scoop v1, I love his version of You Better You Bet. It rocks more than the Who version. The Scoop volumes are cool to see how fully formed most of the songs were before they were "Who-ized".

All good stuff. Buy all of it.

[DrewB]

DEFINITELY pick up "All the Best Cowboys have Chinese Eyes"......some of his finest writing ever.

Yep, that's a must-have.

There was a limited release "Psychoderelict- the music only" cd that's worth a pickup if the dialog gets annoying to you.

If?! :roll

[Joe Robinson]

I have (and keep them close at hand) most if not all of the records mentioned.

I've always thought that the intro of "A Little is Enough" screamed out for a guitar. Too bad Pete did not throw that to David Gilmour on Deep End Live.

Is that Pete playing piano on "Gonna Get Ya" on Empty Glass? I've always loved that song.

[Hootad Binky]

I like playing Underture, Bargain, I'm One, etc.

I like this version of his cover of English Beat's "Save It For Later":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-him0F6g8

Just guitar, backing vocals and that honest-sounding voice Pete has...

3-chord magic!

[Frethog]

Is it just me (?) or does that dude nail that sax bit and then some.

[Hootad Binky]

Yeah, that was from the Secret Policeman's Ball, forget who the player was...

[Bmused]

Is that Pete playing piano on "Gonna Get Ya" on Empty Glass? I've always loved that song.

I may be wrong but I believe that's John "Rabbit" Bundrick playing piano on "Gonna Get Ya".