The Who - BBC Sessions 1965-1971 {Remastered & Complete} [A Prof. Stoned Comp 2021]
16bit/44.1khz (CD Quality)
01. Good Lovin'
02. 'Pete interview #1'
03. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
04. Leaving Here
05. Just You and Me, Darling
06. 'Pete interview #2'
Recorded: Aeolian Hall studio 2, Bond Street, London UK; Monday 24 + Tuesday 25 May 1965
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Saturday Club': Saturday 29 May 1965
Producers: Jimmy Grant/Brian Willey
Sources: transcription disc
Notes: The Who's second session for the BBC actually appears to have been a double-date. On the 24th, a three-hour session produced: 'Good Lovin'', 'Anyway Anyhow Anywhere', 'I Don't Mind' and 'Daddy Rolling Stone'. The next afternoon they performed: 'Leaving Here', 'Please Please Please' and 'Just You and Me, Darling'. The sessions tapes were wiped and the selections here are all that has survived on copies of "Top of the Tops" transcription discs #31 & #34. The song selection here is dominated by soul covers picked by Roger, who was still the undisputed leader of the group. Yet, it was Pete who got to do the interviews and talk about the group's beginnings and prospects.
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01. The Good's Gone
02. 'Pete interview'
03. My Generation
04. La La La Lies
05. Baby Don't You Do It [poor quality]
Recorded: Aeolian Hall studio 1, Bond Street, London UK; Monday 22 November 1965
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Saturday Club': Saturday 27 November 1965
Producers: Jimmy Grant/Brian Willey
Sources: 01-04 transcription disc; 05 off-air recording
Note: The third session was again recorded live in studio and produced completed takes of: 'It's Not True', 'The Good's Gone', 'La La La Lies', 'My Generation' and 'Baby Don't You Do It'. The sessions tapes were wiped and the selections here are all that has survived on copies of "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #57 and an off-air recording made by a fan. By now, Pete's role as the main provider of song material has been firmly established.
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01. Man With Money
02. 'Pete interview'
03. Substitute
04. Dancing In the Street
05. You Rang? [poor quality]
Recorded: Aeolian Hall studio 1, Bond Street, London UK; Tuesday 15 March 1966
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Saturday Club': Saturday 19 March 1966
Producers: Jimmy Grant/Brian Willey
Sources: 01-04 transcription disc; 05 off-air recording
Note: For this fourth session, the band recorded: 'Barbara Ann', 'Substitute', 'You Rang', 'Man with Money' and 'Dancing In The Street'. The sessions tapes were once again wiped and the selections here are all that has survived on copies of "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #73 and an off-air recording made by a fan.
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01. 'Intro'
02. Disguises
03. 'Pete interview'
04. I'm A Boy
05. So Sad About Us
Recorded: Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London UK; Tuesday 13 September 1966
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Saturday Club': Saturday 17 September 1966
Producers: Jimmy Grant/Brian Willey
Source: transcription disc
Note: Fifth session, which produced: 'I'm A Boy', 'Disguises', 'Heatwave', 'So Sad About Us' and a cover of the Lovin' Spoonful's 'On The Road Again'. The sessions tapes were wiped and the selections here are all that has survived on copies of "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #99. In an attempt to control the mixing balance, John suddenly turned his bass up in the middle of 'Disguises'. The balance engineer on the session did not bother correcting this and as a result the sound turns into a muddy mess from that point on (with the mixdown compressor working on overload). 'So Sad About Us' was left off the official 'BBC Sessions' release from 2000 for unknown reasons.
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01. I'm A Boy
Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Wednesday 14 September 1966
Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops'; Thursday 15 September 1966
Producer: Johnnie Stewart
Source: very good off-air recording
Note: Roger sings along live over studio version, which also has a previously unheard piano part.
