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Description

The Who were one of the most memorable and influential of the 1960s British Invasion bands—memorable because of their loudness and because they destroyed instruments during performances, and influential because of their success in crafting “Power Pop” singles like “My Generation” and “I Can See for Miles,” long-playing albums Live at Leeds and Who’s Next, and the “rock operas” Tommy and Quadrophenia. The themes that principal songwriter Pete Townshend imparted into The Who’s music drew upon the group’s mostly working-class London upbringings and early Mod audiences: frustration, angst, irony, and a youthful inclination to lash out. Like some of his rock and roll contemporaries, Townshend was also affected by religious ideas coming from India and the existential dread he felt about the possibility of nuclear war. During a career that spanned three decades, The Who gave their fans and rock critics a lot to think about. The remarkable depth and breadth of The Who’s music and their story as one of the most exciting and provocative rock bands over the last half-century are the subjects of the philosophical explorations in this collection.

Table of Contents

Introduction
by Rocco J. Gennaro and Casey Harison

Part I-“I Can't Explain”: Mod Culture

Chapter 1. The Who and “My Generation”: Philosophical Recollections of a Former Second Wave Mod
by Catherine Villanueva Gardner

Chapter 2. All Mod Cons: The Who and Rock 'n' Roll Authenticity
by Steven D. Williams

Part II-“We're Not Going to Take It”: Alienation and Angst

Chapter 3. “I've Had Enough”: The Who and Social Revolution
by Casey Rentmeester and William Knoblauch

Chapter 4. Who's That Outside?
by Greg Littmann

Chapter 5. To the Sea and Sand: Quadrophenia – An Interpretation
by Robert McParland

Chapter 6. Fiddling about Becoming a Man
by Christopher Ketcham

Part III-“The Real Me”: Consciousness, Disorders, and Deception

Chapter 7. “See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me” – Know Me: Rationalism vs Empiricism in Tommy
by Russell L. Johnson

Chapter 8. What Does Tommy Feel?: The Aesthetic Experience of a Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Kid
by S. Evan Kreider

Chapter 9. “He Only Comes out Wh

Product details

Published Jun 23 2016
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Extent 256
ISBN 9781498514477
Imprint Lexington Books
Illustrations 2 tables;
Dimensions 9 x 6 inches
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Anthology Editor

Rocco J. Gennaro

Anthology Editor

Casey Harison

Contributor

Scott Calef

Contributor

Dan Dinello

Contributor

Don Fallis

Contributor

Casey Harison

Contributor

S. Evan Kreider

Contributor

Greg Littmann

Contributor

Robert McParland

Robert McParland is Professor of English at Felici…

Contributor

Peter Smith

Contributor

M. Blake Wilson

Contributor

Tom Zlabinger

ONLINE RESOURCES

Bloomsbury Collections

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