Cawthorne, Nigel (2005). The Who and the making of Tommy. Unanimous Ltd (Vinyl Frontier 5). pp.224. ISBN 1-903318-76-9 Release 4638030 (Circled/Rim text on label facing outwards to runout, also "Deutsche Grammophon" mentioned)

Christgau, Robert (25 January 1983). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York . Retrieved 3 July 2013. After a few warm up gigs towards the end of April, [43] the group gave a preview concert to the press at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, London on 1 May. Realising the opera's narrative was difficult to understand, Townshend explained a synopsis of the story, before the Who played Tommy all the way through at full stage volume. [46] The next day, the group flew out to New York to start the US tour, with the first gig on 9 May at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit. [43] At the end of May, the group played four nights at the Kinetic Playground, Chicago, and they noticed the audience would all stand up at the same time and stay standing. This indicated that live performances of Tommy had a significant positive response. [89]Now, I realize some fans who came onboard after the band’s heyday may wonder why Tommy doesn’t sound as massive as, say, August 1971’s Who’s Next or October 1973’s Quadrophenia — well, that difference simply comes down to time passing, technology improving, and the band achieving a level of financial success that allowed them to spend more on their productions than they previously could afford. From everything I’ve read, The Who were on the cusp of bankruptcy, and had Tommy not been a mega-hit, they might well have imploded and disappeared from the scene. So, it is important to go into this listening experience with open ears and open minds to best appreciate these magnificent, groundbreaking recordings from 1968-69. Also, something I didn’t see until now is a serial number printed on the booklet — 3345. Curiously, I never noticed if the U.S. edition indeed includes the wording “limited edition number” in the same spot, but there is no number printed there — at least not in mine, nor every copy I’ve ever seen and/or owned. I’ll be looking into the reasoning behind the serial-replication of the number 3345 in this new edition when I get a chance, of course — but please feel free to respond in the Comments section below if you know of the reasoning why it was used. Macek III, J.C. (24 April 2014). " 'Sensation: The Story of the Who's Tommy' Lives Up to Its Name". Pop Matters . Retrieved 12 January 2023. All of these remarkable observations are made through brand new interviews with lead guitarist, singer, lead songwriter and Tommy creator Pete Townshend, as well as the dynamic lead singer (who portrayed Tommy Walker himself in the original opera and the 1975 motion picture) Roger Daltrey (who still looks about 20 years younger than he is). In that these are some of the first interviews that truly delve into the somewhat recently unearthed facts about Townshend's childhood sexual abuse, this is an exceptionally noteworthy documentary. What is immediately interesting is the new version sounds like Tommy should sound, but it feels richer, rounder, and more robust than the original U.S. pressing I have. It feels warmer and more welcoming than the stereo version on my SACD. (As noted above, I primarily keep the SACD and the DVD-A version in hand for the 5.1 surround sound mixes, which are another beast entirely.) In 1970 Ferdinand Nault of the Montreal ballet group Les Grands Ballets Canadiens created the first dance-based adaptation of Tommy. [105] The ballet performance toured New York in April 1971, which included a light show and accompanying films by the Quebec Film Bureau. [106] [107] 1971 Seattle Opera production [ edit ]

I have long had a UK original Tommy but was tempted in a rash moment ten years ago to pay the equivalent of USD 110 for a Classic Records copy to compare with, as I had read a lot about it (and have the Norah Jones Classic Records 4 LP 45 rpm set which I rate highly). Italian album certifications – The Who – Tommy" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2016" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Tommy" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione". Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4thed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734. Rather then the music, I am speaking to the concept of the album here, where for me, the notion of the story of Tommy is akin to the notion of a rape fantasy, where the girl has been awakened to her sexuality, even though by rape, and has now blossomed into a raving beauty, strong and secure, perhaps even glad that she had been deflowered in such a violent manner ... no longer young, deaf, dumb or blind. But this work is far more insidious and dark, and perhaps true on a subconscious level for Mr. Townshend. Cousin Kevin” sounds incredible here, with Moon’s manic, circular orchestral-flavored tom-tom rolls on the choruses almost stealing the show. John Entwistle’s midrange harmony on the choruses is haunting and much more apparent than on other versions I’ve heard. Indeed, the level of detailing apparent now on “Underture” is truly magnificent — just listen for those cymbal splashes and the depth of ambient space surrounding the tympani and tambourine.Atkins, John (2000). The Who on Record: A Critical History, 1963–1998. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-0609-8.

Today, 7 July, sees the release of the third and fourth in a series of half-speed mastered studio albums from The Who: The Who Sell Out and Tommy. Hurwitz, Nathan (2014). A History of the American Musical Theatre: No Business Like It. Routledge. p.225. ISBN 978-1-317-91205-7. Bargreen, Melinda (22 July 2005). "Glynn Ross, 90, turned Seattle into opera destination". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011.In 1998, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant value". [48] In 2000 it was voted number 52 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums. [66] In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Tommy number 96 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, [67] it maintained the rating in a 2012 revised list, [68] and was re-ranked at number 190 on the 2020 list. [69] The album is one of several by the Who to appear in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. [70] According to Acclaimed Music, it is the 132nd most ranked record on critics' all-time lists. [71] Townshend, Pete (1993). Tommy: The Musical. Pantheon. 173 pp. + a CD w/ the song I Can't Believe My Own Eyes. ISBN 0-679-43066-0. Also titled The Who's Tommy: The Musical.