The Who is preparing to go on a tour where they’ll perform their 1973 classic, Quadrophenia, in full. But while they’re on the road, Pete Townshend’s musical collaborator, Rachel Fuller, is preparing a symphonic rendition of the album. According to The Who’s website, Townshend and Jeff Beck performed her arrangement of “Love Reign O’er Me” at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in England on June 11.
Former Who drummer Kenney Jones told CBS Local that Townshend brought the project up to him, when they were discussing doing classical renditions of their albums. Jones is currently working on an orchestral rendition of the Small Faces’ 1968 landmark release Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake.
Another thing that the former Who-mates have in common is memoirs. Townshend will release his story, Who I Am, on October 8. Jones says “I’m doing a book as well, but I can never get around to finishing it!”
Townshend joked about his book with Jones, saying “You’re in it, to some small extent.” Jones, of course, played drums with The Who after Keith Moon’s passing in 1979. He stayed with the band through their original breakup in 1982, playing on 1981’s Face Dances and 1982’s It’s Hard. He played with the band when they reunited for Live Aid in 1985, but that was his last appearance with them. Jones’ book will no doubt cover his career with The Small Faces, The Faces, The Who and also a band called The Law that he formed with Paul Rodgers, and will no doubt appeal to fans of British rock from the ’60s and ’70s.
— Brian Ives, CBS Local
