u/BrianInAtlanta

I was transcribing a Pete Townshend interview from 10 Feb 1973 in Melody Maker when I hit this:

"One feels that the Who need a firm hand to help them now, and Pete tells me that he’s brought back Kit Lambert to help out with production. Their last album, “Who’s Next” was not, he feels strong enough and should never have been released. It failed to go anywhere and consequently they need to have strong outside views of their work."

And if you think that's crazy, here's a reply from the next week's letter column:

"Articles and interviews with Pete Townshend tell how frustrated he is trying to get new material together and to bury 'Tommy.' But when The Who last played live in this country (November, 1971, at the Rainbow) it was 'Magic Bus,' 'My Generation' and 'Tommy' that turned on the audience and not the 'Who's Next' numbers. This is where your answer lies, Peter. We still want to listen to the oldies." - Colin Newman, Cambridgeshire.

More video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMvcjNq3TJQ

The Who. City Baseball Stadium, Miami — The Who culminated a four-date mini-tour of Washington, D.C. and Florida with a concert before an estimated 22,000 very loyal, determined fans, in a setting more reminiscent of Woodstock than of this sunny beach community. Thunderstorms early in the evening drenched the field and all its occupants, delaying the start of the concert by almost two hours, but did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a rabid crowd that had waited some four years to see, once again, perhaps the finest existing purveyors of pure rock ’n’ roll music. And the band did nothing to tarnish that reputation. From the opening chords of early hits “Can’t Explain” and “Substitute” it was clear that the Who was more than a match for the mud and ensuing confusion. What followed was a show not unlike those performed during recent tours: “Behind Blue Eyes,” a 30-minute condensation of the rock opera, “Tommy” including dazzling two-color laser beam effects reflected off mirrors high atop the stadium, "My Generation,” Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again" were particular highlights. Still, with the introduction of no new material (despite the fact that a single of the previously recorded “Slip Kid" has recently been released) and the painfully obvious fact that lead singer Roger Daltrey was not in complete command of his voice, something was necessary to make this night a qualitative success. That “something" was Peter Townshend, guitarist and composer of most of the group’s repertoire. Alternately prancing merrily and posturing menacingly, Townshend served notice that 12 years of performing had done nothing to demonstrably diminish the unparalleled enthusiasm he brings to a performance. The rhythmic interplay between bassist John Entwistle, whose lines consistently supersede in complexity and design the playing of most lead guitarists, and drummer Keith Moon is always a joy to behold, though “Magic Bus," usually a tour-de-force for Moon, was unexpectedly flat and routine this time. Still, it is a mark of superior craftsmanship when two dozen offerings produce but one disappointment. The Who is, after twelve years, the oldest continually functioning band, with no personnel changes. Though their talent is best exposed in indoor arenas, this soggy showcase still offered the audience ample evidence as to why this group is such a rarity in contemporary popular music. Not just by dint of longevity, but esthetically as well. j.s. (Cash Box, 76/08/21, p. 22)

Support acts: Law, Black Oak Arkansas, and Labelle. Despite this radio ad, only 30,000 attend the 80,000-seat stadium. This makes The Who very angry and they deliver what is considered one of their greatest live shows.

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