VIA PRESS RELEASE | Who Came First is the debut solo record by Pete Townshend, first released in 1972. The album collected together tracks from Townshend’s private pressings of his tributes to Meher Baba, Happy Birthday and I Am, as well as demos from the unrealized concept album Lifehouse, part of which became The Who’s classic Who’s Next album.
To celebrate the 45th Anniversary, the album will be released as a 2CD-expanded version, featuring eight previously unreleased tracks, new edits, alternative versions, and live performances. Also included in the eight panel digipak are new sleeve notes provided by Townshend himself, the original poster from the 1972 release and a 24-page booklet which contains rare images of Meher Baba and Townshend in his recording studio. The cover photo of Townshend, taken by Graham Hughes (who also shot the cover of The Who’s Quadrophenia), has been updated for this release.
Who Came First has been remastered by long-term Pete Townshend and The Who collaborator Jon Astley using the original master tapes. CD1 consists of a remastered version of the original album and CD2 includes unreleased tracks, alternative versions, and live performances.
CD1
1. Pure and Easy
2. Evolution
3. Forever’s No Time At All
4. Let’s See Action
5. Time Is Passing
6. There’s a Heartache Following Me
7. Sheraton Gibson
8. Content
9. Parvardigar
CD2
1. His Hands
2. The Seeker (2017 edit)
3. Day Of Silence
4. Sleeping Dog
5. Mary Jane (Stage A Version)
6. I Always Say (2017 Edit)
7. Begin The Beguine (2017 edit)
8. Baba O’Reilly (Instrumental)
9. The Love Man (Stage C)*
10. Content (Stage A)*
11. Day Of Silence (Alternate Version)*
12. Parvardigar (Alternate take)*
13. Nothing Is Everything*
14. There’s A Fortune In Those Hills*
15. Meher Baba In Italy*
16. Drowned (live in India)*
17. Evolution (live at Ronnie Lane Memorial)
*Previously unreleased.
