Repackaged, unpretentious solo debut still intrigues
SANDWICHED between Who’s Next and Quadrophenia on Townshend’s timeline, this debut solo effort is partly comprised of demos dating from the recording of the first of those group albums, initially earmarked for the guitarist’s aborted ‘Lifehouse’ project. Consequently, the record, though a modest success upon its release, retains the feel of a patchwork collection of loose ends, more folksy than his band ever were.
Were such things in existence at the time, it might feasibly have first seen the light of day as a bonus disc on a more cohesive, substantial release. The Who were arguably the first rock band to explore the financial possibilities of out-take material, a willingness to share works either in progress or abandoned, with the 1974 compilation Odds And Sods, but Who Came First nonetheless has enough merit to warrant its own entry in the Townshend canon.
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Uncut UK.
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This story is from the June 2018 edition of Uncut UK.
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