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01. Run Run Run
02. Boris The Spider
03. 'Pete interview'
04. Happy Jack
05. See My Way
Recorded: Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London UK; Tuesday 17 January 1967
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Saturday Club': Saturday 21 January 1967
Producers: Jimmy Grant/Bill Bebb
Source: transcription disc
Note: For this sixth session, the band recorded: 'Happy Jack', 'Run, Run, Run', 'Boris The Spider', 'See My Way', 'Don't Look Away' and 'So Sad About Us'. The sessions tapes were once again wiped and the selections here are all that has survived on copies of "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #117.
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01. Pictures of Lily
Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Wednesday 26 April 1967
Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops'; Thursday 27 April 1967
Producer: Stanley Dorfman
Source: very good off-air recording
Note: Roger sings along with studio version.
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01. 'Intro'
02. I Can See For Miles
03. Pictures Of Lily
04. Summertime Blues
05. I Can't Reach You
06. Our Love Was
07. A Quick One (While He's Away)
08. Relax
09. Jingles: My Generation/Boris The Spider/Happy Jack (stereo)/My Generation (stereo)
Bonus:
10. Pictures of Lily [Alternate Mono Mix]
Recording & Broadcast Production: De Lane Lea Studio, Kingsway, London UK; Tuesday 10 October 1967
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Top Gear'; Sunday 15 October 1967
Producers: Bernie Andrews/Bev Philips
Sources: 01-02,07,09-10: tape 03-06: transcription disc w/ patches from tape sources 08: off-air recording
Note: This seventh session marked the first time the BBC allowed any musical act to record for them outside their own studios. Recorded on this day were five jingles, 'My Way' (not broadcast) and alternate versions of 'Pictures Of Lily' & 'A Quick One While He's Away'. Also readied for the broadcast were early mixes of 'I Can See For Miles'*, 'Relax', 'Our Love Was', 'I Can't Reach You', 'Summertime Blues' & 'Someone's Coming'. These songs were already recorded on an earlier date and would eventually appear on official Who product with a slightly different mix (although it took more than 30 years for 'Summertime Blues').
The versions here are uninterrupted from start to finish without annoucements (with the exception of the ending of 'Our Love Was'), for the first time ever. As a bonus, I have added a clean mono mix of 'Lily' with better fidelity than the BBC source which has not circulated before.
* The 45RPM & BBC versions both contain a heavy bass dub that was imposed on the mono album master. The dubs differ, to ensure the BBC got a unique master recording.
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01. I Can See For Miles
Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Wednesday 25 October 1967
Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops' Thursday 26 October 1967
Producer: Johnnie Stewart
Source: off-air recording
Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. Completely new to circulation and once again generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub.
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01. I Can See For Miles
Recorded: BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Saturday 16 December 1967
Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops' Monday 25 December 1967
Producer: Johnnie Stewart
Source: off-air recording
Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. Completely new to circulation and once again generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub. Announcement by JS.
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01. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand
Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Sunday 17 December 1967
Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Twice a Fortnight' Saturday 23 December 1967
Source: off-air recording
Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. 2 small parts of it appear in the "All My Loving' 1968 film with better fidelity (I tried patching both sources but the difference was too distracting). This complete version is new to circulation, thanks to an anonymous collector.
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01. 'Pete interview'
02. Pinball Wizard
Recorded: BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Thursday 27 March 1969
Broadcast (live): BBC TV 'Top of the Pops'
Source: transcription disc
Note: Roger/Pete(?) sing along with studio version. Part of the interview has appeared on a bonus disc that came with a limited edition of the official 2000 release. Tracks are sourced from "Top of the Tops" transcription discs #232 & #233.
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01. 'David Wigg interviews Pete Townshend'
Source: transcription disc
Note: Sourced from "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #289 (released 20-5-1970).
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01. The Seeker
Recorded: BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush, London UK, Thursday 19 March 1970
Broadcast: BBC TV 'Top of the Pops'; Thursday 26 March 1970
Source: transcription disc
Note: Roger sings live over the studio version of 'The Seeker' for "Top Of The Pops", with the rest of the band miming along. John forced a re-shoot after the director did not include a shot of him in the first take. Sourced from "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #283.
