Round 2: Heat 1: Nevermind vs Tommy

[BLUEBLOOD]

Hmm ... an interesting match up this, will the old timers flock to canveyshrimpers aidand vote for The Who, or will the indie kids come out in support of Aberdeens masterpiece ... over to you chaps

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

On behalf of canveyshrimper

I've had oodles of PMs in the last couple of days, from people asking if i can submit posts for the BotA up as they may or may not be able to find their cause much ... of course i will do this for anyone that asks

I can't remember if Harry asked me to post this up again or not, but i'll do it anyway ...

Tommy was the 4th album by The Who, IMO one of the all time great bands. The band comprised Pete Townshend lead guitar/keyboads, Roger Daltrey vocals, John The Ox Entwhistle bass & the manic Keith Moon drums. The album released in 1969 mostly composed by Townshend and has led where most subsequent concept or rock operas have since followed.

It loosely tells the story of Tommy a deaf, dumb & blind kid who becomes the leader of messianic movement. The album itself was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 for historical, artistic and significant value. The only single taken for the UK was Pinball Wizard which charted at number 4 in 1969, although I'm Free and See me, Feel me charted on the Billboard charts in 1969 & 1970 respectively.

Although the band played Tommy live after it's release they rarely if ever played it in the form it was released as, sometimes deciding to change the running order and also leave out 4 tracks. There are live recordings available, notably Live at the Isle of Wight in 1970 which I was priveleged to witness. The band also performed Tommy for it's 20th anniversary on their 1989 reunion tour, with Kenney Jones replacing the late Keith Moon on drums.

The album has also been translated into various stage productions, but most famously as a Ken Russell directed film with Roger Daltrey starring as Tommy, and featured all the band members in the supporting cast, the best of which Moon as Uncle Ernie. It also starred Ann-Margret as Tommy's mother, Oliver Reed as the boyfriend, Elton John on Pinball Wizard and an electrifying performance by Tina Turner as the Acid Queen. Quite simply a brilliant album, probably ahead of it's time by one of the great British bands ever.

 

[Uncle Leo]

...but Nevermind's got 'Come as You Are' on it.

 

[Harold Bishop Killer]

Has to be Nevermind. First real album i heard from the early 90's grunge scene a few afterwards and was sheer brillance. And as Uxbridge has posted includes one of my all time favourite tracks

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

This one's a tough tough choice, but I've got to go with Thomas:

Listening to you, I get the music
Gazing at you, I get the heat
Following you, I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet

Right behind you, I see the millions
On you, I see the glory
From you, I get opinion
From you, I get the story

 

[MK Shrimper]

Has to be nevermind. Yes Tommy is a great album but nevermind was one of the soundtracks of my youth. This always bought kids onto the dancefloor when I was djing and the number of bruises I got at the toothbrush thanks to teen spirit is worth it alone! Very few songs get this skinny dude moshing like a maniac but this did. for the memories, the music and the legacy, vote nevermind!

 

[SUFC Forever]

Definately Nevermind here for me. Who were good but love that album.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I know I kind of slated Nevermind in the previous round, but it's getting my vote again. Just been looking at the tracklisting again...

Smells Like Teen Spirit
In Bloom
Come As You Are
Breed
Lithium
Polly
Territorial ****ings
Drain You
Lounge Act
Stay Away
On A Plain
Something In The Way

I'd quite forgotten about Territorial ****ings & Something In The Way, awesome tunes. Maybe I should actually buy the damn thing...

 

[canveyshrimper]

...but Nevermind's got 'Come as You Are' on it.

....and? :unsure:

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

...but Nevermind's got 'Come as You Are' on it.

That alone has to be reason enough to vote for this ground braking influential and iconic masterpiece.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Thanks for posting that up Lee, as I am not around much today to make my case.

Here is the link from Wiki which gives a full summary of the album, stage shows and cult film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_(rock_opera)

Tommy was groundbreaking at the time of its release in 1969 and the band led where others at the time feared to tread, in terms of releasing rock operas and/or concept albums. As pete Townshend was responsible for most of the project it has been mooted that the album was a reflection of his childhood.

