For some, well let’s say many when it comes to discussing The WHO lineup’s over the years it’s Keith Moon or nothing. I get that. For myself though my discovery point of getting into The WHO was when they were breaking up in 1982 when I was 15!
So for that fact the two Kenny Jones studio albums that Ken drummed on, those being “Face Dances(1980”) and “It’s Hard(1982)” will always be held in high esteem around here at Arena Rock Central!
Sorry Moon The Loon! Love your stuff too but this period of The WHO is my entry point.
This year for Father’s Day my three daughters and The Boss let me run wild online for RSD 2021.
I hit my go to place AUX333 in Montreal and I scored with four albums (which you will see in reviews at some point sooner than later) and this one that I have been wanting to own on vinyl since 1982 which is ….
THE WHO: Face Dances!
You Better You Bet I got a copy!
Now years ago(mid eighties) I bought “Face Dances” on cassette tape for $5.99! I loved it yet when I got back into buying vinyl seriously about four years ago I began the hunt for this album.
Thanks to RSD in June 2021 I search no more!
Pete and Rog have reissued “Face Dances” and once I seen that I was thinking I need to be getting this one!
Got it!
LP1: The Original Album
Side One:
1. You Better You Bet
2. Don’t Let Go The Coat
3. Cache Cache
4. The Quiet One
5. Did You Steal My Money
Side Two
1. How Can You Do It Alone
2. Daily Records
3. You
4. Another Tricky Day
LP2: Face Dances Part 3
Side 3
1. I Like Nightmares
2. It’s In You
3. Somebody Saved Me
4. Dance It Away (previously unreleased) with Roger on lead vocals
5. Don’t Let Go The Coat (previously unreleased) with Pete on lead vocals
Side 4 All tracks live at Grugahalle, Essen, 28 March 1981 and broadcast live for Rockpalast
1. Don’t Let Go The Coat (previously unreleased)
2. You Better You Bet (previously unreleased)
3. The Quiet One (previously unreleased)
4. Another Tricky Day (previously unreleased)
A huge batch of music and it’s finally great to own a copy on vinyl. The standouts for me on the original album are of course “You Better You Bet” which Roger Daltry delivers what I believe is one of his best studio performances ever which has always impressed me as Rog was always singing the words of Pete Townsend who as we all know all can be a pretty fickle fella when it comes to his music and fair enough as Pete has earned that right.
“Face Dances” is one of those albums that I can dig in as the album does not lag whatsoever but when I read about the thoughts of how the band felt about the material at the time, they were taking pot shots at each other about the songs on it and it didn’t help matters that as The WHO hit the road before the album came out that producer Bill Szymczyk was left to the final mix which also did not help the cause as the band was not happy with it.
Whatever the reason I love it man..
Sprinkled throughout the album is classic WHO rock (“Daily Records”),old school WHO (“Cache Cache”) as well as some other kinds of WHO rhythm (“Don’t Let Go the Coat,” “Did You Steal My Money”).
Another ace in the hole tune on “Face Dances” is Bassist John Entwistle’s song “The Quiet One” which has the boys rocking out in a power trio fashion and is one of my all time fav WHO nuggets. Where the band really soars though on this tune is the live version on Side 4 off the record.
I always have loved how Pete just cuts loose and lets it all hang out on the 6 string. Windmills, power chords and the amps pushed to 11 have Pete going bonkers and there are a few live versions of “The Quiet One” out there and I don’t think I have ever heard this song end the same. Kudos to Jones on the drums as well riding that cymbal with a bunch of different patterns underneath.
1980 and The WHO were headed into a new decade with a new album and a new drummer in tow and all these years later (41 to be exact) I finally got on vinyl.
So good So brilliant So get this…
Interesting, I don’t know this one at all Deke. I have always rather liked the cover though.
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Great album. So glad to own a copy
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You spent $48.99 on this vinyl?!?!
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I didn’t Lana my wife and 3 daughters did LOL
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Oh I thought you meant your wife and daughters allowed you to treat yourself. Then again, since it was for Fathers Day, that wouldn’t have made sense. But why was it so expensive? Was it a rare copy?
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Record Store Day releases. Thats why so pricey and yes my wife and daughters did treat me. Life is good.
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Geez! You have a good wife and daughters that love you!
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Must listen to this, I checked out at Quadrophenia, which is one of the best albums ever.
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That would be a great one to own on vinyl as well
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Nice one sir! That is a pretty good looking vinyl package. This is one I’ve always wanted to get, but never pulled the trigger. I only have 2 Who albums right now, need to remedy that someday just not yet.
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You got lots of time to remedy this problem John.
