rockoperas2

Lifehouse can be described as a shipwreck for numerous reasons. Foremost is its outright failure. However, before I get ahead of myself, there should be a general understanding of the plot.
Pete Townshend's heavy coneptual story is set in the ominous not-so-distant future, where an opressive British society operates in virtual reality. "The Grid", somewhat resembling the World Wide Web, is the center of all life, where each human is individually hooked up by means of virtual reality suits. These suits allow people to live a number lifetimes within their own. Music and art do not exist in the Grid, for it only provides the bare human necesities to the public.
Enter Bobby, a young composer, who hacks into the Grid and invites the public to a concert, the Lifehouse Concert, where each attendee provides an idea for a new and unique piece of music that will, as a result, spiritually awaken the fearful individuals. However, trouble descnds on the Lifehouse Concert when a government army bursts in just as the music reaches its peak. The audience is then swallowed into nothingness, leaving their fate to one's imagination.
As previously mentioned, Lifehouse crashed into the rocks of failure not long after it's departure from shore. Pete Townshend had obviously written such a deep story with such a heavy concept that it was just incomprehensible for anyone. Not his bandmates, nor record producers, or even his general audience. The stress of producing Lifehouse nearly drove Pete to suicide, and it was abandoned shortly after.
However, salvaged from this utter failure were many of the Who's best songs. Classics such as "Baba O'Reilly" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" among others, were instead released on the 1971 Who album Who's Next. Who's Next is one of the most played albums on the radio, and is famous for it's prominent use of synthesizers as a rhythmic instrument.
So there you have it. An utter failure gone great album.

Quadrophenia is the epic story of Jimmy Cooper, a mod living in England in the mid-sixties. Jimmy suffers from Schizophrenia, which doubles when he takes his pills, and it turns into "Quadrophenia". The four faced personality is meant to reflect the four members of the Who, and their general personalities. The tough guy (who is in fact representing Roger), the romantic (John), the hypocrite (Pete), and the lunatic (Keith). Each personality has a theme song or reacurring theme throughout the story as well.
   The story begins with Jimmy sitting alone on a rock out in the middle of the ocean, recounting the events of the previous week or so. After being tortured by his four personalities raging through his troubled mind, Jimmy cries out "Can you see the real me? Can ya? CAN YA?!" This kicks off his flashback.
The bulk of the album recounts Jimmy's experiences as he tries to decipher who he really is, and where he fits in. He finds no help from his mother, or the preacher, is let down by modism, and finds out that nothing in rock music can save him.
However, he changes his mind about being a mod, and heads off to Brighton, the mod central, to relive the "good old days of mod". Unfortunately, when he arrives, the place is empty of mods, and he sees his hero, the top mod, reduced to a mere average Joe. His dissappointment sends him into a rage, where he turns to gin, thrusting his malicious criminal thoughts outward.
   Jimmy, now coming down off of leapers, still drunk, steals a boat, and drifts out to the rock in the middle of a stormy sea. (The rock from the outset of the story, where Jimmy begins his flashback). The boat drifts away, leaving Jimmy stranded out on the rock, left with only his four personalities, each rushing through him furiously. This is Jimmy's moment of realization. It dawns on him that it's not about fashion, or being a mod, it's about love. Though it may come and go so fast, so painfully, without it, life is gray, gray and empty.
This might be where the music stops, but it is surely not the end of the story, for Pete Townshend rarely ends such epic tales. Jimmy hasn't solved his problems, but he's on his way. Now, he knows how to take baby steps in the right direction.