Rating:
*** (3 stars)
Title: Who
Came First
Company: Track
Catalog: SL
7-9189
Year: 1972
Grade
(cover/record): gatefold sleeve; pop
thru part of last track
Comments:
--
Available: 2
Price: $8.00 |
Best known as The Who's chief songwriter and
lead guitarist (see separate entry), Pete Townshend released his initial
solo effort in 1972. Dedicated to the guru Meher Baba (in case you didn't
get it, the inner and back sleeves included photos of Baba), "Who
Came First" stood as a true solo effort - Townshend
producing, arranging and playing virtually all of the instrumentation.
Musically the set offered up an odd mixture of Who-styled rockers, including
"Nothing Is Everything" and "Pure and Easy" (both
salvaged from the Who's cancelled "Life House" project) and
quasi-religious paeans such as "Parvardigar" and the fuzz guitar
(Caleb Quaye) propelled "Forever's No Time At All" (anyone hearing
the latter would agree that Townshend was well advised to avoid future stabs
at a falsetto). The album even included a cover of Jim Reeves' "There's
a Heartache Following Me" (reportedly recorded because it was the Meher
Baba's favorite song.) The guru reportedly also liked "Begin the
Beguine" which Townshend thankfully declined to record. Elsewhere, the
set's best effort wasn't even a Townshend song, rather came from The Faces'
Ronnie Lane's acoustic "Evolution" (a precursor to the forthcoming
"Rough Mix" collaboration). Commercially the album proved a
disappointment, peaking at #69. (Originally released with a gatefold sleeve,
the set was quickly reissued by Track's parent MCA - sans the expensive
packaging.)
"Who Came First" track listing:
1.) Pure and Easy (Pete Townshend) - 5:25
2.) Evolution (Ronnie Lane) - 3:33
3.) Forever's No Time At All (Billie Nocholls - Katie McInnery) - 2:50
4.) Nothing Is Everything (Let's See Some Action) (Pete Townshend) - 6:15
5.) Time Is Passing (Pete Townshend) - 3:25
6.) Heartache (Jimmy Reeves) - 3:15
7.) Sheraton Gibson (Pete Townshend) - 2:40
8.) Content (Maud Kennedy - Pete Townshend) - 2:30
9.) Pavardigar (Pete Townshend - adapted from Meher Baba's Univeral Prayer)
- 6:43
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