Who - The Ultimate Collection
2002/ 2 CD / 35 Tracks/ Studio/Live/Collection
Release Date: June 11 2002 - MCA
Produced by: Andy McKaie and Bill Levenson

Reviewed by Matt Rowe on June 23, 2002

The Who entered the world of rock in 1964, possibly sooner if you consider their embryonic stages. The first single, "I Can't Explain", which became a top ten hit, showed the Who as a different band, singularly apart from the already reigning Beatles and the more bluesy Rolling Stones. Since then, their frenetic brand of rock n roll has given the world some of its most unique and historically enduring music. Fans are not surprised at the success the Who have enjoyed. In fact, they relish the achievements of Pete, Roger, John, and Keith. And while there have been many, many greatest hits packages and countless compilations, none have seen the grandeur that is evident in this remastered package of classics.

This two-disc set containing the jewels of The Who's library is a fairly simple set. There is nothing extraordinary, other than the music itself that sets it apart from collectible special editions. The cover shot, a minimally designed, black background with superimposed photos of each member, likely from the 70s, and elastic wording, the name of the band.

The booklet is a treasure trove of information detailing the history of the band. And that's not all. You get explicit information of all the songs on this collection, full colour cover shots of all their albums, a series of Who buttons photos, individual photos, and a written history by Matt Kent and Andy Neill. All this on a 28 page booklet and an included black and white sticker. Of course this isn't the real meat. That is the music contained on the discs.

The listing of songs on this double disc set is gracious. Thirty-Five songs in all, ranging from "The Who Sing My Generation" through "It's Hard".

I won't get into the descriptions of the songs; the listing will handle that well enough. The purpose of this review is to reveal the quality of the release. Remastered songs should be enough but MCA gives us so much more at a great price. On some releases, although limited, there is a special third disc. Contained in its own cover, the disc provides us with the additions of "Substitute" (Rare US Single Version), "I'm A Boy" (Early Version), "Happy Jack" (Unreleased Acoustic Version), and "Magic Bus" (UK Single Version).

For the price, the disc is spectacular, yielding the songs many of us grew up with and many of us are just learning to love. Old or young, this is a disc that complements the legacy of the band. This set comes highly recommended by MusicTAP.

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