First published 2023
Chris Charlesworth and Mike McInnerney dissect the Who's Tommy from four angles in this expanded study. Charlesworth brings his expertise as a music journalist while McInnerney offers insider perspective as the original album cover designer. They explore the creative atmosphere surrounding Tommy's birth, trace the musical roots of its compositions, analyze the visual design choices, and follow its journey to film adaptation. The authors argue that Tommy transformed Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon from rock musicians into global superstars. Pete Townshend contributes a foreword while McInnerney creates new cover art specifically for this volume. The book positions Tommy alongside My Generation as the Who's most significant cultural contribution, demonstrating how this rock opera about a messianic figure continues to influence both the band's later output and rock music as a whole.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, music, art-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: influence, transformation
Period: 20th-century
192 pages · Paperback · Schiffer