The Who - Alternate Timeline (1970-1976) [Part 2]

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7ft. Wide Car, 6ft. Wide Garage (1970)

Side A (20:18)

1. Heaven and Hell - 3:34 [1]

2. Young Man Blues - 2:47 [1]

3. Drowned - 4:14 [2]

4. Water - 7:16 [3]

5. Here for More - 2:27 [1]

Side B (20:45)

1. The Seeker - 4:02 [1]

2. Postcard - 3:35 [1]

3. Trying to Get Through - 2:13 [4]

4. Naked Eye - 6:44 [3]

5. Now I'm a Farmer - 4:11 [1]

[1] The Who - Odds & Sods [2020 Reissue]

[2] The Who - Quadrophenia [Super Deluxe Edition]

[3] The Who - Who's Next : Life House [Super Deluxe Edition]

[4] The Who - Tommy [Deluxe Edition]

Tommy did numbers, and the Who, always willing to experiment, began thinking of new ways to top themselves. As always, Pete Townshend, the resident idea man, came up with a new concept that the band could feasibly record. The story involved multiple people who are involved in the creation of a post-apocalyptic rock concert. It took place in a polluted world and the people were forced to wear suits that would recreate experiences so no one would have to leave home. The story would evolve over time, but to the dismay of the band, the concept was nowhere near completion by mid 1970. So as to satisfy their label, the band borrowed previously released singles (as well as recording a few new concept-free songs), and compiled them into a new album that would be released in late 1970, similar to what they had done with Who's for Tennis? two years prior. The album was received fairly well, but some were taken aback seeing how they had just come off fresh from Tommy. Acclaim would increase over the years as fans realized how necessary it was as a stepping stone in their career.

Continuing from Tommy, this album was actually pretty fun to put together. In our timeline, 7ft. Wide Car, 6ft. Wide Garage was a joke name that the band was going to use for an EP with some of the songs I've used on this album, but it was scrapped so Townshend could focus his efforts on his ultimately doomed Lifehouse project. It is a damn shame that these songs never became a part of their official discography, because some of them, such as "Naked Eye", "Heaven and Hell" and "Water", are incredibly good, and deserve to stand along the rest of their greatest works. Sound-wise, this works very nice as a bridge from Tommy to Who's Next, and it's real fun to listen to. "Trying to Get Through" is a Tommy outtake, both in this timeline and in ours, but I thought it was too good to get rid of entirely, and "Drowned", which is on Quadrophenia in our timeline, has its roots during this timeframe, and so I decided to take full advantage of that.

Lifehouse (1971)

Side A (23:52)

1. Baba 1 (One Note) - 1:25 [1]

2. Teenage Wasteland - 6:42 [1]

3. When I Was a Boy - 3:25 [1]

4. Baba 2 (Universal Grid) - 3:38 [1]

5. Going Mobile - 3:43 [1]

6. I Don't Even Know Myself - 4:59 [1]

Side B (25:43)

1. Baba O'Riley - 5:03 [1]

2. Time Is Passing - 3:28 [1]

3. Love Ain't for Keeping - 2:11 [1]

4. Baba 3 (Revelation) - 2:37 [1]

5. Greyhound Girl - 3:06 [1]

6. Mary - 4:15 [1]

7. Behind Blue Eyes - 5:03 [1]

Side C (28:44)

1. Bargain - 5:33 [1]

2. Too Much of Anything - 4:20 [1]

3. Baba 4 (He Shall Have His Vengeance on London Town) - 3:00 [1]

4. Pure and Easy - 5:29 [1]

5. Getting in Tune - 4:50 [1]

6. Let's See Action - 5:32 [1]

Side D (28:21)

