News

2016 has already seen anniversary releases of many classic albums and another has just been announced.  While it originally came out in December 1965 in the U.K., The Who’s classic debut LP My Generation didn’t hit U.S. shores until April 1966 (as The Who Sings My Generation) and Universal Music is celebrating that 50th anniversary with a 5-CD Super Deluxe Edition of the album due to hit shelves on November 18.

While it didn’t set the charts on fire in the U.S., the album went to #5 in the U.K. and the title song went to #2.  It has since been considered among the best rock albums ever and catapulted The Who to superstardom which continues to this day.  My Generation has seen several reissues over the years, including a 2-disc edition in 2002, but this version is the most expansive yet at 79 tracks.  It includes the original mono album (newly remastered), a disc of mono bonus tracks (newly remastered) and a disc of stereo bonus tracks.  It also includes a new stereo remix of the album originally released on iTunes in 2014 featuring new overdubs by Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey using the same guitars and amps and the same type of microphones used on the original album. (Generation was first mixed to stereo for the 2002 reissue, but dropped many of the overdubs from the mono album – this new stereo mix recreates them).  Finally, a disc of demos is included – which features three previously unheard songs: “The Girls I Could Have Had,” “As Children We Grew” and “My Own Love.”

The box set also features, according to the press release, a “stunning 80-page color book with many rare and unseen period photos and memorabilia, candid and insightful new notes from Pete Townshend illustrating the genesis of the demos and creative process and a new essay by acclaimed music writer Mark Blake with additional track annotation by Who biographer Andy Neill.”  In addition, six inserts are included: a flyer for The Who’s Tuesday night residency at the Marquee Club 1965, a membership card to the Scene Club in Ham Yard a calling card for The Who’s management New Action Ltd. with a photo of the group, an admission card to recording of Ready Steady Go! at Redifusion TV Studios, a 20″ x 30″ poster from a 1966 gig and a 20″ x 30″ poster of a gig at the Goldhawk Social Club.  It will come in a 12 X 12 LP size slipcase.

Two LP versions will be released on February 12, 2017.  The first, available to all retailers, focuses on the mono material and a second one, available to only e-commerce sites, focuses on the stereo material.  We’ve got the full tracklisting and pre-order links for the Super Deluxe Edition below.

The Who, My Generation Super-Deluxe Edition (UMe, 2016)

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

CD1: Original album (mono mixes) (Originally released on Brunswick LP LAT 8616, 1965 in the UK/Decca DL LP 74664, 1965 in the US)

1. Out In The Street
2. I Don’t Mind
3. The Good’s Gone
4. La-La-La Lies
5. Much Too Much
6. My Generation
7. The Kids Are Alright
8. Please, Please, Please
9. It’s Not True
10. I’m A Man
11. A Legal Matter
12. The Ox

CD2: Original album (new stereo mixes) (Originally released in 2014 on Itunes, previously unreleased on CD)

1. Out In The Street
2. I Don’t Mind
3. The Good’s Gone
4. La-La-La Lies
5. Much Too Much
6. My Generation
7. The Kids Are Alright
8. Please, Please, Please
9. It’s Not True
10. I’m A Man
11. A Legal Matter
12. The Ox

CD3: Mono mixes – bonus tracks

1. I Can’t Explain
2. Bald Headed Woman
3. Daddy Rolling Stone
4. Leaving Here
5. Lubie, Come Back Home
6. Shout And Shimmy
7. (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
8. Motoring
9. Anytime You Want Me
10. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
11. Instant Party Mixture
12. Circles
13. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (French EP Mix)
14. Out In the Street (Alt guitar break)
15. Out In the Street (Alt early vocal)
16. I Don’t Mind (Full Length)
17. The Good’s Gone (Full Length)
18. My Generation (Alt version)
19. I’m A Man (V2 – Early vocal)
20. Daddy Rolling Stone (alt. take)
21. Lubie (Alt Mix)
22. Shout And Shimmy (Alt mix)
23. Circles (Alt Mix)

Tracks 13-23 previously unreleased (remixed in 2000)

CD4: Stereo mixes – bonus tracks

1. Out In The Street (Alt – Take 1)
2. I Don’t Mind (Full Length Version)
3. The Good’s Gone (Full Length Version)
4. My Generation (Instrumental Version)
5. The Kids Are Alright (Alt – Take 1)
6. I Can’t Explain
7. Bald Headed Woman
8. Daddy Rolling Stone
9. Daddy Rolling Stone (Alt version)
10. Leaving Here
11. Lubie, Come Back Home
12. Shout And Shimmy
13. (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
14. Motoring
15. Anytime You Want Me
16. Instant Party Mixture
17. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
18. Circles (New Mix)
19. Daddy Rolling Stone (Alt Take B – New Mix)
20. Out In The Street (Alt Take 2)
21. I’m A Man (Alt – New Mix)

Tracks 1-17 previously released on iTunes in 2014.
Tracks 18-21 previously unreleased.

CD5: The Demos

1. My Generation (V 3)
2. My Generation (V 2 – fragment)
3. The Girls I Could’ve Had
4. It’s Not True
5. As Children We Grew
6. Legal Matter
7. Sunrise (V 1)
8. Much Too Much
9. My Own Love
10. La-La-La- Lies
11. The Good’s Gone

Track 1 previously released on 45 flexi-disc with Maximum R&B book.
Tracks 1-9, 11 previously unreleased demo versions
Track 10 previously released on Scoop

My Generation 3-LP Set (Order Links TBD)

Disc One: Original LP – Mono mixes

Side 1

1. Out In The Street
2. I Don’t Mind
3. The Good’s Gone
4. La-La-La Lies
5. Much Too Much
6. My Generation

Side 2

1. The Kids Are Alright
2. Please, Please, Please
3. It’s Not True
4. I’m A Man
5. A Legal Matter
6. The Ox

Disc Two; Mono bonus tracks

Side 1

1. I Can’t Explain
2. Bald Headed Woman
3. Daddy Rolling Stone
4. Leaving Here
5. Lubie, Come Back Home
6. Shout And Shimmy

Side 2

1. (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
2. Motoring
3. Anytime You Want Me
4. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
5. Instant Party Mixture
6. Circles

Disc Three; Demos

Side 1

1. My Generation (V 3)
2. My Generation (V 2 – fragment)
3. The Girls I Could’ve Had
4. It’s Not True
5. As Children We Grew
6. Legal Matter

Side 2

1. Sunrise (V 1)
2. Much Too Much
3. My Own Love
4. La-La-La- Lies
5. The Good’s Gone

My Generation 2-LP E-Commerce Exclusive Set (Order Links TBD)

Disc One – Original LP (Stereo Mixes)

Side 1

1. Out In The Street
2. I Don’t Mind
3. The Good’s Gone
4. La-La-La Lies
5. Much Too Much
6. My Generation

Side 2

1. The Kids Are Alright
2. Please, Please, Please
3. It’s Not True
4. I’m A Man
5. A Legal Matter
6. The Ox

Disc Two – Stereo bonus tracks

Side 1

1. In The Street (Alt Take 1)
2. I Don’t Mind (Full Length Version)
3. The Good’s Gone (Full Length Version)
4. My Generation (Instrumental Version)
5. The Kids Are Alright (Alt Take 1)
6. I Can’t Explain
7. Daddy Rolling Stone
8. Leaving Here

Side 2

1. Lubie, Come Back Home
2. Shout And Shimmy
3. (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
4. Motoring
5. Anytime You Want Me
6. Instant Party Mixture
7. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
8. Circles (New Mix)