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May 1975 found Pete Townshend turning 30 and troubled by thoughts of the future.  What would it hold for The Who, the music business, and rock and roll itself?  He poured his anxieties and emotions into The Who by Numbers, the October ’75 release of which would become the band’s seventh studio album.  On October 30, Polydor and UMe celebrates 51 (!) years of The Who by Numbers with a new 5CD/1Blu-ray Super Deluxe Edition.

Sessions for the album began in April 1975 and continued through early June, with producer Glyn Johns (Who’s Next) at the helm.  Though Townshend recalled being detached from the sessions with his bandmates in various states of distraction, the resulting album became one of the band’s most distinctive.  Underneath a drawing by John Entwistle, Messrs. Townshend, Daltrey, Entwistle, and Moon delivered a set of striking, often dark, sometimes personal compositions.  One of the more lighthearted songs, the innuendo-laden ‘Squeeze Box,” went to the top ten in the U.K. and top twenty in the U.S., while the follow-up single “Slip Kid” – a Lifehouse-era tune with pointed commentary about the music business – failed to chart.  The Who by Numbers reached No. 7 in the U.K. and No. 8 in the U.S., earning a Platinum certification in the latter country.

The upcoming 5CD/1Blu-Ray super deluxe edition box boasts 92 previously unreleased tracks and mixes, plus new stereo, 5.1, and Dolby Atmos mixes of the original album overseen by Pete Townshend on Blu-ray.  The first CD has a remastered edition of the original album, while CD 2 has eleven of Pete’s original demos (all but three of which are previously unreleased).  The third and fourth discs take a deep dive into the sessions and beyond with alternate versions, jams, rough mixes, radio commercials, live tracks, and more, while the fifth CD offers the June 12, 1976 concert in Swansea, Wales (billed here as “the fullest version [of this show] released to date”).  The date at Swansea FC’s Vetch Field was originally mooted for a live album, and while selected tracks from the show have been released before, they’ve all been restored and resequenced from the original tapes here.  The show turned out to be Keith Moon’s final proper concert in front of a British audience.

The Blu-ray disc has Townshend’s new stereo, 5.1, and Dolby Atmos mixes as well as The Who’s Metropolitan Stadium, Pontiac, Michigan concert of December 6, 1975 sourced from 2” videotape.  This show set the world record at the time for the highest-attended indoor rock concert, with a reported 76,896 audience members.  The video has been restored and the audio remastered for this release.

A 100-page hardcover book has liner notes by Townshend and Who historian Andy Neill as well as photos and memorabilia images.  Townshend writes in his essay, “I could feel a new wave or reaction and rebellion coming in the music business, the big bands were becoming careless and self-indulgent. I wanted my songs to continue to have a cathartic function for our audience. When punk hit a few years later, I was not surprised.”  Now it’s our turn to be surprised all over again with the Super Deluxe set of The Who by Numbers.  A 1LP edition pressed on Cream Marble Vinyl contains the remastered 1975 album while a 2CD edition pairs that remaster with 12 highlights from the box set including demos, session material, and two live cuts from Swansea.  A 3LP set has the remastered album plus the Swansea concert recording.

Look for all editions from Polydor/UMe on October 30.  You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below.  Amazon links are not yet live but will be added when available.  (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)  Pete’s vocal of “Imagine a Man” is streaming now(opens in new tab).

The Who, The Who by Numbers (Polydor/UMe, 2026)

5CD/1BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada Links TBD / The Who Official Store(opens in new tab)
1LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada Links TBD / The Who Official Store(opens in new tab)
3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada Links TBD / The Who Official Store(opens in new tab)
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada Links TBD / The Who Official Store(opens in new tab)

CD 1 – The Original 1975 Album Remastered (Originally released on Polydor UK LP 2490-129, 1975) (*)

1. Slip Kid
2. However Much I Booze
3. Squeeze Box
4. Dreaming From The Waist
5. Imagine A Man
6. Success Story
7. They Are All In Love
8. Blue, Red And Grey
9. How Many Friends
10. In A Hand Or A Face

CD 2 – Pete Townsend Demos (All tracks previously unreleased except where noted)

