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The release a few months ago of The W sears opera, Tommy marked an important point in the development of pop music. Tommy is a great achievement for The Who, and Pete Townshend in particular, and is also a culmination of the English pop music movement. The world premiere of the opera at the Old Elizabeth ian Theatre in Newtown early last month must be greeted with less enthusiasm. TOMMY ONE The Who's record begins with a superbly confident overture stating several of the themes from the opera and building up to a climax through beautiful use of piano, organ and french horn on top of the usual Who guitar and mini brilliance. The singer then comes in backed by a luesy upbeat guitar to announce that Tommy's father is believed missing in World War I . The pace eases into the lyrical singing of a “Nurse” telling Tommy's mother “Its a Boy , followed by the slow echoing chorus: “A son! Acson! A son!” The pretty tune and light, simple singing of 1921 informs us that Tommy’s father returns home unexpect edly to find Mum in bed with a lover whom he meorders This song then alternates between the plaintive words of the father: “I had no reason to be over optimistic. But somehow When you smiled I could brave bad weather,” And the parents’ threats to the boy, Tommy, who saw ‘the murder: “You didn't hear it, You didn't see i, You won't say nothing to no one, Never in your life.” And the haunting “What about the boy?”, The boy,as a result of this little trauma becomes deaf, dumb and blind. “Amazing Journey”, a melodically and poetically rich song, typical of The Who at their best, tells us of Tommy’s musical dreams, led by sickness to “faces where minds can't usually go.” Then follows ‘Sparks’ an instrumental interhide of rhythmic and chordal exploration which gives us a chance to digest the themes so far, and prepares for the tough bluesy Sonny Boy Williamson song “Eyesight to the Blind”, called “The Hawker” in the context of the opera. This is the first of a number of tracks designed to build up the anxiety and tension which Tommy's parents feel in relation to Tommy's problems and the hope of saving him. In “Christmas” the father is concerned that while other children rejoice at Christmas, Tommy just “picks his nose and smiles”. The tension builds up to the agonising ending in which the father is shouting: “Tommy, can you hear me? How can he be saved?” while Tommy plaintively cries: “See me, feel me, Touch me, heal me” Some of the more extreme trials and tribulations of the young Tommy are described in the following two ones. “Cousin Kevin” is a sadist evoked by a long, slow screepy, melodic line. “The Acid Queen” says she can cure Tommy by taking him on an acid tap. Tommy's torment is indicated only externally — we have no indic ation of his inner feelings. A strong and fascinating peas is sung over simple guitar patterns and heavy ramming. At this stage the “Underture” serves as another instrumental interlude, building through a complex variety of experiments, unified by an obsessive guitar line, a series of climaxes which add considerably to the dominant feeling that an important story is unfolding. The bouncing “Do You Think its Alight?” relieves the tension and introduces wicked Uncle Ernie who consummates his sexual desires toward Tommy in “Fiddle About”, a very funny, mock-sinister song. Pinball Wizard” is a fabulous bit of minor eyed belting hard rock, with an amusing lyric describing Tommy's brilliance at pinball, played purely by intuition and sense of smell. The lilting “There’s a Doctor” introduces the beauti ful and complex melodies of “Go to the Mirror”, in which the heavy confidence of the doctors lines contrasts with Tommy's pathetic “See me, feel me, touch me, heal me” refrain, out of which grows a much more optimistic verse from Tommy as he sees his own image in the mirror. The parents’ anxieties and frustrations gradually come to a head, first in the anguished “Tommy Can You Hear Me? and then in the bluesy statement of “Smash the Mirror” which culminates in Tommy's mother smashing the mirror which Tommy has become obsessed with. Another trauma for Tommy. This time he is cured. His. extraordinary childhood has endowed him with equally extraordinary properties, he has become a prophet. This is revealed in the beautiful poetry and melody of “Sensation”. Tommy's core is announced through the medium of an “Extra, Extra, Read all about it’ style, newspaper headline which draws cleverly on advertising jingles [or its musical expression “Sally Simpson” tells the story of a young girl who idolizes Tommy and goes to one of his gospel meetings. It is a pleasant ironic song. The remainer of the opera tells the story of the rise and fall of Tommy’s religion. The mediocre “I'm Free’ is followed by the lyrical and gated “Welcome”, beautifully