1. Baba O'Riley (Reprise) - 9:47 [1]

2. Won't Get Fooled Again - 8:31 [1]

3. Baba 5 (The Lost Note) - 1:40 [1]

4. The Song Is Over - 8:23 [1]

[1] Custom mix

By March-April 1971, Pete Townshend's Lifehouse concept was finally coming into fruition. The gap release of 7ft. Wide Car, 6ft. Wide Garage gave him all the time he needed to properly flesh out his concept and, at the same time, make it accessible to listeners who may have not gotten the story prior. Recording went from March-July, and by the end of the sessions, it had become clear that the Who had evolved their sound yet again. This was the hardest they had rocked thus far and was, therefore, the closest to sounding what they did during their live shows. Townshend also experimented with synths on the record, a first for the band. The album would release in September to universal acclaim from pretty much everyone. Lifehouse was, and still is, considered to be the band's finest hour and best represented their overall sound. Townshend would say in later years that this album was his life's work, and the Who never did anything better before or after. As the 70's went on, that would be debatable to some.

You know it, you love it, it's the one and only Lifehouse. No alternate Who timeline (or alternate timeline for that matter) is complete without some version of it, regardless of how realistic it may or may not be. Lifehouse is similar to the Beach Boys' Smile where everyone has their own personal version of it that feels the most accurate to them, and this album is simply my own version of it. This is the final of my three custom mixes I've done for this timeline, with this one being the most ambitious of them all. I've added some things here and there to make the whole thing sound a bit more cohesive, so I hope you enjoy listening to the mix.

Rock Is Dead - Long Live Rock (1973)

Side A (23:44)

1. Relay - 3:52 [1]

2. Long Live Rock - 4:00 [1]

3. My Wife - 3:41 [1]

4. Is It in My Head - 3:44 [2]

5. Put the Money Down - 4:05 [1]

6. Join Together (With the Band) - 4:22 [1]

Side B (29:24)

- Fill No' 2 - 1:30 [2]

1. Baby Don't You Do It - 5:13 [3]

2. The Dirty Jobs - 4:30 [2]

3. Cut My Hair - 3:45 [2]

4. Doctor Jimmy - 8:37 [2]

5. Love, Reign o'er Me - 5:49 [2]

[1] The Who - Who's Next : Life House [Super Deluxe Edition]

[2] The Who - Quadrophenia [Super Deluxe Edition]

[3] The Who - Who's Next [Expanded Edition]

What had started as just another leftovers album sprouted into a concept just as daring as what had come before that would capture the heart of their fans yet again. Lifehouse had been a massive undertaking with an incredibly daring concept, and yet it paid off when it became their best-selling and most critically appraised album. But Pete Townshend wasn't satisfied. He was almost satisfied, but not completely. Somehow, there were leftover songs that had been left off of Lifehouse, a testament to the band's hard-working attitude. As had been done before with Who's for Tennis? and 7ft. Wide Car, 6ft. Wide Garage, these leftover songs served as the basis for their next album, due for release in 1972. But things changed as Townshend's mind began to race once again. His next concept was almost as daring as his last, but at the same time it was a bit more accessible. The album would be an autobiographical look at the Who's career up to that point. To make this a reality, newer songs written by Townshend were faster-paced and youthful sounding, and a cover was added to the album as a reminder of where they came from. The album as a whole wasn't a concept (the songs that were written during the Lifehouse sessions were never taken off when Townshend's concept started to emerge); the idea would pick up speed on Side B, where the last four songs embodied the spirit of those sessions, concluding with the powerful "Love, Reign O'er Me". These songs were the last to be written and composed, and it forced the band to delay the album to 1973. When released, the Who saw a second resurgence in popularity, and their success into the 70's was now all but secured.

I initially had some mixed feelings when I decided to divvy up Quadrophenia into two separate albums, but in retrospect, I think this really works. I think it would've really thrown the band's fans off guard if they decided to follow up a huge concept album with another completely separate huge concept album, so making the first half of the album completely self-insistent songs felt right to me. Plus, the song selection is pretty damn good if I say so myself. This album was originally designed to bridge the gap between Lifehouse and Quadrophenia and would've released in 1972, but I delayed it simply because I ran out of decent songs to use from that period of time, and it became Part 1 of the Quadrophenia duology. Their next album will go over the remainder of this material along with a few extras. "Fill No' 2" from the Super Deluxe Edition of Quadrophenia is the first part of "Baby Don't You Do It" in this timeline, but I thought I'd list it separately for anyone wanting to put the album together for themselves.

