The Mood, the Look, and the Legacy of the Who's Legendary Rock Opera, Revised and Extended Edition

This updated and expanded edition of Tommy at Fifty is the definitive illustrated companion to the album that made the Who one of the greatest and most influential bands of the rock era. Written by two leading experts on, and close associates of, the group-journalist and author Chris Charlesworth and original album cover designer Mike McInnerney-it considers the album from four distinct angles, examining the mood of its creation, the origins of its music, the look of the artwork and its subsequent film adaptation, and its enduring legacy. With a foreword by Pete Townshend and cover art created exclusively for this book by McInnerney, Tommy at Fifty offers an unparalleled window into the Who's finest hour. With the exception perhaps of My Generation, Tommy remains the work with which the Who are most closely associated. It's the album that turned Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon into millionaire superstars, and, like its Messiah figure title character, it casts a long shadow over both their subsequent work together and the canon of 20th-century rock music. AUTHORS: In 1970, Chris Charlesworth joined the staff of Melody Maker-at that time, one of Britain's leading music publications-going on to serve as news editor and American editor before leaving the paper in 1977. During this period, he became particularly close to the Who, traveling with them on tour and visiting them at their homes in a social capacity. Mike McInnerney has designed record sleeves, including the Who's Tommy, and produced editorial illustration work for leading journals such as Britain's Sunday Times and Nova magazine. His work is exhibited at major institutions around the world, including London's Whitechapel Art Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Whitney Museum, New York. Pete Townshend is best known as the guitarist and principal songwriter of the legendary British rock group the Who. He is the author of more than 100 of the group's songs, including such classics as ?My Generation? and ?Won't Get Fooled Again,? as well as the bulk of Tommy and all of Quadrophenia. 184 colour and b/w photographs