The Who - The Best Record We Ever Made (Who’s Next Documentary)

’Who’s Next’ cemented the Who’s status as one of rock’s biggest bands upon its release in 1971. Including such classics as ’Won’t Get Fooled Again’ and ’Behind Blue Eyes’, the album enjoyed chart success on both sides of the Atlantic. This documentary features interviews with all the key personnel who contributed to the record, as well as previously unseen performances of songs from it. The songs and story of The Who’s classic album. Who’s Next is viewed by many as the greatest testament to the song writing talent of Pete Townshend and the musical power of The Who. When the album was released in 1971, it climbed to the Top Five on the Billboard chart and remained in the Top 40 for five months. The story of how The Who came to record the album is told by group members Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, together with contributions by those who were close to the group during this recording, also providing insight into the importance of the late great Keith Moon to the success of The Who. The songs recorded for the Who’s Next album are featured here, including such classics as “Won’t Get Fooled Again“, “Baba O’Riley“ and “Behind Blue Eyes“. Included in this documentary programme are previously unseen performances of songs from the album that prove the longevity and lasting appeal of Who’s Next, a true classic album. Who’s Next is the fifth studio album by the Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group’s guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band’s 1969 album Tommy. The project was cancelled owing to its complexity and to conflicts with Kit Lambert, the band’s manager, but the group salvaged some of the songs, without the connecting story elements, to release as their next album. Eight of the nine songs on Who’s Next were from Lifehouse, the lone exception being the John Entwistle-penned “My Wife“. Ultimately, the remaining Lifehouse tracks would all be released on other albums throughout the next decade. The Who recorded Who’s Next with assistance from recording engineer Glyn Johns. After producing the song “Won’t Get Fooled Again“ in the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, they relocated to Olympic Studios to record and mix most of the album’s remaining songs. They made prominent use of synthesizer on the album, particularly on “Won’t Get Fooled Again“ and “Baba O’Riley“, which were both released as singles. The cover photo was shot by Ethan Russell; it made reference to the monolith in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, as it featured the band standing by a concrete piling protruding from a slag heap in Easington Colliery, County Durham, apparently having urinated against it. The album was an immediate success when it was released on 14 August 1971. It has since been viewed by many critics as the Who’s best album and one of the greatest albums of all time. It has been reissued on CD several times, often with additional songs originally intended for Lifehouse included as bonus tracks.