- Format: MP3
The Who
2 September 1964
Scene Club, Soho, London
Approximate Length: 35m
Sound Quality: A surprisingly clear (for this era) recording from a promotional film soundtrack,
but fragmented and incomplete. Bootleg: The High Numbers Live 1964.
Song List:
o1. I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying (1)
02. You Really Got Me (cuts in)
03. Young Man Blues (cuts in at beginning)
04. Green Onions (cuts in)
05. I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying (2)
06. Instrumental Jam
07. I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying
08. Long Tall Shorty
09. Pretty Thing (cuts in)
10. Smokestack Lightning, Money (That's What I Want) (cuts in)
11. Here 'Tis (incomplete)
Details:
One of the earliest live recordings of the band, still known then as The High
Numbers—the date and venue was finally cleared up with the release of the Anyway Anyhow
Anywhere book after it had been previously attributed to the Marquee Club. It's a very rare
glimpse from the period when they played primarily rhythm and blues covers and not original
material, and the lack of an audience, as well as the presence of more than one version of a
couple of tunes, seems to corroborate that this show was being recorded for promotional
purposes. Some numbers (notably 'Green Onions' and 'You Really Got Me') are nothing more than short instrumentals, while 'Here 'Tis' is very similar to the studio recording done a few months earlier. Also worth mentioning is this jazzy rendition of 'Young Man Blues', which is much more similar to the Mose Allison original than the hard-edged rock versions played in later years.
The Who
September or October 1964 (?)
Studio 3, EMI Recording Studios, London
Approximate Length: 24m
Sound Quality: Very good studio recordings, suitable for release. Bootleg: The High Numbers
Live 1964.
Song List:
12. Smokestack Lightning (instrumental)
13. Walkin' the Dog (instrumental)
14. Unknown Instrumental
15. I'm a Man (instrumental)
16. Instrumental Jam
17. Memphis Tennessee (instrumental)
18. Unknown Instrumental
Details:
Not sure of the real date of these recordings, but it can't be October 22nd, 1964,
which was actually the date Kit Lambert received the letter from EMI regarding the test
session these tunes likely come from. However, the session most likely occurred shortly before this date. As for the music, it's all instrumental and Daltrey's only role seems to be that of harmonica player on a couple of tracks, including a great 'I'm a Man' that's reminiscent of the My Generationcut recorded months later. 'Smokestack Lightning' was of course familiar from their live repertoire, and 'Walkin' the Dog' and 'Memphis, Tennessee' were probably part of their act at the time as well. Two of the instrumentals here may simply be R & B exercises, but one includes Townshend on 12-string electric and is kind of interesting as a result. The highlight of this collection has to be the six-plus-minute instrumental that seems to foreshadow Who jams in years to come. Townshend leads the way with experimental chord work punctuated by some impressive and heavy fills from Moon as the piece breaks down and builds back up again—they seem way ahead of their time here and the feel of this tune seems out of place among this R & B-dominated material, but eventually it picks up a bluesy feel. There's even a flawless key-change signaled by an audible vocal cue before the whole thing explodes, much like the arrangement of 'Bald Headed Woman'. Not sure where this material was all these years, but it's nice to finally have it, even without vocals of any kind.
The Who
2 September 1964
Scene Club, Soho, London
Approximate Length: 35m
Sound Quality: A surprisingly clear (for this era) recording from a promotional film soundtrack,
but fragmented and incomplete. Bootleg: The High Numbers Live 1964.
Song List:
o1. I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying (1)
02. You Really Got Me (cuts in)
03. Young Man Blues (cuts in at beginning)
04. Green Onions (cuts in)
05. I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying (2)
06. Instrumental Jam
07. I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying
08. Long Tall Shorty
09. Pretty Thing (cuts in)
10. Smokestack Lightning, Money (That's What I Want) (cuts in)
11. Here 'Tis (incomplete)
Details:
One of the earliest live recordings of the band, still known then as The High
Numbers—the date and venue was finally cleared up with the release of the Anyway Anyhow
Anywhere book after it had been previously attributed to the Marquee Club. It's a very rare
glimpse from the period when they played primarily rhythm and blues covers and not original
material, and the lack of an audience, as well as the presence of more than one version of a
couple of tunes, seems to corroborate that this show was being recorded for promotional
purposes. Some numbers (notably 'Green Onions' and 'You Really Got Me') are nothing more than short instrumentals, while 'Here 'Tis' is very similar to the studio recording done a few months earlier. Also worth mentioning is this jazzy rendition of 'Young Man Blues', which is much more similar to the Mose Allison original than the hard-edged rock versions played in later years.
The Who
September or October 1964 (?)
Studio 3, EMI Recording Studios, London
Approximate Length: 24m
Sound Quality: Very good studio recordings, suitable for release. Bootleg: The High Numbers
Live 1964.
Song List:
12. Smokestack Lightning (instrumental)
13. Walkin' the Dog (instrumental)
14. Unknown Instrumental
15. I'm a Man (instrumental)
16. Instrumental Jam
17. Memphis Tennessee (instrumental)
18. Unknown Instrumental
Details:
Not sure of the real date of these recordings, but it can't be October 22nd, 1964, which was actually the date Kit Lambert received the letter from EMI regarding the test session these tunes likely come from. However, the session most likely occurred shortly before this date. As for the music, it's all instrumental and Daltrey's only role seems to be that of harmonica player on a couple of tracks, including a great 'I'm a Man' that's reminiscent of the My Generationcut recorded months later. 'Smokestack Lightning' was of course familiar from their live repertoire, and 'Walkin' the Dog' and 'Memphis, Tennessee' were probably part of their act at the time as well. Two of the instrumentals here may simply be R & B exercises, but one includes Townshend on 12-string electric and is kind of interesting as a result. The highlight of this collection has to be the six-plus-minute instrumental that seems to foreshadow Who jams in years to come. Townshend leads the way with experimental chord work punctuated by some impressive and heavy fills from Moon as the piece breaks down and builds back up again—they seem way ahead of their time here and the feel of this tune seems out of place among this R & B-dominated material, but eventually it picks up a bluesy feel. There's even a flawless key-change signaled by an audible vocal cue before the whole thing explodes, much like the arrangement of 'Bald Headed Woman'. Not sure where this material was all these years, but it's nice to finally have it, even without vocals of any kind.