'The Who & I'
By: Tony Klinger
Description: Tony Klinger, renowned producer of The Who's "The Kids Are Alright" film, has started a PledgeMusic campaign for "The Who and I" Box Set, Book and Memorabilia.
The Box Set contains Tony's new book "The Who and I," an audio book / CD, reproduced memorabilia, and a reproduction of "The Kids Are Alright" press kit and photos!
Verdict: For those not in the know, Tony Klinger is a British film-maker, author and media executive.
He began his career as Assistant Director on The Avengers in the 1960s, directed several rockumentaries and headed media companies both in the UK and the USA.
Angry management, crazy people, women jumping naked out of giant cakes, fireworks going off in your hand, trips to the Pleasure Chest, run in's with Steve McQueen, afternoon teas with Ringo Starr, drunken sessions with Rick Danko of The Band, hotels demanding money up front before they checked in, travelling, constantly travelling, all the while trying to juggle schedules, money and egos, that’s what Tony Klinger remembers from his time with the Who when he was making a film, “The Kids are Alright” with, for and about them!
The packaging of “The Who & I “project accurately and faithfully represents the flavor of the project and the time they originally created the film, “The Kids are Alright”, and so that forms the central themes of this wondrous new project.
Reading just the book alone and you instantly know why Klinger felt compelled after all this time to bring it forth to the Who fans, and indeed fans of music, in general.
"I want to tell this story, because there are so many of us, you and me included, who love rock music and film, who should know what really goes on, and this book tells it like it is," Klinger himself explains.
"The Who are the icons of both the sight and sound of My Generation. They sounded and looked angry and it wasn’t an act. The Who were among those who invented Mod England, which forced the world look up and pay attention."
"Their energy demanded your focus, whether it was Townshend’s duck walk borrowed with love from Chuck Berry, his skinny whirling arms bashing out the chords, or Roger Daltrey swinging his microphone, more a weapon as he marched to the beat punched out by the bass played with metronomic intensity by the Ox, John Entwistle or the only drummer I ever saw who could lead a melody line, the maniacal Keith Moon."
"And then when you got past the image there was the music, that brilliant, original and fantastic music. How could such sounds spring out of such chaos? The answer is that it’s the chaos that creates those sounds, that environment which enables a different view, a special sideways on look at our world that is so dynamic, true and genuine that we all have to take notice."
“The Who, maybe more than any other group epitomise that special rock lifestyle of danger mixed with brilliance to create a bubble of such power that we all want to see and listen and share."
Reading this incredibly detailed and insightful new book from Klinger and one learns things from the very off. Such as “The Who & I” was originally known as “Twilight of the Gods”. See, there you go, betcha didn't know that now, did ya!
Within Klinger's words you sense that The Who weren't just band members that he was hired to control, to babysit, moreover they were a group of young men that took to one another (Klinger inclusive) in a way that allowed very special, and genuine times to flow.
Klinger talks about the band members still with us and rather lovingly about those that, in his own words, "... no longer get to go on stage because they’re playing bass and drums with the celestial choir."
Via this PledgeMusic campaign noted above and within the link below, you can buy, and for just £49.99 the Limited Edition Box Set, signed and numbered by Tony Klinger, along with just the book detailed above, a One Off Original Tour Jacket, a Reproduction "The Kids Are Alright" signed A1 Film Poster, and many other really cool things.
PledgeMusic Campaign Link