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The Who - The Kids Are Alright

The Who - The Kids Are Alright

List Price: $19.99
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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Edited Quick One knocks 2 stars off
Review: TO THE POWERS THAT BE: If/when this is released on DVD, PLEASE PLEASE do not edit A Quick One (recorded at the Stones R&R Circus Show). It was easily one of THE highlights of the film when I saw it during its theatrical release. I will not be purchasing this title until it is included and hesitate to recommend to others (especially big time Who fans). Listen to it on the soundtrack album and just picture what you are missing.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not great, but pretty damn good all the same...
Review: My instinct was to give this a four. I've deducted one because, in its vinyl form, it was my introduction to the band back in 1979, and I don't trust my sentimentality. It's good. Not great, but still a fine work. The best tracks are the live ones (and I'm normally highly dubious about live recordings): the Tommy numbers 'Sparks', Pinball Wizard' and 'See Me Feel me' from Woodstock; the best version I've heard of 'a Quick One', and 1960s concert renditions of 'Happy Jack' and 'I Can't Explain'. The versions of 'Baba O'Riley' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' are the last time the band played with Keith Moon, and although Moon is past his best, they're still pretty damn good. If you're into the Who, get it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best example of what The Who are
Review: People have asked me why I am such a nut for this band. I love the albums, but this movie shows exactly why. From the great performances, to the off the wall interviews, to the antics of Keith Moon. This showcases the band in their prime and why they are still the greatest live band around. A must have for anybody remotely curious about them

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: buyer beware
Review: When this album came out in 1979, it was all I had, as it was the days before home video, and I never had the opportunity to see the film in the theater. I was disappointed that it wasn't given the deluxe gatefold treatment, and, though it had a nice book with plenty of great pictures, the information on the tracks themselves was woefully skimpy. But the CD version is an abomination! NO information whatsoever, and no notice that is an abridged version of the original album. With the videos,reissues and box set that have been released in the 90s, this becomes a very unnecessary purchase.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Cult Classic From Rock Revolutionaries
Review: While perusing through channels one Friday night in 1996, my attention was grabbed by one channel inparticular. On this station, there was this madman on a dimly litten stage, beating the hell out of his double-bass drum, Premier drum kit. As I watched further on in this movie, I learned this psycho had a name: Keith Moon. Flipping over to the Preview Channel as fast as I could, I learned this movie's name was "The Kids Are Alright": a rockumentary of the rock band, The Who. Once the movie had finished, I knew I had to get it somehow on video. Looking from place to place, but always coming up empty-handed. Until one day (with the right connections), about a month ago, I acquired this gem of film history. By viewing it, I noticed that I had only seen about the last 45 minutes the first time. While watching the movie, I became amazed by the power of the Who's performances. From the confident "My Generation" from the Smothers Brother's Show to the barely audible "I Can't Explain" to the thrashing, almost heavy metal of "Sparks" to the speechless performance of "Won't Get Fooled Again", the Who show the trance they could put on the audience. This movie has everything a Who fan could want: live performances, clips of Keith Moon's maniac antics, and band description of themselves. Not being from the generation of normal Who fans, this movie is probably what made me one. The masterpiece that only the Who could produce with the help of Jeff Stein: "The Kids Are Alright." I can't wait till it comes out on DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A film that changed my life.....
Review: Sad to say that I missed The Who's heyday by a few years. I only was exposed to their music in high school when I happened to catch "The Kids Are Alright" on Cinemax around 1982. I was mesmerized by their intensity and their musical passion.

The versions of "Baba O'Reily" & "Won't Get Fooled Again" that they recorded especially for this film are among the best versions of those songs the band ever did. And the sound quality is near studio quality level since they were doing those numbers especially for the film. And the laser/light effects, although tame by today's standards, are still pretty cool. Also, there are other songs in the film (and on the soundtrack) that are only available here.

This film is a must have in any video/dvd collection of the above-average to serious music lover. If you were too young to have gotten into The Who, or if you just happened to miss them during their years of making music (like I ALMOST DID) then pick this film up, it will open up a whole new realm of great music from a great rock band!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Why not DVD?
Review: This is without a doubt the most creative rockumentary ever. The Who were the greatest live rock band in history. This movie as well as Live At The Isle Of Wight In 1970 proved this point. The compelation from The Smothers Brothers Show in the beginning to the Marquee Club performances to Woodstock are fantastic. I am disappointed about the editing in A Quick One as well as the missing Join Together and Roadrunner medley parts at Pontiac Stadium in 1976. But why quibble this is the best rock movie ever assembled. I hope this reaches DVD soon. It certainly deserves it. Oh by the way, the CD is also edited with the missing Join Together, Roadrunner and My Generation Blues medley from the original LP. Maybe MCA will get the message. Long Live Rock!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A decent though incomplete summary of a great live band.
Review: I admit I am biased since The Who is my favorite bass/drums/guitar band; nevertheless, this album gets five stars for the live version of "Won't get fooled again". Roger's scream towards the end puts the studio version to shame, as does the whole song. I played it loud enough to hurt after my last college exam. Pure, unadulterated exhilaration. The introductory scene from the Smother's Brothers show demonstrates the band member's individual personalities, from John's perfunctory answers (and creaking leathers), to Keith's insolence. Whichever "brother" had the audacity to claim an ability to identify with the band (earning himself a derisive catcall) before they sang "don't try to dig what we all say" played right into Pete's hands. No wonder Pete smashed the "brother's" guitar as well. Genius! Beyond that, "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" is a lost anthem. If you want to understand (and enjoy) The Who, this is a good way to do so. (Then get "A Quick One" [renamed "Happy Jack" in America, God bless our Puritanical selves], "The Who Sell Out", "Tommy", the remastered "Live at Leeds", "Who's Next", and finally [only because I was supposed to restrict my comments to "The Kids..."], "Quadrophenia". There are plenty more, but some of them don't have Keith [sorry Kenny, but when he died, so did The Who. Even Pete admitted it later.])

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The greatest ever rock concert film by the greatest band
Review: What does the "The Who" conjure up to you? Hairy old 70s rockers, of the Led Zep, Deep Purple type?

Or 60's pop stars, like The Hollies or Herman's Hermits?

Or sad old "prog-rock" noodlers pushing their luck by hanging well past their sell-by dates - step forward ELP, Genesis, Yes et al?

Then ask yourself one question - "How little do I really know?" Because if your assumptions fall into ANY of the above categories, you know NOTHING of the The Who.

Think of the moment when you first fell in love with popular music - whichever artist it was that rang your bells.

Think of times when anger, fear, pain, joy, lust, grief, love and hate have coursed through you in unstoppable waves.

Think of times when you've simply been aware of being ALIVE - raw, fragile maybe, but pulsingly alive.

Think of a sight, a smell, a sound, a tune which can carry you back in an instant to the best and the worst of times.

Think of a band which can - and DOES - capture that rawness, that sense of being ALIVE - despite flaws and failures. A band that MATTERED - and still does.

Think of spending a couple of hours being amused, lifted, transported, fascinated and entertained by a gang you'd really want to spend years of your life with.

And then buy this video. It might be the best buy you'll ever make.

Honestly.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: good...could be BETTER
Review: I originally bought the LP version, which included a few more great tracks (including "Roadrunner"). It was one of my favorite albums. When is someone going to get smart and reissue the CD the way it should be heard? It will then earn "5" stars.


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