Mine is "Dr. Jimmy" from Quadrophenia.
Not the best sound here, but you still get the energy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3HUqZyGwvI

Oh, yeah... "f-word" warning.

Really tough call. My favorite British invasion band. Probably either Baba O'Riley or Behind Blue Eyes. Best sleeper: The Real Me.

The entire "Tommy" album.

Agreed. (Though "Meaty, Beefy, Big & Bouncy" is a great album title).

Aside from my Tommy fixation I think that there are too many to choose from. I mean the way when you think about it all 4 of them played lead! I mean when Townie went deaf and they had to turn down John, they had to add a HUGE number of pieces just to compensate! Sorry I can talk The Who forever.

But that bs aside, Squeeze Box is really great, as is Behind Blue Eyes. Eminance Front is "Newer Who" which I like also.

Interestingly enough Entwistle was formally trained.

They did write a lot of great songs.
Quick story about Baba O'Riley, I won a radio contest by knowing the name of that song. The prize was a handmade glass pipe but since I don't smoke I gave it to a friend whose birthday was that weekend and who, in an even better twist, was obsessed with all things Pete Townshend.

Hard to pick, probably Behind Blue Eyes, and I like the original version better than the one first released on Who's Next.

Followed closely by Baba O'Reilly, Love Reign O'er Me, Eminence Front, The Seeker, and Water.

Won't Get Fooled Again or Baba Reily

Baba O'Riley. Mainly because

Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland

Is one of the greatest rock conceits ever.

John

PS Does it but anyone else that the word "lyric" has degenerated to mean "word from a song"--bah

Uh, that would be "bug".

The Who! My third favorite band (yes the top two are also British) and I believe that The Who, as legendary as they are, are perhaps the most underrated of the great British bands. Note to person to named The Who their favorite British invasion band: The Who are part of what music historians call the "second" British invasion that saw bands such as The Who, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, etc.

Regardless, picking a favorite from this immortal band is a daunting task. I think what made The Who so great was that the ALBUMS as a whole were simply excellent and broke new ground. Tommy and Quadrophenia had the same profound impact on rock as did Revolver and Sgt. Pepper as well as Dark Side of the Moon and Animals. (Well I guess you know my top two now But if you still don't, you will further down.)

As a musician the songs I love to cover from The Who include:

Join Together: THIS song is a GREAT opener - in fact I would argue for doing classic rock, Join Together is THE opener

Baba O'Riley: This song is sheer power in the CORRECT way and the thrash metal, deathcore idiots need some old schooling and this song will teach 'em.

Eminence Front: This song has one of the best grooves and motifs ever written in rock. But its real strength lies in the powerful lyrics.

But I will name a "favorite" as hard as it is to do.......

Love Reign O'er Me: This GREAT GREAT GREAT song I believe more than any other represents the dynamic range of The Who's musical prowess. It seems that the band knew that this song was something very special. The song defies categorization. Daltrey's voice on this song is given the spotlight. When I want to turn people on to The Who, THIS is the song I have them listen to first.

I mentioned underrated at the beginning of my post and I feel I need to comment a bit on why I say this.

The greatest bands are the innovators and The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Who stand at the apex of innovation. The Rolling Stones cannot touch these three. Yes, they were a great LIVE act and yes they wrote some great songs, but really, the Strolling Bones should have hung it up with class when The Beatles did in 1970. The Stones simply did not break open any new vistas to explore.

GREAT thread!!!

Vlad

I saw Pete Townsend in a radio station interview right before me. His ride was late and I got to actually talk to him. I simply wanted to know what it was like to write anthems that not only defined a generation but lasted a lifetime? He just sort of blew it off as if it was not such a big thing. He said when he wrote Baba O'riley it was more of a ballad. Then Roger got ahold of it and turned it into this screaming masterpiece.

The tension between those two was essential to the dynamic I think. I never thought Townshend's solo stuff had the same energy.

I'm with you on Doctor Jimmy - with the rest of the album attached! Moon's insane flourishes at the end of every line just kill me.
Baba O'Riley
Won't Get Fooled Again
Tommy

Oh yeah.

Slit skirts!

They had so many great lyrics.
"I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth..."
"Why don't you all f...f...f...fade away?"
So many others...
Man, they were brilliant.

"Magic Bus", followed by "Who Are You".

I'm not a big fan of thrash metal, but I see no reason to call someone an idiot because of their taste in music.

I don't think I own any Deathcore. But I love old school death metal. And thrash too.

Steve Harris > John Entwhistle