I know I have my memories of this day, 25 years ago. They have not faded at all. Every second of that day is vivid, and some of those memories still occasionally haunt me.
"Never forget?" Come on, now. How could anyone forget?
Because of that shared tragedy, the nation came together, at least for a few days. Americans seemed to bond together in shared sorrow and determination. For a few days, there were no hyphenated Americans, no Irish, Italian, Native, Afro, Asian or Latin before the term American. People seemed to care for each other.
That is something that we've unfortunately forgotten.
Today we remember the dead, the heroes, those left behind without mothers and fathers, parents who lost children. We honor EVERYONE who did what they could to get all of us through the horror.
Tomorrow?
Well, I predict it'll be back to business, hating on skin color, sexual preference, women, and the litany of phobias that for a short time 25 years ago, mattered not.
The Who announced a deluxe edition of their 1975 classic "The Who By Numbers" last week, and I for one, cannot wait. The set will feature 92 unreleased tracks, many just recently found after being thought lost for good in that Universal Records warehouse fire years ago. A number of those unreleased tracks will have Pete Townshend on vocals, either on demos or early alternate versions. If you are a fan of this record, and history tells me only a few of you are, this box is a big deal.
I play "The Who By Numbers" more than I play "Who's Next" or "Quadrophenia," though not quite as much as "The Who Sell Out." I never quite understood why this record isn't talked about with the same esteem as so many other records from the same era. The songs are powerful and personal and all four band members are at the top of their game. And any record with "Blue, Red & Grey" is a winner in my book.
The first preview is a Pete vocal on "Imagine A Man" and it's wonderful.
DISC ONE: THE ORIGINAL 1975 ALBUM REMASTERED
1. Slip Kid
2. However Much I Booze
3. Squeeze Box
4. Dreaming From The Waist
5. Imagine A Man
6. Success Story
7. They Are All In Love
8. Blue Red And Grey
9. How Many Friends
10. In A Hand Or A Face
DISC TWO: PETE TOWNSHEND’S DEMOS
1. Keep Me Turning (Version 1) (Previously Unreleased)
2. Slip Kid (Version 1)
3. Squeeze Box
4. Blue Red And Grey ((Previously Unreleased)
5. Dreaming From The Waist (Previously Unreleased)
6. How Many Friends (Previously Unreleased)
7. Keep Me Turning (Version 2) (Previously Unreleased)
8. Imagine A Man (Previously Unreleased)
9. Slip Kid (Version 2) (Previously Unreleased)
10. Round And Round (working title for In A Hand Or A Face) (Previously Unreleased)
11. There Ain’t No Way Out (working title for However Much I Booze)
DISC THREE: TRACKING SESSIONS: RAMPORT & SHEPPERTON STUDIOS
1. Ramport Jam (Excerpt) (Previously Unreleased)
2. She Loves Everyone (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
3. Control Myself (Dreaming From The Waist Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
4. There Ain’t No Way Out (However Much I Booze Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
5. Goin’ To Frisco/Round And Round (In A Hand Or A Face Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
6. Hi-Heel Sneakers Jam with Nicky Hopkins (Studio Outtake) (Previously Unreleased)
7. Pete And Keith “The Artiste” (Studio Dialogue) (Previously Unreleased)
8. Success Story (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
9. How Many Friends (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
10. Imagine A Man (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
11. They Are All In Love (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
12. She Loves Everyone (Retake With Nicky Hopkins) (Previously Unreleased)
13. Squeeze Box (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
14. Instrumental 1 (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
15. I’m Dreaming (Dreaming From The Waist Retake) (Previously Unreleased)
16. Every Minute (Blue Red And Grey Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
17. Instrumental 2 (Rough Mix) (Tracking Session) (Previously Unreleased)
18. The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #1 (Radio Commercial) (Previously Unreleased)
DISC FOUR: EARLY MIXES & GUIDE VOCALS
1. Slip Kid – Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix Without Overdubs) (Previously Unreleased)
2. However Much I Booze – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
3. Squeeze Box – Alternate Roger Vocal (Previously Unreleased)
