Endless Wire (The Who album)
Encyclopedia
Endless Wire is the eleventh album by the English rock band The Who
released on 30 October 2006, through Polydor Records and the following day in the United States by Universal Republic
. It was their first new album of original material in twenty-four years following the release of It's Hard
in 1982. The album was originally to be released in early 2005 under the working title WHO2. Endless Wire debuted at #7 on the Billboard album chart and #9 in the UK. Portions of it were featured on The Who Tour 2006-2007
. Most of the songs from this album were used in the rock musical adaptation of The Boy Who Heard Music
which debuted in July 2007 as part of Vassar College
's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series.
had introduced a "great scheme" to allow the band to tour in mid-2006 in support of new material, even if Townshend did not have "a full thirty tracks ready to go." On 20 March 2006, Daltrey announced that he and Townshend were making progress with the album and that Townshend had written a song about Stockholm Syndrome
, entitled "Black Widow's Eyes". Daltrey also said that Townshend is playing some bass on the album.
On 28 March 2006, Townshend announced through the diary portion of his website that a mini-opera, entitled "The Glass Household" now forms the core of the album. It is based on his novella "The Boy Who Heard Music". He also announced plans to have a shortened version of the opera released prior to the release of the full album. This diary entry also confirmed the line-up of the band: Pino Palladino
on bass, Pete Townshend on guitars, his brother Simon Townshend
on backing vocals, and John "Rabbit" Bundrick
on keyboards. Peter Huntington, from Rachel Fuller
's band, was on drums because Zak Starkey was touring with Oasis
.
On 9 April 2006, Townshend announced that the shortened version of "The Glass Household" had been played to executives at Polydor, and a release date has been set for June, with a tour of Europe following, and the album in September. On 3 May 2006, Pete Townshend posted on his diary page that the mastering for the new EP, titled Wire & Glass
, was complete and that the tracks would soon be sent to Polydor. Townshend anticipated a mid-June release for the EP, and a mid-September release for the full album. He had also announced that The Who would begin rehearsing for their tour, during which time Townshend would finish recording the rest of the album with Roger Daltrey.
A version of "It's Not Enough" was released online at artistdirect.com. "It's Not Enough" had tentatively been announced as the first single off the album, to be released simultaneously.
On 3 October 2006, "It's Not Enough" was made available on iTunes. "Tea & Theatre" was also made available. Then on 14 October 2006, Polydor built a website for the album. It was announced from Pete Townshend's website. On the website endlesswire.co.uk, samples of the songs "We Got a Hit", "Endless Wire", "It's Not Enough", "Black Widow's Eyes", "Mike Post Theme", and "Man in a Purple Dress" are available to listen to, but not to download. As of 23 October 2006, the entire album was available to stream on music.aol.com.
Endless Wire debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200
, selling about 81,000 units in its first week of release.
Another song performed throughout the 2006 US tour, Townshend and Daltrey also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
on 14 September 2006, to perform the song, reduced by two verses.
Debuted live by Townshend at a solo gig for the Poetry Olympics at the Royal Albert Hall
on 25 September 2005. The song was later released as a download on Townshend's website, but fans were put off by Townshend's vocals, reminiscent of Tom Waits
, and Daltrey reportedly passed over singing the song for the album.
Daltrey talked about this song in an interview in early 2006, saying it was written about Stockholm syndrome
and quoting it as one of his favourite tracks on the album. The song was performed infrequently on the 2006 US tour.
Townshend debuted this song on the In the Attic programme in 2005.
Townshend had recorded an instrumental demo simply titled "Marty Robbins" in June 1984, which was released on his 2001 Scoop 3
album. He later debuted the song at an Internet-only streaming concert titled the Basement Jam on 4 December 2005.
"It's Not Enough" started off as a Rachel Fuller
track, but Townshend liked the music and asked her if he could use it for the new album. The song was released as an Internet download single in October 2006, where it reached #37 in the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.