1. Keep Me Turning (Version 1)
2. Slip Kid (Version 1) (Originally released on Lifehouse Chronicles, Eel Pie CD EPR 002, 2000) (*)
3. Squeeze Box (Originally released on Scoop, Atco Records LP 90063-1-F, 1983)
4. Blue, Red And Grey
5. Dreaming From The Waist
6. How Many Friends
7. Keep Me Turning (Version 2)
8. Imagine A Man
9. Slip Kid (Version 2)
10. Round And Round (Working Title For In A Hand Or A Face) (*)
11. There Ain’t No Way Out (Working Title For However Much I Booze) (Originally released on Scoop 3, Hip-O Records/UMe CD B0006472-02)

CD 3 – Tracking Sessions, Ramport & Shepperton Studios (All tracks previously unreleased)

1. Ramport Jam (Excerpt)
2. She Loves Everyone (Tracking Session)
3. Control Myself (Dreaming From The Waist Tracking Session) (*)
4. There Ain’t No Way Out (However Much I Booze Tracking Session)
5. Goin’ To Frisco – Round And Round (In A Hand Or A Face Tracking Session)
6. Hi-Heel Sneakers Jam With Nicky Hopkins (Studio Outtake)
7. Pete And Keith “The Artiste” (Studio Dialogue)
8. Success Story (Tracking Session)
9. How Many Friends (Tracking Session)
10. Imagine A Man (Tracking Session)
11. They Are All In Love (Tracking Session)
12. She Loves Everyone (Retake With Nicky Hopkins)
13. Squeeze Box (Tracking Session)
14. Instrumental 1 (Tracking Session)
15. I’m Dreaming (Dreaming From The Waist Retake)
16. Every Minute (Blue Red And Grey Tracking Session)
17. Instrumental 2 (Rough Mix Tracking Session)
18. The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #1 (Radio Commercial)

CD 4 – Early Mixes and Guide Vocals (All tracks previously unreleased except where noted)

1. Slip Kid – Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix Without Overdubs)
2. However Much I Booze – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (*)
3. Squeeze Box – Alternate Roger Vocal
4. Dreaming From The Waist – Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
5. Imagine A Man – Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (*)
6. Success Story – John Vocal (Early Mix) (*)
7. They Are All In Love – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix) (*)
8. Blue, Red And Grey (Unedited Version) (*)
9. How Many Friends – Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
10. In A Hand Or A Face (Early Mix)
11. They Are All In Love Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix)
12. Squeeze Box (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (*)
13. Imagine A Man (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
14. They Are All In Love (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
15. How Many Friends (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026) (*)
16. The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #2 (Radio Commercial)
17. Keith Moon And John Entwistle Preview (The Who By Numbers With John Peel, BBC 1975)
18. However Much I Booze (Live At The Summit, Houston, USA, 20 November 1975) (Video originally released on DVD The Who: Live in Texas ’75, 2012)
19. Slip Kid (Live At Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA, 11 March 1976)

CD 5 – Live at Vetch Field, Swansea, Wales, June 12, 1976 (newly restored and resequenced to proper order)

1. My Wife
2. Baba O’Riley
3. Squeeze Box (*)
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. Dreaming From The Waist (*)
6. Amazing Journey
7. Sparks
8. The Acid Queen
9. Fiddle About
10. Pinball Wizard
11. I’m Free
12. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
13. We’re Not Gonna Take It/See Me, Feel Me
14. Summertime Blues
15. My Generation/Join Together/My Generation Blues
16. Won’t Get Fooled Again

Blu-ray Disc:

Original Album:

1. Pete Townshend Atmos Mix
2. Pete Townshend 5.1 Mix
3. 2026 Stereo Mix

Live At Metropolitan Stadium, Pontiac, Michigan, December 6, 1975 (Previously Unreleased Who Concert Shot On NTSC 2” Videotape):

1. I Can’t Explain
2. Substitute
3. My Wife
4. Baba O’Riley
5. Squeeze Box
6. Behind Blue Eyes
7. Dreaming From The Waist
8. Boris The Spider
9. Magic Bus
10. Amazing Journey/Sparks
11. The Acid Queen
12. Fiddle About
13. Pinball Wizard
14. I’m Free
15. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
16. We’re Not Gonna Take It/See Me, Feel Me
17. Summertime Blues
18. My Generation/Join Together/Road Runner/My Generation Blues
19. Won’t Get Fooled Again

(*) indicates track reprised on 2CD “highlights” edition