Quadrophenia

Quadrophenia

by Pete Clemons

45 years ago saw, in my opinion, the release of one of the finest concept albums ever. It was titled ‘Quadrophenia’ and it was by rock band The Who. Thinking back to when the album was released I remember it was a lavish affair across two LP records with the gatefold sleeve that came complete with a black and white booklet set within it.

At the time of Quadrophenia’s release the UK was in turmoil. We had gas and electricity shortages and everyone seemed to be on a 3 day week. The Who was amongst a plethora of bands that managed to make things, for the youth at least, that little bit more enjoyable. And maybe the dank and grey artwork, used on the albums sleeve, was deliberate to reflect those times.

After the release of the Tommy album, things went relatively quiet for The Who. And this trend continued during the first few years of the 1970s. The individual musicians within the band began to release solo albums or feature in films. Admittedly, The Who did release one of their finest albums ‘Who’s Next’ during this period. But ‘Who’s Next’ had been made up of songs mainly created for a science fiction fantasy project called ‘Lifehouse’ that, disappointingly, hit the buffers and was aborted.

Quadrophenia is the story based around a disillusioned ‘Mod’ called Jimmy. Jimmy is a working class youth who struggles with life. But Jimmy has never moved on with the times and he lived in the past. He created a standard of living for himself as influenced by what he enjoys to hear but has difficulties with those who do not see life in the way he does.

But the character of Jimmy is way deeper than the one portrayed on the record. Jimmy was formed on how guitarist and writer, Pete Townshend, saw the four very different personalities within The Who at that time. Drummer Keith Moon was wild and unpredictable. Bass player John Entwistle was himself, a song writer and was unhappy at his own overall contribution to the band. Roger Daltrey wanted something where he uses his powerful vocal and was able to shake his, then, long hair on the stage.

And, combined, these four individuals came together in Pete’s mind to create Jimmy. To add to Jimmy’s problems he was also bipolar or schizophrenic. But for the purposes of the album, and with the four personalities in mind, Jimmy was quadrophenic. Meanwhile, during the writing of Quadrophenia, Pete Townshend was having his own issues with his perceived failure to deliver on his failed ‘Lifehouse’ project.

During this period of self-doubt, after ‘Lifehouse’, Pete Townshend would have a flashback during 1972, to when he was 19, and a particular gig in Brighton where, afterwards, the band had missed their train back to London and spent the night under Brighton Pier. During this flashback Pete reached for his notebook and scribbled out the story. Pete’s notes were reprinted and are what you can see in the front inside cover of the booklet that came with the original double LP.

1972 was also a turbulent time for The Who, who themselves, had many issues to contend with. It is not unfair to say that The Who was close to splitting up. Things were not helped by the fact that Pete Townshend had to take over production duties at a critical time in the recording process. And one infamous incident, for example, came about during a rehearsal for the album.

The whole album was initially presented as a demo presented by Pete Townshend to the rest of the band. And during its recording Roger would become impatient. He just wanted to get on with it while the rest were larking about. Roger was fairly grounded kind of guy, while Pete was a complicated character and this all came to a head in the studio. This had been going on for years and just seemed to come to the boil. Pete swung his guitar in the direction of Roger, giving him a glancing blow to his shoulder. In retaliation Roger waded in and thumped Pete. Many bands would have folded but it was possibly this creative dynamic that saved them.

A taster track for what was to come, 5:15, was released as a single a month before the album was released. The song captures Jimmy going back to Brighton to try to find what he had lost within himself. On 5:15 a train’s whistle can be heard and throughout the album sounds can be heard such as those of rolling waves. Strings were also used to enhance the songs.

The opening track on the album ‘The Real Me’, is the essence of the story where each of the four personalities of The Who are featured and sets the scene for the rest of the album. Jimmy goes in search of help for his issues.

The distance of what The Who was, back in 1964, and what they had become is captured in the album. Jimmy happens to pass The Who as they were leaving Hammersmith Odeon following a gig. They went straight into a flash car and Jimmy was devastated. This was not The Who he remembered. Another example of the change over time is when Jimmy meets up again with the ‘Ace Face’ from his scootering days. The ‘ace’ has now settled down and is now working as a bell boy in a hotel. 

The Who, by 1973, was the complete antithesis of what they had been ten years previously, and Pete Townshend wanted to demonstrate this within the album. Drowned, has Jimmy beginning to realise this and to start to get a grip on himself - ‘let me get back to the beginning’.

The end of the record concludes with the magnificent ‘Love Reign Over Me’ where eventually Jimmy finally finds himself –. According to Pete Townshend ‘Love Reign’ is a spiritual prayer to nothing and everything. The end of Jimmy’s story is ambiguous however. Whatever happens is in the hands of, you, the listener.

As a whole I think that Quadrophenia, is not so much a huge social statement as such, but instead, captures a series of observations and how serious we interact when we hear our favourite artists.

Toward the end of the 1970s Quadrophenia was given a whole new lease of life when it was turned into a film that starred Phil Daniels. It was an enjoyable film but, for me, the drama of it changed the whole emphasis of the original plot as it concentrated more on the social aspect of life in the mid-1960s. Additionally the film’s release kicked off a whole new ‘Mod’ scene. Even today you don’t have to wait too long before finding a Quadrophenia themed night being advertised.