Reportedly, this track, the following track ("Pick Up the Peace"), and an unreleased track titled "Ambition" (see below) were written in 1971. The character of Ray High also appeared as the protagonist of Townshend's solo album Psychoderelict
.
Townshend performed this song solo at Joe's Pub on 14 September 2006. The Who had also performed it live in full in Berlin on 12 July 2006.
Another song that was "extended" for a special edition of the album, with an additional verse not heard on the mini-opera version.
This song was released to the radio stations ahead of the mini-opera in June 2006, and was remixed for the Wire & Glass
release later in July.
An asterisk (*) denotes songs included on the Wire & Glass
EP.
There are two special edition versions: one contains a bonus DVD with 5 live songs: "Mike Post Theme", "Baba O'Riley", "Who Are You", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again". The second version contains a Live CD from Lyon 2006: "The Seeker", "Who Are You", "Mike Post Theme", "Relay", "Greyhound Girl", "Naked Eye", and "Won't Get Fooled Again".
Reportedly written in 1971 for the Lifehouse concept, Townshend debuted this song on In the Attic
in 2006.
Another song that was debuted by Townshend on In the Attic in 2006. It was recorded in the studio with Zak Starkey on drums, and Daltrey on vocals, but Townshend expressed doubt on whether it would make it on the album or not when he first played it on In the Attic, and it was not included. However, it did make an appearance in the Vassar College
workshop performance of the rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music
.
On 18 December 2005, Pete Townshend posted a diary entry that chronicled the recording of this track:
The video can be downloaded from Townshend's site.
's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series. The production was adapted and directed by Ethan Silverman and presented as a staged concert reading with minimal dialogue. The cast included John Hickok as Ray High, Jon Patrick Walker as Josh, Matt McGrath as Gabriel, and Bree Sharp
as Leila. Songs in this adaptation included:
Act I
Act II
The song "Real Good Looking Boy" was previously issued on The Who's compilation album Then and Now. The song "I Can Fly" was previously issued on Fuller's EP Shine.
except where noted.
Wire & Glass
: A Mini-Opera
Bonus tracks on some editions
, France (near Lyon
) on 17 July 2006. Included as an extra in Europe, Asia, and at Best Buy
stores in the United States.
Additional musicians
Production
"It's Not Enough" reached #37 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it was released as a B-side with "Black Widow's Eyes".
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
released on 30 October 2006, through Polydor Records and the following day in the United States by Universal Republic
Universal Republic
Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman...
. It was their first new album of original material in twenty-four years following the release of It's Hard
It's Hard
It's Hard is the tenth studio album by English rock band The Who. It is the last Who album to feature bassist John Entwistle and drummer Kenney Jones, as well as the last to be released on Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was their last album until 2006's Endless Wire. It was released in 1982 on...
in 1982. The album was originally to be released in early 2005 under the working title WHO2. Endless Wire debuted at #7 on the Billboard album chart and #9 in the UK. Portions of it were featured on The Who Tour 2006-2007
The Who Tour 2006-2007
The Who Tour 2006–2007 was The Who's first worldwide concert tour since 1997, supporting their Endless Wire album.-History:In December 2005, Rolling Stone magazine announced that The Who would be touring in the summer of 2006, visiting Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the...
. Most of the songs from this album were used in the rock musical adaptation of The Boy Who Heard Music
The Boy Who Heard Music
The Boy Who Heard Music is a rock opus that began life as an Internet novella written by musician and songwriter Pete Townshend. Townshend wrote in the foreword to the novella that he typically sketches out his opera in this way to lay out the plots and storylines, but in this case he published the...
which debuted in July 2007 as part of Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series.
