21 Jul 2025

Pre-Tour Backstage Blog 15 July 2025

Hello again. It seems not so long ago we were here, posting about the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall.

Then we’ve had a break for other things.

We seem to have lost a drummer (twice), announced the coming 2025 North American shows, Roger did a solo tour in April/May, and Pete’s been involved with the Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet in London.

We’re just now preparing for Italy, with everyone meeting up again in London for that brief run (and good preparation for the coming USA/Canada shows. As this is a larger run to come, we have some new people and several old faces coming back. It feels good to be starting up the old machine again. The two Teenage Cancer Trust shows were a brief attempt at it, but not really much preparation. This will be different and with larger venues comes larger responsibilities – everyone must be on their game.

I’ll wait until we get done with rehearsals this week to post directly about that, as it’s kind of a story in its own.

Meanwhile, two subjects I can mention to keep you “on the line” for a bit before the rehearsal blogs comes.

1) PIANO INTERLUDES

Our fine keyboardist Loren Gold and I have been working on a secret project since the 2024 shows.

Many years ago, I recall we didn’t play ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ that often. Back then Rabbit was on keys. Once it was put on the setlist, and they went right into it, that famous piano intro. Rabbit blanked-out mentally, and couldn’t really remember how it went. He’s incredible though, and just made up something amazing right on the spot then they went into the song.

Afterward, Pete leaned over and said “That was beautiful, now play it RIGHT”. Haha!  Yeah, it’s an iconic intro, isn’t it? And Pete played it ‘imself on the record so I’m sure he’s quite attached to it.

Many years later, I think 2015 around The Who Hits 50! tour, John Coury was on piano duties, and he started doing his own intro BEFORE the intro to ‘Love Reign O’er Me’. That was different, and Pete and Roger loved having “something new” pop up in the show. So John went deeper and deeper into composing something each day. After all, most band members spend hours waiting for a show each day. The intros grew longer and longer – sometimes a bit too long. Soon we cut the band back down and only Loren was on keys.

He continued the new tradition  which now also has a function: It lets Rog and Pete get set before ‘Love Reign O’er Me’, a song which is often a peak moment in the show. Having the quiet contrast the impact of the coming song is useful, and it focuses everyone’s attention in a very different way than a typical Who band song does. Loren’s done very, very well with his “Interludes” as Pete has dubbed them.

So,  after one tour, Pete was proposing recording them for release. Initially it was to be done after the tour, but it really seemed like that wasn’t ideal. It was time to go home and take a break. Instead, Pete commissioned Loren to create some recordings in his own home studio, which has a fine grand piano right in the middle. I was brought along to record it, and as I’ve had some success with video work, too, I offered to film each. Then over the last many months, Loren and I met and spent afternoons setting up and lighting, doing take after take, aiming for the best performance of each. Twelve in all. We have a nice range of relatively-brief compositions to be featured on The Who website.

And now for the tour, we’ll be able to release one each week, nicely corresponding to the weeks we’ll be on tour this summer. Each has a different mood, a different look and showcases Loren’s beautiful styles and ideas. A few are tied to specific shows we did on the last tour, others are bespoke creations for this project. We certainly hope you’ll enjoy them.

2) QUADROPHENIA: A MOD BALLET at Sadler’s Wells

OK, this is an unexpected entry. I had a chance (twice) before the rehearsals to go see the last shows of the Quadrophenia ballet. Pete’s music, as orchestrated beautifully by his wife Rachel Fuller Townshend, with a cast of young powerful dancers. Plus video, sets, costumes etc. to match. I did not know what to make of it coming in.

I have to say, I was curious but fairly skeptical. I first suspected that it might not be for me” I’d seen the very limited video preview and I knew the music as I’d been on the short Classical Quadrophenia tour of the USA years ago. It’s such a challenge to take a VERY famous and revered rock record and orchestrate it. And while that was successful, the touring version/CD has singers, which ballet does not. So we won’t have lyrics, but any meanings and relationships, settings, and dynamics CAN still be there. It’s all in the choices made; how does one portray love, or schizophrenia, or shame, or insecurity. (Bell boys are easy!)

Sadler’s Wells Theatre is a really old music venue. It’s been rebuilt many times, but most of us will know it from Pete’s solo shows there (I never saw those, just heard the recordings.) Aside from a one-off appearance here and there, those were some of the last “solo Pete Townshend” shows, and he was pushing boundaries there, trying all kinds of musical things. Artsy-meets-rock concert. And here, the Quadrophenia ballet – that’s the VERY artsy side of him. It’s always lurking among The Who and solo albums, flavours and colours of that artist who found an art school in Ealing that taught him how to be more. It’s maybe most obvious on the Scoop albums, the depth and breadth of it.