evocative of the comfortable friendly house where Tommy’s disciples are gathered. The mood changes abruptly with Uncle Ernie welcoming disciples to “Tommy's Holiday Camp”, a music hall type of song played on a wurlitzer. “We're Not Gonna Take It has Tommy's disciples rebelling in a musically weak song which is saved from ending the opera disappointingly by a restatement of the “See me, feel me” refrain, particularly plaintively sung, and the optimistic lines from “Go to the Mirror” laid down with resounding confidence. The value and importance of this work, written by Pete Townshend with help from the rest of The Who lies? not in its being a pop opera, nor in its extraordinary story rithant musically. In addition, if you are considering buying ‘the double, album recording, be encouraged by the first-class pack aging, fascinating artwork, and separate illustrated book, of the lyrics. TOMMY TWO In other words, the producers of the show at th Elizabethan had a lot to work with but a lot to give up to The premiere was a shambles. The film fell to bits. The group ( .. . It) reversed the order of two of the songs There were long irritating periods of blackness and/or silence. People who went expecting the world premier of an opera, as the show was billed, may have been disappointed to see a film accompanied by a pop group The group was reasonable, providing in the main , passable imitation of The Who. They did an excellent job of the Underture. But... . mightn’t it have been bette to use the real thing, albeit a record, than a pal imitation? Mick Glasheen’s film, what there was of it was good in some parts, DUt boring in others. It opened well with superimposed exposures oF night shots of traffic, new signs and so on. But too often it lapsed into the tediou repetition of one idea or image during the whole of a song, such as a cat licking cream off Tommy's fac during “Cousin Kevin which was both monotonous an pointless. I would not object to the film bearing only abstract relation to the story if this had been consistent but the whole effect became completely fragmented when some film sequences were irrelevant and others ever literal, such as Tommy playing pinball throughou t Pinball Wizard” My reluctant judgment on Sydney’s own production of Tommy is that not only is it musically superior to the record, it is visually inferior too, if the film is compare to the artwork on the record cover and boorder. In fact the record is much better value, even if it does cost $11.50. GET IT ON The first showing of Pacific Gas and Electric in their album Get it On is indeed a good one. It is available on the Bright Orange label (at the Hi-Fi Record Bar, 10 Belmore Road, Randwick) and if they keep this standard up, we'll be hearing more for sure. If they improve, however, YOUR UNION CARD entitles you to 5% cash discount TOP 40, FREE CHARTS, POPULAR RECORDINGS, AUSTRALIAN IMPORT LABELS STEREO LP's FROM $1.95 a eC allel Seeee | 39.3415) there’s a chance that they may overtake some of the other more established West Coast groups like Credence Clearwater or Canned Heat. The first track, a decidedly Gospel sound was unfortunately recorded live in Los Angeles, but it still manages to carry itself over the noise. The punctuated tambourine rhythm is particularly suitable for this track; “Wade in the Water” has in fact been released as a single in the U.S.A. “Cry, Cry, Cry”, on the other hand, is more bluesy and demonstrates the real style of the group. Charlie Allen, the lead singer, lays it on as only the Black Blues man can. One may have expected a better performance from the drummer, Frank Cook, beating in mind his previous assoc iation With Canned Heat. However, this is not ultimately important, as the worth of the group depends to a great degree on the lead guitarist (Glenn Schwartz) and the vocalist. At no stage does the music appear t be a copy of anything else, and the original style is really seen in “Motor City’s Burning’, a really powerful blues track The crashing chords are not over-done a they often are in West Coast blues. The track is dramatic and gripping. Approaching Rhythm and Blues rather than straight blues is the first track on Side, 2 called “The Hunter’, which some will have heard before in other forms. This is one of the best tracks — I would say that this album is worth getting just for this track and “Motor City’s Burning” on the flip side Pag. and E. are not a group who produce rampant noise, but they do have a soulful blues sound, with feeling laid on. If you like West Coast sounds, they recommend that you Get this album On, PHIL CARRICK, TOMM Y RICK MOHR
Newspaper Details
Kensington Tharunka
Kensington, New South Wales, AU
Tue, Feb 24, 1970
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Clifford M.
CZ 03 Jun 2025
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