History and composition
Most of what is known about the development of the album has come from Pete Townshend's website. On 21 March 2005, Townshend announced the postponement of the new Who album. On 24 December 2005, Townshend announced that manager Bill CurbishleyBill Curbishley
Bill Curbishley is a music producer and band manager, best known for his work with English rock groups The Who and Judas Priest as well as artists Jimmy Page and Robert Plant....
had introduced a "great scheme" to allow the band to tour in mid-2006 in support of new material, even if Townshend did not have "a full thirty tracks ready to go." On 20 March 2006, Daltrey announced that he and Townshend were making progress with the album and that Townshend had written a song about Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
, entitled "Black Widow's Eyes". Daltrey also said that Townshend is playing some bass on the album.
On 28 March 2006, Townshend announced through the diary portion of his website that a mini-opera, entitled "The Glass Household" now forms the core of the album. It is based on his novella "The Boy Who Heard Music". He also announced plans to have a shortened version of the opera released prior to the release of the full album. This diary entry also confirmed the line-up of the band: Pino Palladino
Pino Palladino
Pino Palladino is a Welsh bass guitarist who gained fame playing primarily rock and roll, blues rock, and rhythm and blues music, although he has been lauded for his ability to play most genres of popular music, including jazz, neo soul, and funk...
on bass, Pete Townshend on guitars, his brother Simon Townshend
Simon Townshend
Simon Townshend is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the younger brother of The Who's Pete Townshend, and is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members, despite many other musical ventures in his career....
on backing vocals, and John "Rabbit" Bundrick
John Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick is an American rock keyboardist, pianist and organist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roger Waters, Free and Crawler. Bundrick is noted as the principal musician for the cult...
on keyboards. Peter Huntington, from Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller is a British musician. She is a successful independent pop music artist, a composer and occasional collaborator with rock musician and partner to Pete Townshend.-Early life:...
's band, was on drums because Zak Starkey was touring with Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
.
On 9 April 2006, Townshend announced that the shortened version of "The Glass Household" had been played to executives at Polydor, and a release date has been set for June, with a tour of Europe following, and the album in September. On 3 May 2006, Pete Townshend posted on his diary page that the mastering for the new EP, titled Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass is the only EP released from The Who's 2006 album, Endless Wire. The EP was released exclusively to the iTunes Music Store on 17 July 2006 and a Maxi-CD/12" was released a week later in Australia and the United Kingdom. The EP was released as a "mini-opera" in six songs...
, was complete and that the tracks would soon be sent to Polydor. Townshend anticipated a mid-June release for the EP, and a mid-September release for the full album. He had also announced that The Who would begin rehearsing for their tour, during which time Townshend would finish recording the rest of the album with Roger Daltrey.
A version of "It's Not Enough" was released online at artistdirect.com. "It's Not Enough" had tentatively been announced as the first single off the album, to be released simultaneously.
On 3 October 2006, "It's Not Enough" was made available on iTunes. "Tea & Theatre" was also made available. Then on 14 October 2006, Polydor built a website for the album. It was announced from Pete Townshend's website. On the website endlesswire.co.uk, samples of the songs "We Got a Hit", "Endless Wire", "It's Not Enough", "Black Widow's Eyes", "Mike Post Theme", and "Man in a Purple Dress" are available to listen to, but not to download. As of 23 October 2006, the entire album was available to stream on music.aol.com.
Endless Wire debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling about 81,000 units in its first week of release.
Song breakdown
On 6 September 2006, the track listing for the album was released on Pete Townshend's personal website. On 27 September 2006, a press release was issued which featured track-by-track commentary by Townshend. All songs written by Pete Townshend except as noted.- "Fragments"(Townshend/Ball)
- "A Man in a Purple Dress"
Another song performed throughout the 2006 US tour, Townshend and Daltrey also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on 14 September 2006, to perform the song, reduced by two verses.
- "Mike Post Theme"
- "In the Ether"
Debuted live by Townshend at a solo gig for the Poetry Olympics at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on 25 September 2005. The song was later released as a download on Townshend's website, but fans were put off by Townshend's vocals, reminiscent of Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, and Daltrey reportedly passed over singing the song for the album.
