>>REVIEW
ANYWAY ANYHOW ANYWHERE: THE COMPLETE CHRONICLE OF THE WHO 1958-1978 (REVISED EDITION)
Andrew Neill and Matthew Kent
Sterling, 304 pp.
Despite their importance and enduring popularity, The Who haven’t been subject to the lavish coffee-table books that The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of The Who 1958-1978, now out in a revised soft-cover version, changes that.
After a brief overview of each of the band members, the book begins in the late 1950s when they first started finding their musical legs. Then, starting with the band’s formation in 1964, we are treated to an exhaustive year-by-year analysis of the activities of the group, covering such important milestones as "My Generation," Woodstock and Tommy, all the way up to Keith Moon’s death in 1978. The decision to end the history here is a welcome one, as another 300 pages of reunion tours and child pornography allegations would have dragged the quality of the book down considerably.
For the first time anywhere, the band’s transformation from icons of the Mod movement to psychedelic rockers to stadium giants is presented in chronological order and with exquisite detail, so much so that you can link their musical evolution to the length of singer Roger Daltrey’s hair. The book is rich with images, including everything from shots of the band onstage to wedding photos to ticket stubs. However, fans will get the most pleasure from the incredible amount of information authors Neill and Kent have to offer. Tracking the band’s activities on an almost daily basis, the book is comprehensive to an incredible degree, even going as far as clearing up the myths regarding drummer Moon’s legendary 21st birthday bash. (Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t drive his car into a swimming pool. He did, however, throw his drum-shaped cake around like it was a real drum kit, hitting a policeman in the head with the "bass drum," among other things). In addition, the book offers an index of the group’s live shows and recording dates at the back for those who want the information fast.
This is as definitive, loving and well-researched as music coffee-table books get, and Who fans would do well to pick it up. Long live rock! |
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