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Looks great. Tempting for the live songs but a bit too pricey for me I think…
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Yeah I hear ya Scott but I was lucky to score it as a gift! LOL so that helps but the layout is awesome
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I’m pretty sure it was a 1981 album, so this was released for the 40th anniversary.
It looks awesome, and being half speed mastered I’m sure it sounds great.
Do you have It’s Hard (that’s what she said)?
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Damn your right it’s 1981
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Thanks for noticing that Bop!
I need to get It’s Hard LOL but who knows they may reissue it now as well
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I bought this one also at the time and loved it. The reason I bought it was because I had Hooligans (greatest hits) and Who’s Next already. I am a huge Moon fan but that doesn’t mean I don’t like this also.
They were different without Moon…more groove oriented but still The Who and that is all I need to know. I liked this one much better than It’s Hard. Great pickup Deke!
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I’m pretty psyched to own this now! Looks great on the shelf and on the turntable!
I wish they would reissue Hooligans as that’s a great starter kit into the world of The Who
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I’m glad you have it now…you waited long enough. The Quiet One is the one I go to a lot.
I never have seen Hooligans again…I wish I would have kept my copy.
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Killer track! Pete cuts loose and just soars
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awesome write up. interesting how one’s entry point can help define the band.
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Thanks for reading pal
It’s funny how the mind works well what’s left of it lol
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Cool! What a nice gift for you – Father’s day? I remember “You better You Bet”, always liked that track though the few people I knew back then who were big into The Who generally didn’t. I like CDs a lot but there’s no denying how very cool the art is on good 12″ records that were made in the day when they were designed to be looked at. Not gonna get that with an mp3 download, that’s for sure.
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Thanks Dave !
Yep my wife and daughters spoiled me for FD!
The artwork is fantastic.
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I wonder if laserdiscs had taken off , movie studios might have done similar with home releases? You know, expanded credits, big photos from movie on inner sleeve kind of deal
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That would have been a good idea Dave.
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Now THAT is a Father’s Day! Your lovely ladies let you shop 333 on RSD? Daaaaaaamn, son! Woot!
I remember seeing an original of this LP in a shoppe here but the dude must’ve been on something ‘cos it was priced up way too high.
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I think the tab was $194! I’m one lucky son of a gun!
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Holy smokes! Yessir, that’s for sure!! Man I really wanna get back to Montreal so I can hit up those shoppes again. Ain’t gonna be anytime soon though.
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Love that city. So many cool shops.
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Oh yes. I don’t have many life regrets, but giving up living there would probably be one of them.
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Things work out for a reason Sir.
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They sure do. I think of it too as if we’d stayed we’d still be rent-controlled downtown – couldn’t afford that place now lol! Lots of ifs in the past but hey, at least I can still go back to visit whenever this all blows over. After we left I got to meet James, and so many other cool people, and it all lead up to us being here where we are, I know, but I do still love that place. I tell my lovely wife we’ll retire there.
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I just have the peasant 1 disc version of this. Don’t Let Go The Coat is an underrated Who tune. Really, both albums they did with Jones are solid but he was a bit of a one-dimensional. I think he got hired because Pete got tired of competing with his drummer, lol
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Plus Jones played with a hi-hat unlike Moon lol
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Very true!
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My listening experience with The Who is limited. Especially late in their career. And interesting album title.
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Check this one out when the mood hits Pete.
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Yeah, Kenny was a great drummer, but got a raw deal. Saw him with The Who and thought he was great. Not Moon, but who is? Actually saw Kenny Jones play drums with Rod Stewart and the Faces in the mid 70s. That was way cool. Nice vinyl score, btw.
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Very cool deKE. Some rare love for a very good record. I have a friend who has his own internet radio show and he is always playing great cuts. he frequently spins a few from this album. You surprised me with this one. I have the vinyl and i think it might have come with a poster? Pete’s pic on the front cover looks like he took a couple of lefts to the old shnoz. Good piece fella.
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Thanks Pal. I’m psyched to finally own it on vinyl. It’s been a long time coming!
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Listened to it last night. Enjoyed it. Interesting where you came on board and how much you dug them.
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Kinda weird huh? lol
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Not weird. Im weird.
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We’re all a little weird CB!
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I liked reading this back to back with the Robert Plant post – sometimes, acoustic can deliver the goods. And at other times, there’s no (to borrow a WHO tune) Substitute for windmills + Nigel Tufnel amp settings!
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Some classic rock cued up right their Geoff. The Who and Plant!
Acoustic does deliver the goods on Lair’s Dance. It’s up on Youtube.
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Hearing Kenny Jones name brings back memories of the CBC TV WHO concert. Good times.
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Good call. First time ever watching a Who video and they break up right before our Canadian eyes that night.
Than 3 years later they are back lol
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