- "Black Widow's Eyes"
Daltrey talked about this song in an interview in early 2006, saying it was written about Stockholm syndrome
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
and quoting it as one of his favourite tracks on the album. The song was performed infrequently on the 2006 US tour.
- "Two Thousand Years"
Townshend debuted this song on the In the Attic programme in 2005.
- "God Speaks of Marty Robbins"
Townshend had recorded an instrumental demo simply titled "Marty Robbins" in June 1984, which was released on his 2001 Scoop 3
Scoop 3
Released in 2001, Scoop 3 is a compilation of demos & alternate versions of previous Who songs and new Pete Townshend material.-History:It is the third and last Scoop collection. It contains considerably less demos and alternate versions of previous Who songs than the previous Scoop and Another...
album. He later debuted the song at an Internet-only streaming concert titled the Basement Jam on 4 December 2005.
- "It's Not Enough" (Townshend/Fuller)
"It's Not Enough" started off as a Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller is a British musician. She is a successful independent pop music artist, a composer and occasional collaborator with rock musician and partner to Pete Townshend.-Early life:...
track, but Townshend liked the music and asked her if he could use it for the new album. The song was released as an Internet download single in October 2006, where it reached #37 in the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.
- "You Stand by Me"
- "Sound Round*"
Reportedly, this track, the following track ("Pick Up the Peace"), and an unreleased track titled "Ambition" (see below) were written in 1971. The character of Ray High also appeared as the protagonist of Townshend's solo album Psychoderelict
Psychoderelict
Psychoderelict is a concept album written, produced and engineered by Pete Townshend. Some characters and issues presented in this work were continued in Townshend's later opus The Boy Who Heard Music, first presented on The Who's album Endless Wire and then adapted as a rock musical.This is...
.
- "Pick Up the Peace*"
- "Unholy Trinity"
- "Trilby's Piano"
- "Endless Wire*"
Townshend performed this song solo at Joe's Pub on 14 September 2006. The Who had also performed it live in full in Berlin on 12 July 2006.
- "Fragments of Fragments" (Townshend/Ball)
- "We Got a Hit*"
Another song that was "extended" for a special edition of the album, with an additional verse not heard on the mini-opera version.
- "They Made My Dream Come True*"
- "Mirror Door*"
This song was released to the radio stations ahead of the mini-opera in June 2006, and was remixed for the Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass is the only EP released from The Who's 2006 album, Endless Wire. The EP was released exclusively to the iTunes Music Store on 17 July 2006 and a Maxi-CD/12" was released a week later in Australia and the United Kingdom. The EP was released as a "mini-opera" in six songs...
release later in July.
- "Tea & Theatre"
An asterisk (*) denotes songs included on the Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass is the only EP released from The Who's 2006 album, Endless Wire. The EP was released exclusively to the iTunes Music Store on 17 July 2006 and a Maxi-CD/12" was released a week later in Australia and the United Kingdom. The EP was released as a "mini-opera" in six songs...
EP.
There are two special edition versions: one contains a bonus DVD with 5 live songs: "Mike Post Theme", "Baba O'Riley", "Who Are You", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again". The second version contains a Live CD from Lyon 2006: "The Seeker", "Who Are You", "Mike Post Theme", "Relay", "Greyhound Girl", "Naked Eye", and "Won't Get Fooled Again".
Additional songs
In addition to the nineteen tracks listed above, three songs were either considered for inclusion on the album or reportedly recorded for the album but were left off:- "Ambition"
Reportedly written in 1971 for the Lifehouse concept, Townshend debuted this song on In the Attic
In the Attic
In the Attic may refer to:* In the Attic * In the Attic , a live weekly webcast* R.E.M.: In the Attic - Alternative Recordings 1985–1989, an album by R.E.M.* In the Attic...
in 2006.