At the time of the release of Tommy in 1969 British bands really ruled the roost in world music, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks were incredibly successful. Plus new bands like Floyd & Zeppelin were coming to the fore.

The line up of The Who worked fantatically well, the great vocals of Daltry, who can forget his performance at Woodstock & the Isle of Wight in 1970. Townshend who musically pulled all the strings, Entwhistle to quote the preamble on Quadrophenia had a bass that sounded like a bleeding VC10, and Keith Moon on drums. Moon and Entwhistle both lived and died in the sex drugs and rock and roll culture. Moon very young in a pool of his own vomit, and Entwhistle with a nose full of coke a belly full of JD and a Vegas tom in his bed.

On reflection Tommy was probably a forerunner for Quadrophenia which was probably all round a much better piece of work. But it remains one of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands of all time.

So good people of SZ vote Tommy.

Thanks you.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I am sadly not around much at all this week, I am relying on the fact that Tommy as a movie was great but the album unfortunately is riding on the coat tails of the movie and simply does not measure up to Nevermind.

Question is......out of the 2 albums, what one would you enjoy listening to (all the way through) the most??

 

[canveyshrimper]

I am sadly not around much at all this week, I am relying on the fact that Tommy as a movie was great but the album unfortunately is riding on the coat tails of the movie and simply does not measure up to Nevermind.

Question is......out of the 2 albums, what one would you enjoy listening to (all the way through) the most??

No question Tommy. ;)

I'm not sure how an album released 6 years before the film can be riding on the coat tails of said film.:unsure:

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

No question Tommy. ;)

I'm not sure how an album released 6 years before the film can be riding on the coat tails of said film.:unsure:

Reading???

I see how you are getting confused....you old codgger!!!

VOTE Nevermind..........not some codggers album

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

No question Tommy. ;)

I'm not sure how an album released 6 years before the film can be reading on the coat tails of said film.:unsure:

Unfortunately Harry, the movie is iconic but the soundtrack/Album is not.

With out Googling it, how many folk can name even half the track from the album???

Sorry mate..........its an old feckers album and does not even come close to the stature of Nevermind...........

Which went 10 times Platinum by the way
;)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Reading???

I see how you are getting confused....you old codgger!!!

VOTE Nevermind..........not some codggers album

:D

How many g's in codger?

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

The movie is a poor substitute for the brilliance of 'Tommy' the album. It's ridiculous to say that this wasn't an iconic album, or call it a soundtrack. The film was inspired by the music, and made several years later. There's plenty of good things to say about 'Nevermind' without blasting the opposition.

As for the tracks, I'll see what I can do without going to the search engine:

Overture
Amazing Journey
1921
Sparks
Eyesight to the Blind
Christmas
The Acid Queen
Cousin Kevin
Underture
Pinball Wizard
Fiddle About
Go to the Mirror
Tommy Can You Hear Me?
Sensation
I'm Free
We're Not Gonna Take it
See Me, Feel Me

 

[canveyshrimper]

Unfortunately Harry, the movie is iconic but the soundtrack/Album is not.

With out Googling it, how many folk can name even half the track from the album???

Sorry mate..........its an old feckers album and does not even come close to the stature of Nevermind...........

Which went 10 times Platinum by the way
;)

That'll be a generational thing Dave. I can name you all the tracks from start to finish, but couldn't for Nevermind.

Stature of an album can only be conjecture, I wouldn't know but has Nevermind been inducted to the Album Hall of Fame? If it proves anything Tommy has.

IMO Tommy is iconic as it was groundbreaking. Care to name any rock operas or concept albums prior to its release. As I've said the album & band led where others have followed.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Smells Like Teen Spirit
In Bloom
Come As You Are
Breed
Lithium
Polly
Territorial ****ings
Drain You
Lounge Act
Stay Away
On A Plain
Something In The Way

The standout track for me :clap:

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Overture
Amazing Journey
1921
Sparks
Eyesight to the Blind
Christmas
The Acid Queen
Cousin Kevin
Underture
Pinball Wizard
Fiddle About
Go to the Mirror
Tommy Can You Hear Me?
Sensation
I'm Free
We're Not Gonna Take it
See Me, Feel Me

And from the other side of the fence ...