Pete Townshend of The Who is previewing “Guantanamo”, a new track featured on his forthcoming solo collection, “Truancy – The Very Best of Pete Townshend.”
Due June 29 (June 30 in North America), the package presents 15 songs from the guitarist’s solo career plus two new tunes: “Guantanamo” and “How Can I Help You.”
"I hope it offers a selection that works to introduce new fans to my solo work,” says Townshend. “I am a bit of a dabbler I'm afraid. I am as interested in building, developing and playing with recording studios as I am with making music. The Who has taken up most of my road hours, and in this year of the 50th anniversary of our first significant year in 1965, we are back on the road again."
"Guantanamo" is about the American military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"I thought this song might never see the light of day,” explains the guitarist, “but now President Obama has relaxed sanctions in Cuba, it is a happy sign he might go further.
“Technically this was created in rather a laborious way. I recorded a long organ drone using my vintage Yamaha E70 organ (used many times by me on Who and solo recordings in the past), and then cut it into something that sounded like a song using a feature unique to Digital Performer called 'chunks.' This creates blocks of groups of tracks that can be assembled and disassembled easily, like cutting multitrack analogue tape with a razor blade, but with less blood. The lyric grew out of the implicit angry frustration in the organ tracks."
Townshend and Roger Daltrey are currently playing shows across North America on their farewell tour, “The Who Hits 50!”
Pete Townshend
“Truancy – The Very Best of Pete Townshend”
Release date: June 29 (Jun 30 in North America)
01. Pure And Easy (from Who Came First)
02. Sheraton Gibson (from Who Came First)
03. Let's See Action (Nothing Is Everything) (from Who Came First)
04. My Baby Gives It Away (from Rough Mix)
05. A Heart To Hang On To (from Rough Mix)
06. Keep Me Turning (from Rough Mix)
07. Let My Love Open The Door (from Empty Glass)
08. Rough Boys (from Empty Glass)
09. The Sea Refuses No River (from All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes)
10. Face Dances (Pt. 2) (from All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes)
11. White City Fighting (from White City)
12. Face The Face (from White City)
13. I Won't Run Anymore (from The Iron Man)
14. English Boy (from Psychoderelict)
15. You Came Back (from Scoop)
16. Guantanamo (New song)*
17. How Can I Help You (New song)*
See also:
The Who to release 1982 Shea Stadium show on DVD
VIDEO: The Who preview classical version of Quadrophenia
Pete Townshend and Eddie Vedder to host cancer benefit concert
Pete Townshend launches solo album reissues series
Search The Who at hennemusic