- "Uncertain Girl"
Another song that was debuted by Townshend on In the Attic in 2006. It was recorded in the studio with Zak Starkey on drums, and Daltrey on vocals, but Townshend expressed doubt on whether it would make it on the album or not when he first played it on In the Attic, and it was not included. However, it did make an appearance in the Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
workshop performance of the rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music
The Boy Who Heard Music
The Boy Who Heard Music is a rock opus that began life as an Internet novella written by musician and songwriter Pete Townshend. Townshend wrote in the foreword to the novella that he typically sketches out his opera in this way to lay out the plots and storylines, but in this case he published the...
.
- "How Can I Help You, Sir?"
On 18 December 2005, Pete Townshend posted a diary entry that chronicled the recording of this track:
The video can be downloaded from Townshend's site.
Adaptation as a rock musical
Pete Townshend is also working the songs from this album into a full-length rock musical, a rough version of which debuted 13 July 2007 as part of Vassar CollegeVassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series. The production was adapted and directed by Ethan Silverman and presented as a staged concert reading with minimal dialogue. The cast included John Hickok as Ray High, Jon Patrick Walker as Josh, Matt McGrath as Gabriel, and Bree Sharp
Bree Sharp
Bree Sharp is an American singer and songwriter influenced by rock, pop, and folk. She is currently the lead vocalist of the electropop band Beautiful Small Machines.-Biography:...
as Leila. Songs in this adaptation included:
Act I
- "Prelude"
- "Pick Up the Peace" – Ray
- "In the Ether" – Josh, Ray
- "God Predicts Marty Robbins" – Gabriel, Ray
- "Unholy Trinity" – Gabriel, Josh, Leila
- "Trilby's Piano I" – Gabriel
- "I Can Fly" (by FullerRachel FullerRachel Fuller is a British musician. She is a successful independent pop music artist, a composer and occasional collaborator with rock musician and partner to Pete Townshend.-Early life:...
) – Leila - "There's No Doubt" – Gabriel, Josh, Ray
- "Endless Wire Prelude" – Josh, Leila, Gabriel, Ray
- "Sound Round" – Ray and Company
- "Real Good Looking Boy" – Ray, Josh, Gabriel
- "Trilby's Piano II" – Trio
- "Fragments" – Company
- "Endless Wire" – Company
Act II
- "We Got a Hit" – Company
- "She Said He Said" – Gabriel, Leila
- "Uncertain Girl" – Josh
- "Heart Condition" – Leila
- "It's Not Enough" (by Townshend and Fuller) – Gabriel, Josh, Leila
- "They Made My Dream Come True" – Ray
- "In the Ether" – Ray
- "Trilby's Piano III" – Gabriel, Josh, Leila
- "Mirror Door" – Company
- "Fragments" – Company
- "Tea & Theatre" – Ray, Josh, Leila
The song "Real Good Looking Boy" was previously issued on The Who's compilation album Then and Now. The song "I Can Fly" was previously issued on Fuller's EP Shine.
Track listing
All songs written by Pete TownshendPete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
except where noted.
- "Fragments" (Townshend/Lawrence BallLawrence BallLawrence Ball is an English musician and composer who currently lives in North London. He produces multi-media compositions, performs in concert, and also works as a private tutor in mathematics, music theory and physics....
) – 3:58 - "A Man in a Purple Dress" – 4:14
- "Mike Post Theme" – 4:28
- "In the Ether" – 3:35
- "Black Widow's Eyes" – 3:07
- "Two Thousand Years" – 2:50
- "God Speaks of Marty Robbins" – 3:26
- "It's Not EnoughIt's Not Enough"It's Not Enough" is a song recorded by The Who, written by Pete Townshend and his partner Rachel Fuller, and featured on The Who's 2006 album Endless Wire. The song also appears on a re-issue of The Who's compilation album Then and Now and in Pete Townshend's rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music...
" (Townshend/Rachel FullerRachel FullerRachel Fuller is a British musician. She is a successful independent pop music artist, a composer and occasional collaborator with rock musician and partner to Pete Townshend.-Early life:...