Who Came First (1974)

Side A (21:15)

1. I Am the Sea - 2:03 [1]

2. The Real Me - 3:28 [1]

3. I'm One (At Least) - 2:40 [1]

4. Get Out and Stay Out - 2:26 [1]

5. Eternal Youth - 5:25 [2]

6. Bell Boy - 4:55 [1]

7. Helpless Dancer - 0:18 [1]

Side B (24:43)

1. The Punk Meets the Godfather - 5:21 [1]

2. We Close Tonight - 3:03 [3]

3. Quadrophenic - 3:20 [1]

4. Joker James - 3:13 [1]

5. I've Had Enough - 6:11 [1]

6. Big Black Cadillac - 3:35 [4]

[1] The Who - Quadrophenia [Soundtrack]

[2] John Entwistle - Smash Your Head Against the Wall

[3] The Who - Odds & Sods [1998 Remaster]

[4] John Entwistle - Rigor Mortis Sets In

Rock Is Dead - Long Live Rock had fared well with the public, but Pete Townshend wasn't satisfied just yet. He was glad The Who were able to keep momentum after the success that was Lifehouse (he would later consider Long Live Rock to be a personal favorite of his), but his autobiographical concept, now called "Quadrophenia", was still considered incomplete. The four songs at the end of Long Live Rock were a nice summary of his idea, but from the idea's inception, he wanted to go more in depth. What he really wanted was a second Lifehouse, although that certainly wouldn't be possible, at least for now. The Who's next album would be a more in-depth look of the mod named Jimmy (modeled after Townshend himself) and his quest for fame and clout amongst his peers. Because a majority of the songs on the table were already considered for Long Live Rock, the band barely did any recording for this album. John Entwistle would bring three of his own songs, none of which having to do with "Quadrophenia", to the sessions, in fear that his role in the group was gradually slipping away. While the album would initially be titled Quadrophenia, Townshend would drop it for the more generic-sounding Who Came First, since the album didn't tell the whole story the way he wanted it to. It would release in January 1974, not even a year after Long Live Rock, to generally positive acclaim. Critics considered it a successful sequel to their 1973 album, which is all Townshend wanted to hear. In 1979, a feature film based off Townshend's concept, now officially titled Quadrophenia, was released with Townshend heading the screenplay. He considered this the point in which his idea was finally realized on the scale he wanted.

And here is Part 2 of the Quadrophenia duology, using a majority of the rest of the album. As you can see here, Quadrophenia is so good that you could cut in half, like I've basically done, and it still makes for a killer album. The cover is a bit drab, I know, but in a way I think that makes it stand out from the rest of their discography. It would definitely be one of their more well-known covers in this timeline. I decided to use the Quadrophenia soundtrack versions of these songs just so it and Long Live Rock sounded exactly the same sound-wise. There's definitely some variety here that isn't present on the previous album. Lastly, you can see that I've finally used some solo tracks, specifically two from Entwistle. This will become more and more prevalent over time starting with the very next album, and I think it adds a certain feel that I haven't seen any other alternate Who album really touch upon. Whether the solo material is as good as the band's material is up to the listener (it usually isn't). "Quadrophenic" is "Four Faces", found on the Quadrophenia soundtrack.

Ride a Rock Horse (1975)

Side A (24:11)

1. Get Your Love - 3:46 [1]

2. However Much I Booze - 5:03 [2]

3. Squeeze Box - 2:41 [2]

4. Girl in a Suitcase - 3:26 [3]

5. Who Cares - 4:28 [4]

6. Giddy - 4:47 [5]

Side B (19:55)

