Back to Snapper Tunes Index Page

This masterpiece had only been available for about three decades when I discovered it. It was a lot better than finding a $20 bill in your plaid sports coat. Set in the Mods vs. Rockers era of British pop culture, Quadrophenia (the second-best known rock opera by The Who), might seem a little dated. And why should anyone now find any reason to try to relate to Jimmy, the edgy little hero of the story? For me, it’s all about the music. Pete Townshend’s songs on the album are both powerful and personal – all the more reason to truly appreciate his knack for getting bandmates Daltry, Entwhistle & Moon to buy into his grand visions. Unlike Tommy, this one has few radio classics. Most of us know Love, Reign O’er Me (which is easily in my Top 5 for the best live songs I’ve ever witnessed). Other recognizable tunes include The Real Me, 5:15, and Dr. Jimmy. Keith Moon’s slurring Cockney voice for Bell Boy is just one interesting aspect of a great song about a one-time leader of the pack who morphs into a humble and pathetic servant. Townshend’s signature power chords are ever present…check out The Punk and the Godfather. Quadrophenia, without question, deserves a revisit if you haven’t heard it in the last twenty or thirty years. Get out the lyrics and liner notes and maybe the headphones. Jimmy’s story is, of course, about Pete – a positively brilliant, if imperfect, hero of his own. This is classic rock – anthemic, brash, strong. Dig it. GD