"Who Came First":

Pete Townshend Polydor 2480 144 Reviewed by Tony Maritime

This disc shows that Townshend needs the Who more than he, or anyone else, ever realised. For while side one could pass as the demo for a great Who LP, the other side, which he dedicates more directly to Meher Baba, is a total disaster. And when you think that Roger Daltrey's solo LP is outselling this about ten to one you realise who's been confining who in the Who.

As Townshend (only half jokingly says), this is "one gynormous ego trip" on which "I do everything except make the tea." Ronnie Lane does turn up to do his evolution song from the first Faces LP, but otherwise it is all Towshend's show. Despite all the overdubbing the record sounds nowhere as contrived as "Who's Next", unlike the Stevie Wonder LPs the machines haven't killed the spontaneity. But what is wrong with the record is the material. Songs like "Pure and Easy" and "Lets See Action" are as good as anything he's ever done with the Who, but on side two, my God, can you imagine how bad Townshend is at country and western? He sings a Jim Reeves number simply because it was Baba's second favourite song, (next to, spare us, Begin the Beguine"). You'd think he'd have second thoughts about a guru who grooved on Jim Reeves but worse follows. On "Content" he sets to music an inspirational poem by a dear old lady called Maud Kennedy that goes: I am strong/ (pom pom pom) I have nothing to fear/ I am brave/ (da da da dum) God supports me, and on the final track we have the words of Baba himself: you always were/ always are/ always will be omnipotent, omnipresent knower of past, present future door of the mind/ key to the locks etc. etc., sung in quavery Townshend tenor. It sounds like Paul McCartney with a case of the Barry MeGuires. But now that Townshend has got this off his chest he can maybe get back to making some music. If the Who will have him back, that is.