Fans of The Who (
Who? That's what I wanna know!) were understandably confused when the first full downloadable album for
Rock Band was announced as
Judas Priest's Screaming for Vengeance and not the
long-promised Who's Next. Now a
Rock Band forum poster thinks he may have stumbled across a a potential reason for the delay: missing master tapes.
In a
February 2008 interview with thewho.com, band frontman guitarist Pete Townsend admitted the album "is no longer a complete set of masters. An entire side has been stolen from our vaults at some point." Since the master for Won't Get Fooled Again is already in the core game, the missing half is probably side 1 of
the album, which includes classics like
Baba O'Riley and
Bargain. "These things happen," Townsend said by way of explanation.
Of course, there's nothing to say these tracks couldn't be replaced with cover versions in an eventual download pack, but this would seem to go against the spirit of the full album download program, at the very least. We've asked Harmonix for a comment on this story and will let you know if and when they respond.
{ Jun 6th 2008 at 10:45AM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eli Gundry @ Jun 6th 2008 10:53AM
Thats sad. Cause The Who is so much better than Judas Priest. And Who's Next is a very good album.
bigd7387 @ Jun 6th 2008 12:38PM
Hey cool a F@cking idiot. Judas Priest are the Metal Gods and Rulers. The Who are nothing more than a bunch of classic organ ferry playing losers. I'm sure that for most of you I'm as old as your parents or older but anyone who shares a view that The Who are even considered being rockers are complete acid heads. A 45 minute song about Heaven can suck it on the way down.
Eli Gundry @ Jun 6th 2008 12:51PM
Hey, bigd, i hate to stoop to your level, but wasn't the lead singer of Judas Priest gay?
At least The Who doesn't love balls on their chin.
CKarinja @ Jun 6th 2008 3:40PM
Then why stoop to that level? I don't understand how sexual orientation would make the music automatically suck. Both The Who and Judas Priest are great bands, lets leave it at that.
Skunk Ape @ Jun 6th 2008 10:56AM
LOL I thought I was the only person on earth that remembered that sketch from Animaniacs. In fact, every time someone brings up The Who, thats the first thing that comes to my head.... gahhhhh now that everyone knows exactly how old I am......
Yakko Warner @ Jun 6th 2008 11:11AM
I remember it. :D Animaniacs FTW!
Corey @ Jun 6th 2008 11:10AM
I'm the exact same way :)
343 Guilty Fart @ Jun 6th 2008 12:28PM
Isn't that just taken from Abbot & Costello?
baby sea tuna @ Jun 6th 2008 10:59AM
It has to have happened in the last 15 years or so since the album was remastered for 180g vinyl back in 95 or 96. Either way, someone needs to skin these thieving bastards alive for this!
Tiptup300 @ Jun 6th 2008 11:05AM
Man, I was most excited for Baba O'Riley, I also really wanted Behind Blue Eyes which would be on side 1.
Charron @ Jun 6th 2008 11:25AM
Actually, that's track 8 of 9, so I'm most certain it's side 2.
Eli Gundry @ Jun 6th 2008 12:18PM
What side was Getting in Tune on? Cause that would be one badass song for Rock Band.
Mr. McSmartpants @ Jun 6th 2008 11:06AM
"band frontman Pete Townsend admitted..."
Actually, Roger Daltrey is the frontman of the Who, Townsend is the guitarist.
Ally @ Jun 6th 2008 11:20AM
yea i noticed that too :S
Neuromancer @ Jun 6th 2008 11:06AM
All I know is when it does come out, Baba O Riley is going to kick ass!
Demaar @ Jun 6th 2008 11:08AM
Damn. I really hope they're able to find 'em. I mean, I haven't decided if I'mma buy this, but if there's any chance I will, I'd prefer the masters.
Nothing against covers, but nothing beats the authentic experience.
Shagittarius @ Jun 6th 2008 11:07AM
Fuck a duck. Time to start a petition to get them to re-record!
Tiptup300 @ Jun 6th 2008 11:22AM
Yes, because internet petitions always work in situations like this!
Wayne @ Jun 6th 2008 12:17PM
Not to mention that half the band is dead.
"Who's Next" is soo good that I'd take half the album, if that's all the masters they can find.
Hoamer @ Jun 6th 2008 11:38AM
this is devastating news. even if they DID rerecord the missing side, it wouldn't be the same without entwhistle and especially without moon. seeing how much the band has toured in recent years, and how they even admitted they do it in large part for the money, i wouldnt be surprised if they wanted to cash in on this rock band craze and rerecord those tracks. but the drums will be different- i have seen them several times recently, and as good a drummer as zach starkey is, he just isn't keith moon- no one is.
long live mooney
EMaster @ Jun 6th 2008 11:44AM
Dude have you heard what Roger Daltry sounds like now???? No way they are re-recording that stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMRHbz_Yz8
muddyhelmit @ Jun 6th 2008 11:37AM
Give me Nirvana's Nevermind and I can wait for The Who
EMaster @ Jun 6th 2008 11:42AM
I think they should replace the missing master tracks with other Who songs, like "Who Are you" and "Pinball Wizard. I would seriously pay 10 bucks for Pinball Wizard alone.
I would also pay $10 for Justin McElroy to sing pinball wizard on the Joystiq podcast for some reason.
Burritoclock @ Jun 6th 2008 1:17PM
Yes, replace the missing songs with other Who songs for the ultimate Who track pack. It's a no brainer really...
And Judas Priest was a outstanding alternative, that and Boston are the best releases yet!
John Z @ Jun 6th 2008 11:55AM
We're Not Gonna Take It! Although it might be A Legal Matter for now, I Can't Explain how criminal it would be to Substitute the masters for remakes. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere the thief might be hiding, The Seeker's cry of "I Can See For Miles" will find him, and You Better You Bet he won't be Happy Jack once he's found. Join Together, friends, in the new rallying cry of My Generation: Long Live Rock Band!
Ben @ Jun 6th 2008 12:00PM
Townshend, assfaces.
Ranko @ Jun 6th 2008 12:26PM
If I had a million dollars, I would throw it at Joystiq simply for posting the classic Animaniacs clip.
svenhoek @ Jun 6th 2008 12:33PM
Was that, was that the Animaniacs skit? OMG nearly everytime i listen to the who this skit runs through my head.
deaftly @ Jun 6th 2008 12:34PM
Ok so where the hell is Nevermind then?
Dr. @ Jun 6th 2008 12:46PM
STOLEN! Coincidence? I think NOT!
ACTIVISION has been STEALING and DESTROYING great albums of the past in order to thwart the Rock Band push for DLC! As albums are announced, their EXPERT SPIES, trained via ACTIVISION's proprietary TONY HAWK series, are ordered to RECOVER and DESTROY at least ONE HALF of the album masters!
deaftly @ Jun 6th 2008 1:13PM
nah its probably Courtney Love's fault somehow.
Megawaffles @ Jun 6th 2008 2:10PM
This has made me sad waaaaa. Give it back whoever you are!
FSK405K @ Jun 6th 2008 2:10PM
Note to self: if I happen to become an international rock god, make sure to keep a backup of my master recordings.
Guin @ Jun 28th 2008 9:55PM
um... or if anyone sees a pattern, they release an album at the end of every month, and they just haven't gotten to Who's Next on the list. Not really excited about it, would much rather see some music from my generation, not the crap my parents listened to back then. It's our generation for a reason, stop listening to music from the past, music (like everything else) evolves, and its natural, so just stop complaining about new stuff and deal with it, this is what music is. Lets see Some LP, more A7x (unholy confessions?), lostprophets, 3 doors down - kryptonite? I would love to listen and play to that.