July 18 — Universal Music will re-Issue The Who’s classic 1971 album, Who’s Next and the band’s abandoned rock opera Life House later this summer.
The collection is scheduled for release Sept. 15 through UMR. Pre-orders are open. The collection of the album’s re-issue and the release of the previously unreleased rock opera will feature a total of 155 tracks, 89 of which are themselves previously unreleased. The other 57 songs are new remixes of previously released songs.
Who’s Next is a concept record of sorts that examines in its lyrical themes, the impact of climate change, the elimination of people’s personal freedoms, and the role of the internet in society. This was more than half a century ago, making the record well ahead of its tie. The album produced three of The Who’s biggest hits in the form of ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ ‘Baba O’Riley’ and ‘Behind Blue Eyes’.
Who’s Next peaked domestically at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart following its release in 1971.
Life House was originally conceived as a rock operate that would be a follow-up to Tommy but was never finished. Bits and pieces of the opera have gone on to be featured in many of The Who’s albums, making the forthcoming presentation a rare instance of the opera being presented in one setting.
The nearly 200 songs featured in the upcoming r-issue will be spread across 10 discs, with all of the songs remastered from the original master tapes by The Who’s longtime engineer, John Astley. A Blu-ray disc featuring new 5.1 surround sound mixes of Who’s Next will serve as a bonus. The disc will also feature 14 bonus tracks by producer Stephen Wilson.
In addition to the bonus Blu-ray, the collection will also feature a 100-page book, Life House, the graphic novel, posters, facsimile concert programs, tour button set, and color picture of the band.
The recording set will also feature on two separate vinyl sets, a 4LP and 3 LP set complete with the first-ever complete release of the band’s 1971 San Francisco concert and vinyl replicas of Robert Townshend’s Life House. A single LP pressing of Who’s Next will also be available.
More information on The Who’s upcoming re-issue set is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://thewho.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewho
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheWho
