(THE WHO-Tommy)-Track Record/1969 pressing-L7-2xLP

	A$		50
	$		33

ITEM: VINYL 2x12” LP 33 1/3rpm
ARTIST:   THE WHO
TITLE: Tommy
COUNTRY PRINTED: Gt. BRITAIN
CAT No: TRACK RECORD, 613013 (1969 pressing)
COVER: 3 Leaf Gatefold (Grade at EXCELLENT+) some small corner wear/tear
BOOKLET:  12 page (Grade at MINT-)  
LABELS: (Grade at MINT)  
VINYL:
Record 1-(Grade at NEAR MINT)  
Record 2-(Grade at NEAR MINT-)  
SYNOPSIS: Wikipedia
  British Army Captain Walker is reported missing and is believed dead. His widow, Mrs. Walker, gives birth to their son, Tommy. Years later, Captain Walker returns home and discovers that his wife has found a new lover. Captain Walker confronts the two and the lover is subsequently killed in the struggle. To cover up the incident, Tommy's parents tell him that he didn't see or hear it, and that he will never tell anyone about the incident. Traumatised, Tommy subsequently becomes deaf, dumb, and blind. Now in a semi-catatonic state, Tommy's subconscious manifests as a figure dressed in silvery robes who guides him on a journey of enlightenment. Years pass and Tommy becomes a young man, now interpreting physical sensations as music. 

During Christmas, Tommy's parents worry that his soul is at risk of damnation, since he is unaware of Jesus or prayer. One day, Tommy is left alone with his cousin Kevin, who bullies and tortures him for his own amusement. A pimp referred to as "the Hawker" is introduced and peddles his prostitute's sexual prowess, reputed to heal the deaf, the dumb, and the blind. Tommy is ultimately taken to this woman, who calls herself the Acid Queen; she tries to coax Tommy into full consciousness with hallucinogenic drugs and sex. When this does not work, Tommy's parents reluctantly leave him temporarily in the care of his Uncle Ernie, an alcoholic child molester. He takes this opportunity to abuse Tommy without fear of being caught. Eventually, Tommy is discovered to have a talent for pinball and quickly defeats the local champion of the game. 

In yet another attempt at 'curing' him, Tommy's father finds a medical specialist. After numerous tests, the doctor informs Tommy's parents that his disabilities are psychosomatic rather than physical. Meanwhile, Tommy is internally trying to reach out to them. His mother continues to try to reach him, but becomes frustrated that he ignores her while staring directly at a mirror, despite his apparent inability to see. Out of this frustration, she smashes the mirror and brings Tommy back to reality. This "miracle cure" becomes a public sensation and Tommy attains a guru-like status. Thereafter he assumes a messianic mantle and attempts to enlighten those willing to follow him. During one of Tommy's sermons Sally Simpson sneaks out of her home to meet with Tommy. As the police try to control the crowd, Sally is thrown from the stage and suffers a gash on her face. Tommy opens his own home to anyone willing to join him and urges them to bring as many people with them as they can. When his house becomes too small to accommodate them all, a camp is built with the intended purpose of spreading Tommy's teachings. Tommy's Uncle Ernie assists him at this camp, but uses it as an opportunity for profit and to exploit Tommy's disciples. Now with all necessary resources at his disposal, Tommy instructs his followers to blind, deafen and mute themselves in order to truly reach enlightenment. They eventually reject his methods and ideology after finding that his enlightenment is not reached by being cured, but by discovering a state of awareness while deaf, dumb, and blind. 
  TRACKS:
  A1-Overture-3:50
A2-It's A Boy-2:07
A3-1921-3:14
A4-Amazing Journey-3:25
A5-Sparks-3:45
A6-Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)-2:15
B1-Christmas-5:30
B2-Cousin Kevin-4:03
B3-The Acid Queen-3:31
B4-Underture-9:55
C1-Do You Think It's Alright?-0:24
C2-Fiddle About1:26
C3-Pinball Wizard-3:50
C4-There's A Doctor-0:25
C5-Go To The Mirror!-3:50
C6-Tommy Can You Hear Me?-1:35
C7-Smash The Mirror-1:20
C8-Sensation-2:32
D1-Miracle Cure-0:10
D2-Sally Simpson-4:10
D3-I'm Free-2:40
D4-Welcome-4:30
D5-Tommy's Holiday Camp-0:57
D6-We're Not Gonna Take It-6:45 COMMENT #1: Wikipedia
  Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was the first musical work to be billed overtly as a rock opera. Released in 1969, the album was mostly composed by Pete Townshend. In 1998 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant value". It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. 
COMMENT #2: Biography by Bruce Eder & Stephen Thomas Erlewine 
  Few bands in the history of rock & roll were riddled with as many contradictions as the Who. All four members had wildly different personalities, as their notoriously intense live performances demonstrated. The group was a whirlwind of activity, as the wild Keith Moon fell over his drum kit and Pete Townshend leaped into the air with his guitar, spinning his right hand in exaggerated windmills. Vocalist Roger Daltrey strutted across the stage with a thuggish menace, as bassist John Entwistle stood silent, functioning as the eye of the hurricane. These divergent personalities frequently clashed, but these frictions also resulted in a decade's worth of remarkable music -- it took some five years to find their audience, but at the tail end of the 1960s they suddenly achieved a level of popularity rivaling the Rolling Stones, both as a live act and in album sales. 

As one of the key figures of the British Invasion and the mod movement of the mid-'60s, the Who were a dynamic and undeniably powerful sonic force. They often sounded like they were exploding conventional rock and R&B structures with Townshend's furious guitar chords, Entwistle's hyperactive basslines, and Moon's vigorous, seemingly chaotic drumming. Unlike most rock bands, the Who based their rhythm on Townshend's guitar, letting Moon and Entwistle improvise wildly over his foundation, while Daltrey belted out his vocals. This was the sound the Who thrived on in concert, but on record they were a different proposition, as Townshend pushed the group toward new sonic territory. He soon became regarded as one of the finest British songwriters of his era, rivaling John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, as songs like "The Kids Are Alright" and "My Generation" became teenage anthems, and his rock opera, Tommy, earned him respect from mainstream music critics. 

Townshend continually pushed the band toward more ambitious territory, incorporating white noise, pop art, and conceptual extended musical pieces into the group's style. The remainder of the Who, especially Entwistle and Daltrey, weren't always eager to follow him in his musical explorations, especially after the success of his first rock opera, Tommy. Instead, they wanted to stick to their hard rock roots, playing brutally loud, macho music instead of Townshend's textured song suites and vulnerable pop songs. Eventually, this resulted in the group abandoning their adventurous spirit in the mid-'70s, as they settled into their role as arena rockers. The Who continued on this path even after the death of Moon in 1978, and even after they disbanded in the early '80s, as they reunited numerous times in the late '80s and '90s to tour America. The group's relentless pursuit of the dollar was largely due to Entwistle and Daltrey, who never found successful solo careers, but it had the unfortunate side effect of tarnishing their reputation for many longtime fans. However, there's little argument that at their peak the Who were one of the most innovative and powerful bands in rock history.

  VINYL GRADING SYSTEM

MINT:
RECORD: New condition with no surface marks or loss of sound quality.
COVER: New condition with no surface marks, creases or wear.
NEAR MINT:
RECORD: Barely noticeable surface mark with no loss of sound quality.
COVER: Barely noticeable surface mark/ wear.
EXCELLENT:
RECORD: Some signs of being played with extremely little if no loss of sound quality.
COVER: Slight wear or creasing.
VERY GOOD:
RECORD: Obviously been played with noticeable surface marks & the occasional light scratches but exhibits no major loss of sound quality.
COVER: Noticeable wear on cover, seam or spine.
+(PLUS)/-(MINUS):
Slightly up or down in condition as appears in the comments above.
NOTE:
Gradings are done visually unless there appears to be a questionable surface mark on the vinyl, it is then put on the turntable to check. A comment describing the outcome will appear if this is the case.

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