Who's Next: single, album, North American tour

"NEW YORK (Billboard) - The Who camp is flush with activity as the band prepares to kick off its summer European tour Saturday at Leeds University, the site of its iconic 1970 concert album "Live at Leeds."


A number of rarely played old songs have been reintroduced to the band's live set thanks to "special requests from fans."

According to guitarist Pete Townshend's Web site (http://www.petetownshend.co.uk), they include "Relay," "The Seeker," "Another Tricky Day," "Naked Eye," "Bargain, "I'm a Boy," "Let's See Action" and "Tattoo," plus the obscure "Cry if You Want," from the Who's final studio album, 1982's "It's Hard."

The artist also is promising more rarities (including his ukulele song "Blue, Red and Gray") to be rolled out one by one by the time the Who hits North America later this year. Venues are still being nailed down, but that portion of the outing will run from September 7 to October 10 and November 5 to December 5."

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"Townshend said he is particularly excited to feature the band's new mini-opera, "Wire & Glass," in the shows.

The six-song suite ("Sound Round," "Pick up the Peace," "Endless Wire," "We Got a Hit," "They Made My Dreams Come True" and "Mirror Door") will be released July 10 internationally as a teaser to the Who's as-yet-untitled new studio album, which he says will be delivered in completed form June 28 to Polydor, the band's international record label."

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060616/music_nm/who_dc_1


I am looking forward to this. I know, I know... The Who was over when Keith died, or when John died, but to me Pete has remained fairly consistent in his writing and Roger can still sing. I think Pete Townshend is one of the great writers and has contributed decent material well past his "prime". I am looking forward to hearing the new "mini-opera" too.

Anyone else looking forward to this or are people dead weight after 30?.. :)

That whole "Hope I die before I get old" schtick might bite them in the ass. That having been said, I'd consider seeing the Who live, even if it's only a half-Who.

There's also going to be a half hour on BBC Radio 4 next week by Andy Kershaw, ents secretary at Leeds University a few years later, and now a music broadcaster (one of the few who started as DJs, and can now be called proper journalists - he's done non-music reports for the BBC from Rwanda and North Korea) on how they got The Who to return. It'll be available on the web for a week, at least, after the broadcast (next Saturday, 0930 GMT, 1030 BST).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/schoolofrock/pip/wjoq3/

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup: