Description
Book SynopsisIn Feedback: The Who and Their Generation, historian Casey Harison offers a cultural and social history of one of the most successful bands of the 1960s British Invasion. In this historically sensitive account of the superband's impact during its first decade, Harison describes the key role played by The Who in the formation of the Atlantic Generation of rock 'n' roll fans. When the band first burst onto the scene, they quickly established their reputation for amping up the volume, pushing distortion effects (feedback), and destroying instruments on stage at the end of performances. If The Who did nothing else for their generation, they would have easily secured a place in rock 'n' roll history for high volume, smashed guitars, and kicked over drum sets. Ever since, The Who's stage antics have achieved iconic status in rock 'n' roll. But we should not forget how startling this on-stage violence was and what it signified. Audiences had never experienced music so loud, a band so energeti
Trade ReviewThis worthy tome is [not] by any stretch of the imagination a bog standard blog or star struck hagiography, Feedback is rather an unapologetically full-on academic study of The Who, not merely as a humble rock band but also within the wider scheme of things. * Shindig! Magazine *
Academic look at The Who is, without question, one of the finest pieces of critical/analytical thought that anyone has ever presented on the band - and is long overdue. The fact is, The Who have always been more than a band. Like The Beatles were in so many ways, The Who are a cultural institution; their inventiveness through the "classic" years (when Keith Moon was still alive) led music - and maybe to a lesser degree some members of society - into a previously untapped realm of creativity....Whether you want to view this as a fan looking for a different sense of depth or a musicologist seeking new perspectives on this most important of bands, Feedback: The Who and Their Generation is a direct hit. If you're a student of The Who like I am, this is one of the few books that you must have in your library. * Popdose *
To his credit, Harison devotes a good portion of the book’s 175 (or so) pages to a survey and analysis of what he calls the 'crosscurrents of influence' between the USA and Europe. There’s plenty of interest within that topic, for both the scholarly-inclined and the general rock-fan reader. . . .and Harison does not disappoint. He really does know his stuff . . . Who fans reading this will learn some fascinating things about the history of the Western world, and that Feedback: The Who and Their Generation will spark new interest in The Who among . . . academic types. And what’s not to like about those outcomes? * Musoscribe *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: “My Generation”: The Who in Historical Perspective Chapter 2: “Relay”: The Who and the Trans-Atlantic Music Industry, 1964-1974 Chapter 3: “The Kids Are Alright”: Listening to The Who, 1964-1974 Chapter 4: “The Real Me”: Fans Across the Atlantic, 1964-1974 Chapter 5: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”: The Atlantic Generation Comes of Age Glossary Chronology Bibliography Select Discography Index
