Landmark Rock Opera ‘Tommy’ Released 48 Years Ago Today

No way! There's no way it's been 48 years since the Who released their landmark rock opera 'Tommy.' To say that 'Tommy' was an iconic record is really just an understatement. The great experiment, the brain child of Pete Townshend, was an immediate sensation. Since it's original release, it's seen a great many interpretations and incarnations.

In the years since its release, it has been turned into a movie, a hit stage show and there have been countless alternate versions of the work. The movie, while it didn't really capture the full excitement of the album, was also a substantial hit.

I had the great fortune to see The Who perform the work in its entirety and it was an amazing show. Prior to the show, Pete Townshend announced that it would be the second to last time they would perform the complete work. Townshend stated that after the Houston show, they would perform "Tommy" for the last time a few nights later at Carnegie Hall.

It was also announced prior to the show that The who would perform 'Tommy', but they would not be performing any of their other music. I guess the excitement of the evening must have gotten to Townshend, because they opened the show with two songs off their Who's Next album and they performed encore after encore. they had no choice in the matter;the crowd would not let them off-stage.

I just might have to listen to the entire rock opera this afternoon. It's been ages since I heard it.

48 years! How is that possible? I'm only 35!

As it turns out, there was another major musical event in 1969. there was that little music festival called Woodstock!

I've combined the two events in one. Here is the Who doing a bit of 'Tommy' at Woodstock