Quadrophenia is an album: You know it well. The film is what it is, one version of that story. So now we have a Jimmy image, an Ace Face image, his dream girl has a look now. Fixed, for many forever, but least, it forms something that maybe wasn’t yet imagined by the LP listener before? And the Mod outfits, the dances, the Brighton riots and hotels, all are known historical bits  so those will be here, too.

The story in dance form, does it work?
Most of it IS clear; Jimmy’s father is pushy and aggressive, actually an alcoholic – a former military man (a “dirty job” if there ever was one) with serious issues. The Godfather is an icon to Jim – in this version, a Marquee Club pop star. There are girls who want Jim but he’s in love with the unattainable one in their crowd.

The title and concept:  Quadrophonic sound (4 x speakers) was hip and new in ’72-73, when the original was written. Schizophrenia is the other reference, splitting of the personality. So Quadrophenia (if you hadn’t noticed) is the splitting of Jimmy’s mind into four parts. This ballet may not have lyrics or heavy rock drums backing, but it does bring out parts the album and film really missed – like this whole concept of split personality. This version makes it clear, in a wonderful series of moments. Jim is sitting in a nice polite suit talking to his doctor/psychiatrist and behind him is the wild side of Jim, mentally anguished despite the calmer Jim in front. In ‘The Rock’ all four parts of Jimmy are tearing him apart by the sea. Four different sides/suits/colours/dancers physically fight over him and with him. It’s truly effective and brings up a core struggle that isn’t really captured in the more-literal film version. I suppose that’s the effect here – broader and more impressionistic, less about words and more about emotions. There is no fried egg or five-inch side vents or GA Scooter mentioned. So the subtle and strong moments are REALLY powerful here; you’re not told – you find out.

If you love the music, that changes too, and often for the better. “The girl I love/UV light” part of ‘The Punk and Godfather’ becomes the focus instead of the power riff. It’s really so moving and more in touch with the glowing sentiment than the Who record. In ‘5:15’, there’s the usual stuff, but the “M-m-m-my generation” break is FAR better than any version I’ve ever heard, with cascading string lines doing the parts up and down. So you get some things, many things, that you never had before. There’s an added chord change to ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ that is far more beautiful – just new one chord shift that lifts the power and emotion of an already beautiful chorus melody.

The dancers are all exceptional. Ace Face just lights up the room when he appears, and his technique may be the best in the cast. But Jim has the greatest range and an ASTOUNDING physical strength and endurance. But it’s not athletics, it’s all in service of the expression of the character. It’s acting, as pure as that gets. And affects you as much as any actor could.

Notably, there are a few surprises. ‘My Generation’ and ‘I Can’t Explain’ are rock band (guitar/bass/drums) versions. Very true to the originals but with no vocals. And our own keyboardist Loren Gold has a stunningly beautiful piece that Pete and Rachel chose to include. (And it’s one of his ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ piano interludes I just mentioned above.) Loren’s piece is a nice connecting moment, also beautifully expanded with Rachel’s orchestra.

The choreography is just stunning and really, that’s why we’re here. It’s not your grandmother’s Swan Lake, nor is it the kind of modern dance that’s rather artless and unattractive. Chances are taken. How can one person dance for five minutes of solo Love Reign O’er Me’ and keep it interesting?! It works. Does Jimmy really sleep with Steph AND the bell boy!? Or is it just a fantasy dream?

It’s such a shame that most people cannot see this. Filming is prohibited and it’s so expensive and daunting to put on a show like this. I hope it can travel. I’d pay to see it again and again. But it may not happen, like some things that actually come and are gone. Here’s to new life to favourite music and stories and characters you may know as well as your own family. It was great. Writing, choreography, orchestration, staging, lighting sound; all world-class – as good as it ever gets. Without question, this HAS to be one of the proudest accomplishments of Pete’s life (and of anyone involved). To be a composer, ala Copland or Bernstein, and have a truly strong artistic work built around your core idea, quite a serious thing. It’s NOT Tommy on Broadway, not so commercial, much smarter. It’s not It’s Hard On Ice – which we are hoping for in the year 2048!

I talked to Pete about Quadrophenia the ballet. He says he wishes he were more involved but he mainly supported it as executive producer, then the director, choreographer (astounding work from both,) and Rachel Fuller Townshend brought her A+ game to this one. The skeleton underneath is Quad – they have just fleshed it out in a new healthy way. Pete loves that it’s ART, truly expressive and not soft and sweet, challenging and emotional.

I’m looking forward to our live shows and more blogging to follow. This has been quite a wonderful diversion. And now we make noises!

Onward! . . .