“Stands the test of time”: Gene Simmons’ favourite album by The Who
Although they have their roots in the defiant rock of post-war adolescence, The Who have proven themselves to have something of a timeless and universal appeal. The records they have produced over their long and illustrious history still resonate with thousands of people worldwide over six decades after their inception. Without The Who, the rock and roll scene of the 20th century would have looked very different, something Kiss frontman Gene Simmons is all too aware of.
Part of what makes The Who such a legendary outfit is, of course, their live performances. Making a name for themselves with incredibly loud, anarchic and often confrontational live shows, the Roger Daltrey-fronted group paved the way for an entire generation of iconic live acts during a time in which studio records were the be-all and end-all. In addition to their performances, though, the enduring popularity of The Who is largely down to the songwriting genius of guitarist Pete Townshend.
There is little you can say about the groundbreaking compositions of Townshend that have not already been covered extensively. In essence, though, his work should be commended for its innate ability to move with the times. When many of the 1960s contemporaries were showing signs of fatigue by the time the 1970s rolled around, The Who simply reinvented themselves, going from the youthful rebellion of tracks like ‘My Generation’ to complex and profound rock operas in the form of Quadrophenia or Tommy.
These records, in particular, changed the lineage of rock and roll indefinitely. Tommy, in particular, was an early example of a concept album, as opposed to a disjointed collection of disparate songs. The record opened artists up, therefore, to the possibility of using the album as a statement in itself, almost separate from the content of the music. This ethos permeated throughout the rock scene, even reaching American bubblegum rockers Kiss.
Formed in 1973, in the wake of records like Tommy, Kiss soon became one of the most recognisable groups in rock, thanks largely to their strong brand identity. While their music hardly lived up to that of their inspirations, the New York band grew a dedicated following nonetheless. According to frontman Gene Simmons, the group drew upon the influence of The Who in many ways.
Talking to Goldmine last year, Simmons selected Tommy as one of his all-time favourite albums, sharing, “That album still stands the test of time” – setting it apart from much of his own work. Continuing in his appreciation for Townshend’s masterpiece, the singer said, “Not only was it made into a movie, but those songs and the performance are clearly extraordinary.”
According to Simmons, Kiss even tried to replicate the sounds of the record. “Believe me, I know what I’m talking about,” he said. “We tried to do The Elder, we couldn’t shine their shoes.” Their 1981 record Music from “The Elder” was a flop, even by Kiss standards, which just goes to show how gifted The Who were.
