Sound Quality : A
Length : 23.52
01. Smokestack Lightning (instrumental)
02. Walkin' the Dog (instrumental)
03. Instrumental
04. I'm a Man (instrumental)
05. Instrumental
06. Memphis Tennessee (instrumental)
07. Instrumental
Notes :
Details: Not sure of the real date of these recordings, but it can't be October 22nd, 1964,
which was actually the date Kit Lambert received the letter from EMI regarding the test
session these tunes likely come from. However, the session most likely occurred shortly before
this date. As for the music, it's all instrumental and Daltrey's only role seems to be that of
harmonica player on a couple of tracks, including a great 'I'm a Man' that's reminiscent of
the My Generationcut recorded months later. 'Smokestack Lightning' was of course familiar from
their live repertoire, and 'Walkin' the Dog' and 'Memphis, Tennessee' were probably part of
their act at the time as well. Two of the instrumentals here may simply be R & B exercises,
but one includes Townshend on 12-string electric and is kind of interesting as a result. The
highlight of this collection has to be the six-plus-minute instrumental that seems to
foreshadow Who jams in years to come. Townshend leads the way with experimental chord work
punctuated by some impressive and heavy fills from Moon as the piece breaks down and builds
back up again—they seem way ahead of their time here and the feel of this tune seems out of
place among this R & B-dominated material, but eventually it picks up a bluesy feel. There's
even a flawless key-change signaled by an audible vocal cue before the whole thing explodes,
much like the arrangement of 'Bald Headed Woman'. Not sure where this material was all these
years, but it's nice to finally have it, even without vocals of any kind.