(RockAndMetal.com) (04/15/04)

By Michael Bennett

LONDON, ENGLAND, UK - "Tommy can you hear me?" will soon be heard like never before with the DVD-Audio release on April 27th of THE WHO's double-disc "Tommy: Deluxe Edition DVD-Audio" (Geffen/UMe).

One of the pre-eminent Rock albums in history, this marks the first release of any of the band's albums on DVD-Audio.

The DVD-Audio contains an exclusive thirty minute video interview with Pete Townshend in the studio discussing the original "Tommy" recording session, working with producer Kit Lambert, and the creation and remixing of the album.

"Tommy: Deluxe Edition DVD-Audio" also includes a collection of rare demo and outtake recordings, never-before-published photographs, on-screen lyrics, and original lyric manuscripts (viewable on computers).

All of UMG's DVD-Audio releases have been remixed and remastered from the original multi-track masters, taking advantage of the superior Advanced Resolution surround and stereo sound quality available with DVD-Audio.

UMG DVD-Audio discs will also play on existing DVD-Video players using Dolby Digital Sound.

Disc 1 of "Tommy: Deluxe Edition DVD-Audio" features the complete original album in 5.1 Surround Sound, Stereo and Dolby Surround (remixed for surround by Pete Townshend and remastered by Jon Astley, Townshend's catalog reissue collaborator).

Disc 2 brings together 17 rare or previously unreleased outtakes (such as 'I Was' and 'Miss Simpson') and alternate versions (such as for 'Tommy Can You Hear Me?,' 'We're Not Gonna Take It' and 'Christmas') plus four never-before-released demos ('It's A Boy,' 'Amazing Journey,' 'Christmas' and 'Do You Think It's Alright?').

The first widely-recognized 'rock opera,' "Tommy" tells of a 'deaf, dumb, and blind kid' who witnessed traumatic events in his adolescence.

Released in 1969, the album was hailed by both rock critics and the mainstream press.

"Tommy" includes such classics as 'I'm Free,' 'Sensation,' 'We're Not Gonna Take It,' 'Pinball Wizard,' 'The Acid Queen,' 'Eyesight To The Blind,' 'See Me Feel Me/Listening To You,' and the 10-minute instrumental, 'Underture.'

Its success, bolstered by tours of Europe and the U.S. and the movie "Woodstock," turned The Who into superstars.

"Tommy" also introduced a new audience to rock music as the band played some of the world's most celebrated opera houses and luminaries such as Leonard Bernstein praised the work.

"Tommy" has since been performed as a play, a 1975 film starring Roger Daltrey and a 1993 Broadway musical which earned five Tony Awards.

The "West End" version was nominated for eight prestigious Olivier Awards.

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