The Who Reconsider

The Who to Tour for 50th Anniversary.  (The New York Times, 6/30/2014)

Is there an echo in here?    You’ve heard this before: the Who’s next tour, which will begin in December and stretch into 2015, will definitely, absolutely, positively be the band’s last 

The list of dates for The Farewell Tour 1982.

"My Generation", the single, immediately grabbed my attention the first time I heard it -- on a clock radio in my bedroom

The clock looked something like what you see pictured below.  The dial was mostly likely tuned to "the Big 8", CKLW, a 50,000-watt, clear-channel powerhouse which had the most adventurous playlists of any AM station I could pick up in the remote northwestern PA outpost of Warren.

So the sound was a little tinny, to say the least.  But it didn't dampen my enjoyment at all.

Unfortunately, "My Generation" was a bit too rough-edged for an AM top 40 format.  The single made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending January 15, 1966.  At #98.  It was a "star performer" the following week, making a modest jump to #77.  Then it tread water for 3 weeks -- 77, 75, 74 -- before sinking out of sight.  At least as far as the Hot 100 was concerned.

For some of us, the song has never gone away and sounds as fresh as ever.  Having said this, I would not want to see The Who's current line-up perform the song.  In fact, I have no desire to see them in concert on their 50th anniversary..

I'm content to say, "Thanks for the memories".