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01. I'm Free
02. The Seeker
03. Heaven And Hell
04. Shakin' All Over/Spoonful (Medley)
05. Substitute
06. Pinball Wizard
Recorded: IBC Studios, London UK; Monday 13 April 1970
Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Dave Lee Travis'; Sunday 19 April 1970
Producer: Paul Williams
Source: 01-04: transcription disc w/ patches from tape sources 05-06: tape
Note: The last formal band session for the Beeb and again recorded outside an official BBC studio. 'Heaven and Hell' was later released in a slightly reworked version as a B-side to 'Summertime Blues'. The versions presented here are uninterrupted from start to finish (with the exception of 'Seeker') for the first time.
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01. 'Keith Altham talks to Pete Townshend'
Source: transcription disc
Note: Sourced from "Top of the Tops" transcription disc #304 (released 2-9-1970).
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01. I Don't Even Know Myself
Recorded: Olympic Studio, Barnes, London UK; 1971
Source: tape
Note: This one is a bit of a mystery. No details about it are given on the official BBC session CD. It is the same take that was released in 1971 as the B-side to 'Won't Get Fooled Again' but here we get a clean mono mix that differs in a few places from the released version. Believed to have been recorded in 1971 during the Who's Next sessions.
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Total time: 2h25m24s
All tracks are Mono
Research for this comp: Prof Stoned/Hallucalation
Mastering: Prof Stoned
Special thanks to John, Ben, Eugene, Irwin-Caiger ESQ., Colin H., The Johnny Kidd Fan Club & RW.
Source: thewhothismonth.com, Ken Garner - In Session Tonight (1993), Radio Times, various...
v1.0: 03-09-2021
v1.1: 27-04-2025 (newly discovered session 1966-09-14 added; our thanks again to the The Johnny Kidd Fan Club)
v1.2: 29-04-2025 (another newly discovered session 1967-04-26 added; our eternal gratitude to the The Johnny Kidd Fan Club)
v1.3: 27-06-2025 (another newly discovered sessions added 1967-10-25, 1967-12-16 & 1967-12-17; also TOTP details corrected, our eternal gratitude to The Johnny Kidd Fan Club)
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Note:
Here's another BBC comp that (hopefully) will rock your world. This collection corrects the poor mastering of the official release and also most of its source problems. For this presentation, I went back to the original source material: the 'Top of the Tops' transcription discs which were expertly transferred to digital by an unknown person, whom we are extremely grateful. I have also strived to present as many clean song intros and outros as was possible for the October 1967 & April 1970 sessions (the ones before have only survived as they are presented here). I believe it is close to being the definitive Who/BBC document, though supposedly there is an official reissue coming as well.
Sadly, the first formal BBC session is forever lost. On the 2nd of April 1965, The Who appeared on The Joe Loss Pop Show giving a live performance at the Playhouse Theatre in Northumberland Avenue. Their set that morning was "Heatwave," "I Can't Explain," "Please Please Please" and "Shout and Shimmy". The session tape was wiped and no off-air fan recording have turned up thus far. From the 2nd session in May 1965 on, the recordings were at least partially preserved on in-house transcription discs and this is why we are still able to enjoy the material contained herein.
This collection is about as complete as it gets. The only omissions are a few tracks from Tommy which were aired in 1969 and 1971. These are not unique recordings, just the album tracks folded to mono. I have carefully remastered every track in my studio. I am quite pleased with the results, considering how rough some of these direct-to-mono recordings are on the actual source material. I think it is the best this has ever sounded. Enjoy!
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Sources:
- 'digital transfers from BBC transcription discs (nearly all done by the same anonymous person)'
- BBC Sessions (CD + MiniAlbum, Ltd) MCA Records, Point (10), BBC 088 111 960-2 US 2000
- Maximum BBC (The Radio Sessions 1965 - 1970) (CD, Unofficial) Invasion Unlimited IU 9543-1 Europe 1995
- Maximum BBC (CD, Unofficial) Hiwatt WHO 001 Japan 1994
- The Singles (CD, Comp) Polydor 815 965-2 Europe 1984
- 'various fan-made off-air tapes'
- 'unspecified digital sources'
All audio used is lossless.
