The Who Album: “Kids Are Alright”

Although I love the whole record, the version of "A Quick One (While He's Away)" on this record is one of the greatest live performances in rock history. I know that sounds like silly fanboy hyperbole, but the finale of the song is absolutely awe-inspiring. The performance comes from the Rolling Stones Rock'n'Roll Circus, a tv special that was never aired because the Stones were not satisfied with their own performance.

This version of " A Quick One" reveals the Who before they became international maga-stars with Tommy - snarling, explosive, triumphant punks with a sound that no band could match. No wonder the Rolloing Stones buried the show in a vault for 30 years; there was no way that they could match such an incredible performance. Truly one of the 10 greatest live moments from 60's rock.

This was my first Who album and I long resisted purchasing the CD version of this because MCA had butchered the original album in order to make it a single CD and (in theory, at least)keep the price down. So they dropped the magnificent inner sleeve booklet and all the little bits of artwork the LP included (like the LP label that resembled a film reel and gradually got smaller as you played each side of the album)as well as their medley of Join Together/Roadrunner/My Generation Blues.

Now the Kids album is re-released along with improved editions of their back catalog and MCA finally got it right. The deleted songs are restored, the booklet (with additional liner notes) is at least partially restored as well.

What would make this even better is if ALL the music heard in the movie was on the album such as;

Barbara Ann with Keith Moon on vocals

Shout and Shimmy-probably from 1965

Cobwebs and Strange-Wild instrumental with typically understated drumming

Underture-from Woodstock, although this was on their 30 Years box set

Who Are You-Probably made for a music video but it's different from the album version

This was the first album I ever bought with my own money when I was a kid. The records would come out of the top of the record sleeve rather than the right side, and it was great to look at.

Although CDs will never be as much fun to look at and play with than LPs used to be, it was great to hear this CD again after all these years. There's a rawness in these performances that reminds you just how dangerous the music of The Who once was (and, in many ways, still is).

Highlights include "My Generation" from the SMOTHERS BROTHERS TV show, live versions of "Young Man Blues" and Entwistle's "My Wife," the rollicking version of "A Quick One" from The Rolling Stones' ROCK & ROLL CIRCUS (for a long time, this album and movie was the only place you could see and hear this performance), and the Shepperton Film Studios live performances of "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

There's a really messy version of "Join Together" that doesn't sound at all like the studio version of the song - and yet, I remembered everything about it the minute I heard it again after all these years.

One complaint: I will never believe that this album's version of "I Can See for Miles" was recorded live for the SMOTHERS BROTHERS TV show. There's nothing about it that sounds different from the version recorded by The Who in the studio - unlike "My Generation," which sounds very unique and benefits from a great John Entwistle bass solo. But I think the liner notes are lying to us by saying that this version of "I Can See for Miles" was actually recorded for the SMOTHERS BROTHERS TV show. If Pete Townshend can clarify this for me, I'd be grateful.

Otherwise, a "smashing" good album (yes, you can hear them destroy their instruments). Buy the movie, too, and you can "see" them destroy them too.

"The Kids Are Alright" is the original soundtrack from the documentary of the same name. It's a mixture of studio- and live recordings from various stages of the Who's career.

There are a lot of great recordings, though some suffer from poor sound quality. Some of the very last live recordings to feature original drummer Keith Moon, show that the band was still on top, when Moon sadly passed away. His playing on "Sparks" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" is impressive.

Though the sound is far from perfect I also enjoy the version of "A Quick One" from the Rolling Stones'"Rock 'N' Roll Circus".

Though there is lot of great music, I somehow feel that the CD does not work as an album. Too much variety in sound and sound quality - the music is taken from very different stages of their career - and the shifting from live to studio and back again gives an overall uneven impression.

As an extreme Who fan-atic, I personally would give this release 4 1/2 stars. But for the casual Who fan, this release is a very hit or miss affair. Some of the performances leave a lot to be desired; and the sound quality on some of the tracks is bootleg level at best. Yes, the poorer quality songs are important historical documents of the Who's career...but they still sound like cr@p. The version of "Quick One" from "Rock 'N' Roll Circus" sounds particularly awful....I swear it sounds ten times better on the newest dvd release. The volume level seems to change from track to track which is also annoying.

After listening to this disc once all the way thru, the "skip to next track" button will become your best friend on repeated listenings. My advice would be to purchase the new 2 disc DVD release of the movie itself (it's a 10 star release!!!); for cds, my advice would be to get the "Isle Of Wight" album & "Live At Leeds" Deluxe Edition. Those two releases are everything this one is not. For diehard Who fans (who happen to own several bootleg recordings), chances are you won't be scared off by the sound quality and will thoroughly enjoy this in your collection.