Quadrophenia

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Quadrophenia
The Who studio album

Publication
(s)

19th October 1973

Label (s) Polydor

Format (s)

CD, LP

Genre (s)

Rock opera , hard rock , progressive rock

Title (number)

CD / LP1: 10, CD / LP2: 7

running time

81:33

occupation

production

The Who , Kit Lambert , Glyn Johns

Studio (s)

  • May 1972 and June to August 1973
  • Olympic Studios
  • Ramport Studio "The Kitchen"
chronology
Who's Next
(1971)
Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers
(1975)

Quadrophenia is a music album by the British rock group The Who . It was released as a double LP in October 1973 and was the group's second rock opera after Tommy . The songs were composed by Pete Townshend . He used synthesizers in some pieces ( Love Reign o'er Me , Cut My Hair , Quadrophenia ) as on the previous album . Above all, he used the then new string keyboard . Recordings of the sound of the ocean, parties and passing trains were also used to enhance the sound of the album. Quadrophenia was Townshend's retrospective of the Who roots in London in the early 1960s.

Quadrophenia was produced by the group itself, initially trying to continue the previously successful collaboration with Kit Lambert . The album was recorded in May 1972 and from June to August 1973 in the band's not yet fully completed studio, the Ramport Studio , called The Kitchen , in the London borough of Battersea . The tapes were mixed in Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Sound studio in London.

Meaning of the title

The notes on the cover give an indication of the meaning of the album title. It is a modification of the term schizophrenia ( English schizophrenia ). The main character of the story is described as a character with four personalities. Each of them represents a member of The Who :

The concept of the album

In the notes to the remixed CD Odds & Sods it can be read that Pete Townshend developed Quadrophenia from an idea that was based around the concept of an autobiography of the band and its members. From this basic idea, however, only the symbolic representation of the group members remained as the four facets of the personality of the main character of the story, reflected in the titles Helpless Dancer (Roger's Theme), Bell Boy (Keith's Theme), Is It Me? (John's Theme) and Love Reign O'er Me (Pete's Theme).

The story takes place in London in the early 60s and describes the life of the lonely young mod Jimmy and his problems in the transition to adulthood .

From a first-person perspective, Jimmy shares his self-doubt, frustrations and the unanswered questions that mark his life. The listener gets an insight into Jimmy's everyday life: his problems with his parents, his boring job and his unsuccessful efforts to gain social recognition. Jimmy hopes for confirmation through his affiliation with the mod culture. In this community he believes he can find meaning for his life.

But the uncertainties remain. Torn between the different facets of himself , Jimmy flees to Brighton . There he steals a boat and drives it to a rock off the coast. The boat is drifting out to sea and Jimmy is now sitting on this rock and is aware of his "quadropheny". Whether Jimmy will commit suicide or, according to Townshend, “just get his feet wet”, is for the listener to decide for himself.

Formats

Quadrophenia was originally released as a double LP with a pop-up cover and an extensive booklet . The booklet contained the lyrics, a text version of the story and photos for illustration. In 1985 the album appeared for the first time on a double CD with the lyrics and the story on a thin leaflet, but without photos. The newly mixed CD version from 1996 contains the complete original booklet in small format.

In 1979 the film adaptation of the same name, Quadrophenia, appeared on the album.

In 2012 the German band Die Ärzte released a B-side called Quadrophenia on their single zeiDverschwÄndung . Keith Moon and Pete Townshend are also mentioned in this homage.

Track list

LP / CD 1

  1. I am the sea
  2. The Real Me
  3. Quadrophenia
  4. Cut my hair
  5. The Punk and the Godfather
  6. I'm one
  7. The Dirty Jobs
  8. Helpless dancer
  9. Is It in My Head?
  10. I've had enough

LP / CD 2

  1. 5:15
  2. Sea and Sand
  3. Drowned
  4. Bell boy
  5. Doctor Jimmy
  6. The Rock
  7. Love Reign o'er Me