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Over the past two years, The Who have compiled their complete singles discography into a four-volume series of vinyl box sets, with each volume dedicated to one particular label and period: Brunswick, Reaction, Track and Polydor. Now, the band is bringing those volumes to the CD format as a 5-disc box set as part of a year-long campaign of Who-related releases.
Maximum As & Bs: The Complete Singles is due from UMe/Polydor on October 27, collecting 86 sides (including EP tracks) from all of the above labels, as issued originally on vinyl and compact disc. The collection is housed in a compact, lift-off lid-style box, with each disc in an individual wallet, and each disc label bearing an original replica label corresponding to the period. The set begins with The High Numbers' "Zoot Suit" and "I'm the Face" (first issued on Fontana in 1964) before beginning The Who story proper with the 1965 Brunswick release of "I Can't Explain" b/w "Bald Headed Woman." The set concludes, five discs later, with the 2015 Record Store Day vinyl single of "Be Lucky" b/w a remixed version of the original "I Can't Explain." The set traces the band's evolution from its original line-up of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon, through its current iteration led by Townshend and Daltrey.
A 48-page booklet is included in the box, which promises to contain track-by-track annotations for each single represented. Maximum As & Bs: The Complete Singles handily encapsulates the history of the maximum R&B legends, in all their varied phases, in one collection. It's due on October 27 and can be pre-ordered at the links below! Additionally, UMe will be releasing other Who titles throughout 2017. Pete Townshend's demo collections Scoop 1, 2 and 3 will be reissued on August 18 on both colored vinyl and CD, while joining Maximum As & Bs on October 27 will be half-speed mastered vinyl editions of both Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy and Live at Leeds!
The Who, Maximum As & Bs: The Complete Singles (Polydor, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada TBD)
CD 1
- Zoot Suit
- I'm the Face
- I Can't Explain
- Bald Headed Woman
- Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
- Daddy Rolling Stone
- My Generation
- Shout and Shimmy
- Circles (AKA 'Instant Party')
- Instant Party Mixture
- A Legal Matter
- The Kids Are Aright
- The Ox
- La - La
- The Good's Gone
CD 2
- Substitute
- Circles
- Waltz For A Pig
- I'm A Boy
- In The City
- Disguises
- Batman
- Bucket T
- Barbara Ann
- Happy Jack
- I've Been Away
- Pictures Of Lily
- Doctor, Doctor
- The Last Time
- Under My Thumb
- I Can See For Miles
- Someone's Coming
- Dogs
- Call Me Lightning
- Magic Bus
- Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
CD 3
- Pinball Wizard
- Dogs Part Two
- The Seeker
- Here For More
- Summertime Blues
- Heaven And Hell
- See Me Feel Me / Listening To You
- Overture From Tommy
- Christmas
- I'm Free
- Won't Get Fooled Again
- Don't Know Myself
- Let's See Action
- When I Was A Boy
- Join Together
- Baby Don't You Do It
- Relay
- Wasp Man
CD 4
- 5:15
- Water
- Listening To You / See Me Feel Me (Soundtrack Version)
- Overture (Soundtrack Version)
- Squeeze Box
- Success Story
- Who Are You
- Had Enough
- Long Live Rock
- My Wife (Live)
- 5:15 (Soundtrack Version)
- I'm One (Soundtrack Version)
- You Better You Bet
- The Quiet One
- Don't Let Go The Coat
- You
CD 5
- Athena
- A Man Is A Man
- Eminence Front
- It's Your Turn
- Twist And Shout (Live)
- I Can't Explain (Live)
- Bony Maronie (Live)
- Join Together (Live)
- I Can See For Miles (Live)
- Behind Blue Eyes (Live)
- Real Good Looking Boy
- Old Red Wine
- Wire & Glass EP - Side A (Sound Round, Pick Up The Peace, Endless Wire, We Got A Hit, They Made My Dream Come True)
- Wire & Glass EP - Side B - Mirror Door
- Be Lucky
- I Can't Explain (2014 Stereo remix)
No Substitute: Release of 1971 Gig by The Who Heralds Their Farewell Tour
Record Store Day 2025: The Best of the Rest
Release Yourself from Misery: Pete Townshend Collects Solo Albums (But No Bonus Tracks) for New Box
Heart to Hang Onto: Seven Out-of-Print Pete Townshend Live Albums Released in New Box Set
Any word on if these will be using the original mixes?
Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy has always been a favorite.
Apparently, they are using the same analog to digital transfers that were done for the four boxed sets of 7" vinyl singles. If so, at least five of the songs won't be the correct mixes/edits as on the original singles. The songs are "Circles"(Shel Talmy-produced version), "Pictures of Lily", "Someone's Coming", "I Can See For Miles" & "5:15". Furthermore, songs & versions exclusive to U.S.A. singles won't be included(I.E. "Substitute"alternate lyric ATCO version, "Anytime You Want Me" & the re-make/re-arrangement of "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand")
Thanks for the information, Phil. It sounds like a small number of tracks won't be originals, compared to the large number of songs included on this set.
Are those tracks available elsewhere on CD? It would be good to have all the originals.
Well, the actual single mix of "Circles"(Shel Talmy-produced version), is on the MCA CD "The Who Sings My Generation" and also on the (out of print) Japan 2-SHM-CD set "My Generation Box"(Universal UICY-93533/4)
Anyone know where you can find the US single mix of I Can See For Miles. I've been told it has a lot more umph than the UK/album mix. Anyone know anything about this, and where the US singles mix can be found.
The US single mix of I Can See For Miles is on the Who Sell Out Deluxe Edition disc 2, track 19.
Thanks, got the first "deluxe" edition, but not the second one. Can you tell me if there is a noticeable difference? Does it have more umph?
The 1-CD expanded edition of "Sell Out" features a superior 1990's remix of the "Sell Out" album. the 2-CD edition presents the somewhat murkier 1967 stereo & mono mixes of the album..