1. Success Story - 3:20 [2]

2. Oceans Away - 3:17 [1]

3. They Are All in Love - 3:00 [2]

4. Blue Red and Grey - 2:47 [2]

5. Back on the Road - 4:06 [6]

6. In a Hand or a Face - 3:25 [2]

[1] Roger Daltrey - Ride a Rock Horse

[2] The Who - The Who by Numbers

[3] Pete Townshend - Another Scoop

[4] John Entwistle - Whistle Rymes

[5] Roger Daltrey - One of the Boys

[6] John Entwistle - Music from Van-Pires

With Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia concept complete, the Who were now at a loss for where they should go next. The answer to this question would be a strange one; in order to progress, they had to regress. With the success of Tommy, Lifehouse, and Rock Is Dead - Long Live Rock, they had pigeonholed themselves into being a band that only made stories and concepts with their albums. Townshend thought that to keep the band going for longer, they'd have to let the public get used to some normal albums for a while. As Townshend would famously put it in an interview, "The concept is that there is no concept". Townshend also had to deal with his self-consciousness when it came to his age. He was nearing 30, and he was worried if he was getting too old to play the music he was once comfortable playing. This feeling would be carried into the songs he wrote for the remainder of the 70's. From these factors birthed Ride a Rock Horse, the next Who album that would release in October 1975, almost two years after their last. Despite some initial hesitation, critics praised the album for its versatility and grandeur. For what felt like the first time ever, Townshend didn't have a commanding force over the band; Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle both got their own time in the spotlight. As time went on however, acclaim would become more mild. Despite the name of the album, this was one of their softest efforts yet, with very few Who-style hard rock anthems. But most of all, people missed the concept albums that they put out. Sure they had become known for them, but what Townshend forgot to realize was that no one minded. While Rock Horse was great, the public wanted the Who to tell them another story. And in 1977, that is exactly what they would do.

This is when I get to be a little more creative with the tracks I can use. By this point, Daltrey and Entwistle each had a handful of solo albums to handpick some songs from, and Townshend has his Scoop compilation series that has some hidden treasures buried within. Frankly, with maybe the exception of Townshend, all of their solo careers are pretty boring, so doing this whole timeline has given me a reason to look into their solo works and see if there's anything worthwhile. And I was genuinely surprised with some of what I heard. Besides the solo stuff, the rest of the album is just The Who by Numbers, which shouldn't come as much surprise. It's a fine enough album, and I didn't see the need to change it much. The songs I took off will be used elsewhere. "Back on the Road", while released on 2000's Music from Van-Pires, was recorded during this timeframe, so it's fair game.

The Who by Numbers (EP) (1975)

Side A (8:02)

1. My Baby Gives It Away - 4:02 [1]

2. Imagine a Man - 4:00 [2]

Side B (6:58)

1. Bogey Man - 4:00 [3]

2. Real Emotion - 2:58 [4]

[1] Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane - Rough Mix

[2] The Who - The Who by Numbers

[3] John Entwistle - Music from Van-Pires

[4] Keith Moon - Two Sides of the Moon [Deluxe Edition]

The Who by Numbers is an EP by The Who released in September 1976. It was made as a stopgap release to keep their fans waiting for their next bigger project, as this was all they had lined up for that year. All four songs were written and sung by a different band member (with the exception of "Imagine a Man", written by Pete Townshend but sung by Roger Daltrey) as a continuation of their Ride a Rock Horse policy of letting Townshend ease off control of the band. The EP was moderately successful but was ultimately mostly ignored by the public. Ronnie Lane, formerly of Faces, features on Townshend's song "My Baby Gives It Away", and David Bowie features on Keith Moon's song "Real Emotion".

And finally, we close this second part with an EP, a somewhat whimper-ish way to end things. I was on the fence for if this should even exist or not, but I knew I couldn't leave the OTL cover and title in the dust. I can guarantee that "Real Emotion" will be the only song from Two Sides of the Moon that I'll use (and because it wasn't on the original album, we can pretend that that still exists untouched in this timeline). Like "Back on the Road" on the previous album, "Bogey Man" is also from this period of time.

Part 3 will feature the second rise, and fall, of The Who, with some twists and turns to make the timeline more original. The Who's concept album days are not yet behind them...