4. Dreaming From The Waist – Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
5. Imagine A Man – Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
6. Success Story – John Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
7. They Are All In Love – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
8. Blue Red And Grey (Unedited Version) (Previously Unreleased)
9. How Many Friends – Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
10. In A Hand Or A Face (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
11. They Are All In Love Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix) (Previously Unreleased)
12. Squeeze Box (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (Previously Unreleased)
13. Imagine A Man (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (Previously Unreleased)
14. They Are All In Love (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (Previously Unreleased)
15. How Many Friends (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (Previously Unreleased)
16. The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #2 (Radio Commercial) (Previously Unreleased)
17. Keith Moon And John Entwistle Preview (The Who by Numbers With John Peel, BBC 1975) (Previously Unreleased)
18. However Much I Booze (Live At The Summit, Houston, USA, 20 November 1975) (Previously Unreleased on disc)
19. Slip Kid (Live At Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA, 11 March 1976) (Previously Unreleased)
DISC FIVE: LIVE AT THE VETCH FIELD, SWANSEA, WALES, 12 JUNE 1976
1. My Wife
2. Baba O’Riley (Previously Unreleased)
3. Squeeze Box
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. Dreaming From The Waist
6. Amazing Journey (Previously Unreleased)
7. Sparks (Previously Unreleased)
8. The Acid Queen (Previously Unreleased)
9. Fiddle About
10. Pinball Wizard
11. I’m Free
12. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
13. We’re Not Gonna Take It / See Me, Feel Me
14. Summertime Blues (Previously Unreleased)
15. My Generation/Join Together/My Generation Blues (Previously Unreleased)
16. Won’t Get Fooled Again (Previously Unreleased)
DISC SIX: BLU RAY The Who By Numbers
Pete Townshend Atmos Mix (Previously Unreleased)
Pete Townshend 5.1 Mix (Previously Unreleased)
2026 Stereo Mix (Previously Unreleased)
1. Slip Kid (Previously Unreleased)
2. However Much I Booze (Previously Unreleased)
3. Squeeze Box (Previously Unreleased)
4. Dreaming From The Waist (Previously Unreleased)
5. Imagine A Man (Previously Unreleased)
6. Success Story (Previously Unreleased)
7. They Are All In Love (Previously Unreleased)
8. Blue Red Grey (Previously Unreleased)
9. How Many Friends (Previously Unreleased)
10. In A Hand Or A Face (Previously Unreleased)
LIVE AT METROPOLITAN STADIUM, PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, 6 DECEMBER 1975 (VIDEO)*
Unreleased Concert shot on NTSC 2” videotape)
1. I Can’t Explain (Previously Unreleased)
2. Substitute (Previously Unreleased)
3. My Wife (Previously Unreleased)
4. Baba O’Riley (Previously Unreleased)
5. Squeeze Box (Previously Unreleased)
6. Behind Blue Eyes (Previously Unreleased)
7. Dreaming From The Waist (Previously Unreleased)
8. Boris The Spider (Previously Unreleased)
9. Magic Bus (Previously Unreleased)
10. Amazing Journey / Sparks (Previously Unreleased)
11. The Acid Queen (Previously Unreleased)
12. Fiddle About (Previously Unreleased)
13. Pinball Wizard (Previously Unreleased)
14. I’m Free (Previously Unreleased)
15. Tommy’s Holiday Camp (Previously Unreleased)
16. We’re Not Gonna Take It / See Me, Feel Me (Previously Unreleased)
17. Summertime Blues (Previously Unreleased)
18. My Generation/Join Together/Road Runner/My Generation Blues
19. Won’t Get Fooled Again (Previously Unreleased)
Yeah- Lunachicks Young Savage- Ultravox It's Wonderful- The Rascals People- King Crimson Anna Stesia- Prince Behold- Derrick Morgan Vanity Fair- Squeeze
In a world where it seems like every hot shot jazz artist feels the need to incorporate hip-hop, soul and electronics into their repertoires, veterans Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart have released a refreshingly old school organ trio record called "Rhombus."
"Rhombus" feels as if it could have been plucked out of the Blue Note vaults circa 1962. The playing is perfect and never overdone. There is melody. The trio relies on their chops to get the music across, not tricks or technology to appeal to a younger crowd. This is jazz the way I fell in love with it.