) – 4:02 - "You Stand by Me" – 1:36
Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass
Wire & Glass is the only EP released from The Who's 2006 album, Endless Wire. The EP was released exclusively to the iTunes Music Store on 17 July 2006 and a Maxi-CD/12" was released a week later in Australia and the United Kingdom. The EP was released as a "mini-opera" in six songs...
: A Mini-Opera
- "Sound Round" – 1:21
- "Pick Up the Peace" – 1:28
- "Unholy Trinity" – 2:07
- "Trilby's Piano" – 2:04
- "Endless Wire" – 1:51
- "Fragments of Fragments" (Townshend/Ball) – 2:23
- "We Got a Hit" – 1:18
- "They Made My Dream Come True" – 1:13
- "Mirror Door" – 4:14
- "Tea & Theatre" – 3:24
Bonus tracks on some editions
- "We Got a Hit" (Extended) – 3:03
- "Endless Wire" (Extended) – 3:03
Compact Disc edition of The Who Live at Lyon
Recorded at the Théâtre Antique, Vienne, IsèreVienne, Isère
Vienne is a commune in south-eastern France, located south of Lyon, on the Rhône River. It is the second largest city after Grenoble in the Isère department, of which it is a subprefecture. The city's population was of 29,400 as of the 2001 census....
, France (near Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
) on 17 July 2006. Included as an extra in Europe, Asia, and at Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
stores in the United States.
- "The SeekerThe Seeker (song)"The Seeker" is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by English rock band The Who, and featured on their 1971 compilation album Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.-Background and writing:...
" – 2:36 - "Who Are YouWho Are You (song)"Who Are You", composed by Pete Townshend, is the title track on The Who's 1978 release, Who Are You, the last album released before drummer Keith Moon's death in September 1978. It was released as a double-A sided single with the John Entwistle composition "Had Enough", also featured on the album...
" – 6:58 - "Mike Post Theme" – 3:55
- "The Relay" – 7:40
- "Greyhound Girl" – 3:04
- "Naked EyeNaked Eye (The Who Song)"Naked Eye" is a song by The Who, written by Pete Townshend. The studio version was released on the group's 1974 compilation album Odds and Sods...
" – 8:26 - "Won't Get Fooled AgainWon't Get Fooled Again"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the rock band The Who which was written by Pete Townshend The original version of the song appears as the final track on the album Who's Next...
"/"Old Red WineOld Red Wine"Old Red Wine", composed by Pete Townshend, is the final track on The Who's 2004 compilation album, Then and Now. It was released as a B-side with "Real Good Looking Boy"...
" – 10:40
DVD edition of The Who Live at Lyon
- "I Can't ExplainI Can't Explain"I Can't Explain" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by Pete Townshend, and produced by Shel Talmy. The song was issued as a single in December 1964 in the United States and on 15 January 1965 in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
" – 3:04 - "Behind Blue EyesBehind Blue Eyes"Behind Blue Eyes" is the title of a song by English rock band The Who. It was released in November 1971 as the second single from their fifth album Who's Next and was written by Pete Townshend originally for his Lifehouse project...
" – 4:39 - "Mike Post Theme" – 3:41
- "Baba O'RileyBaba O'Riley"Baba O'Riley" is a song written by Pete Townshend for the English rock band The Who. Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the middle eight: "Don't cry/don't raise your eye/it's only teenaged wasteland"...
" – 5:59 - "Won't Get Fooled AgainWon't Get Fooled Again"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the rock band The Who which was written by Pete Townshend The original version of the song appears as the final track on the album Who's Next...
"/"Old Red WineOld Red Wine"Old Red Wine", composed by Pete Townshend, is the final track on The Who's 2004 compilation album, Then and Now. It was released as a B-side with "Real Good Looking Boy"...
