26×26 – Q is for Quadrophenia

Let’s look through the music folder: no Queen, no QOTSA, no Q-Tip, no Q at all..  time to cheat. OK, I was thinking about writing about The Who (but can’t, since I have another letter W band for you), and I used to live in Brighton..

The Quadrophenia soundtrack it is then.

A few differences from Quadrophenia (the album) itself in track listing, plus a whole side of Mod oldies (James Brown, The Kingsmen, Booker T. etc), and even a couple from The Who in pre-Who days as The High Numbers.

A few tracks that might be termed fillers, of course, to help the film run smoothly, but there are plenty of classic powerful Who statements here.. the out -of-my-brain-on-a-train-ness of 5:15, the ripping brass-section assisted The Real Me, Townshend riffing away. The Punk And The Godfather crashes it’s way to a subtle jangling fade out. Sawing strings on Love, Reign O’er Me. A rock bass-playing masterclass too, on this record, from John Entwistle, and some of Townshend’s best writing.

Great film: Franc Roddam makes it gritty and concise and striking.. beats Tommy hands down, for me. Young Phil ‘Parklife‘ Daniels puts in a great performance as mixed-up Mod Jimmy. He could be Moony’s skinny younger brother – in fact the aspects of Jimmy’s fractured personality were said by Townshend to illustrate the four members of the Who. A tough guy and a helpless dancer (Roger) – a romantic (John) – a bloody lunatic (Keith) – a beggar and a hypocrite (Pete).

Wonder what R will be?