Studio 3; EMI Recording Studios; London 22nd September 1964

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.