" – 10:03
Personnel
The Who- Roger DaltreyRoger DaltreyRoger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
– lead vocals - Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
Additional musicians
- Lawrence BallLawrence BallLawrence Ball is an English musician and composer who currently lives in North London. He produces multi-media compositions, performs in concert, and also works as a private tutor in mathematics, music theory and physics....
– electronic musicElectronic musicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
on "Fragments" - Ellen Blair – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
on "Trilby's Piano" - John "Rabbit" Bundrick – Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, backing vocals - Jolyon DixonJolyon DixonJolyon Keith Dixon is an English guitarist and is currently a member of Rachel Fuller's band and played some guitar on The Who's 2006 album Endless Wire.-Biography:...
– acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
on "It's Not Enough" - Rachel FullerRachel FullerRachel Fuller is a British musician. She is a successful independent pop music artist, a composer and occasional collaborator with rock musician and partner to Pete Townshend.-Early life:...
– keyboards on "It's Not Enough", orchestrationOrchestrationOrchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
supervisor on "Trilby's Piano" - Peter HuntingtonPeter HuntingtonPeter Huntington is a drummer for Rachel Fuller, and occasional drummer for her partner, Pete Townshend. Due to Zak Starkey's touring commitments with the band, Oasis, Huntington was the main drummer for The Who's first album in 24 years, Endless Wire. He has also played for Darren Hayes, formerly...
– drums - Gill Morley – violin on "Trilby's Piano"
- Vicky Matthews – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on "Trilby's Piano" - Billy NichollsBilly NichollsBilly Nicholls is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and musical director, who first gained fame in the 1960s while still a teenager with his Pet Sounds influenced album, Would You Believe, originally released on Immediate Records.Nicholls' compositions have been covered by many...
– backing vocals - Pino PalladinoPino PalladinoPino Palladino is a Welsh bass guitarist who gained fame playing primarily rock and roll, blues rock, and rhythm and blues music, although he has been lauded for his ability to play most genres of popular music, including jazz, neo soul, and funk...
– bass guitar - Stuart Ross – bass guitar on "It's Not Enough"
- Zak StarkeyZak StarkeyZak Starkey is an English rock drummer. He is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Starr's first wife Maureen Starkey Tigrett. He is also well known for his unofficial membership in the English rock band The Who, with whom he has performed and recorded since 1996. He is also the third...
– drums on "Black Widow's Eyes" - Simon TownshendSimon TownshendSimon Townshend is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the younger brother of The Who's Pete Townshend, and is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members, despite many other musical ventures in his career....
– backing vocals, guitar - Brian Wright – violin on "Trilby's Piano"
Production
- Richard EvansRichard Evans (designer)Richard Evans was born on 30 March 1945 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England. He studied fashion design at Nottingham School of Art and graphic design at Leicester College of Art. He worked as a graphic designer in the 1970s at Hipgnosis studio, designers of many famous rock album covers...
– design and art direction utilising elements created with the Visual Harmony software designed by Dave Snowdon and Lawrence BallLawrence BallLawrence Ball is an English musician and composer who currently lives in North London. He produces multi-media compositions, performs in concert, and also works as a private tutor in mathematics, music theory and physics....
.
Sales chart performance
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Billboard 200 | 7 |
| 2006 | UK Albums Chart | 9 |
"It's Not Enough" reached #37 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it was released as a B-side with "Black Widow's Eyes".
External links
- "It's Not Enough", "Tea & Theatre", "Black Widow Eyes", and "Man in a Purple Dress" streaming site
- Townshend demoing "How Can I Help You Sir?"
- New Who Album May Appear Next Spring
- Townshend Delays Who CD, Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, 8 Sep 2005. - Making Progress on New album
- Recording The Who's Mini-Opera
- The Glass Household
- Wire & Glass
- Release Date
- Endless Wire
- Endless Wire Review
- Endless Wire Review
- Pete Townshend talks to Being There Magazine about Endless Wire
- Endless Wire liner notes – Song-by-song liner notes for the album