The Who has released a strong collection of albums beginning in My Generation (or The Who Sings My Generation) in 1965, and ending in 2019 with Who. But their peak era consists of ten sets that include Tommy (1969), Who’s Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973), and their 1975 set, The Who By Numbers. That album generated 2 singles with “Squeeze Box”, and “Slip Kid”. Now, some fifty years later, it’s time for The Who to fully recognize that set.
On October 30, The Who will celebrate and reissue The Who By Numbers with a 5CD/1BD Deluxe Edition that will present the album with new remastering, and a massive collection of demos, session tracks, early mixes, and a live set from Swansea, Wales at The Vetch Field on June 12, 1976. The Blu-ray disc will include the original album in a Pete Townshend mixed Atmos mix, a Pete Townshend 5.1 Surround mix, and a high resolution Stereo Mix. The Blu-ray disc will also include a video of their previously unreleased show at The Metropolitan Stadium in Pontiac, Michigan on December 6, 1975. A 100-page book will accompany this set.
This updated edition of The Who By Numbers will be reissued on the mentioned 5CD/BD box set, a 2CD Deluxe Edition, a 3LP Black vinyl Deluxe Edition, DD, and a color LP edition featuring the newly remastered album.
The Who By Numbers (2026 Remaster – 50th Anniversary) – The Who
CD1 (The Who By Numbers 2026 Remaster)
01 Slip Kid
02 However Much I Booze
03 Squeeze Box
04 Dreaming From The Waist
05 Imagine A Man
06 Success Story
07 They Are All In Love
08 Blue Red And Grey
09 How Many Friends
10 In A Hand Or A Face
CD2 (Demos)
01 Keep Me Turning (Version 1) (Previously Unreleased)
02 Slip Kid (Version 1)
03 Squeeze Box
04 Blue Red And Grey ((Previously Unreleased)
05 Dreaming From The Waist (Previously Unreleased)
06 How Many Friends (Previously Unreleased)
07 Keep Me Turning (Version 2) (Previously Unreleased)
08 Imagine A Man (Previously Unreleased)
09 Slip Kid (Version 2) (Previously Unreleased)
10 Round And Round (working title for In A Hand Or A Face) (Previously Unreleased)
11 There Ain’t No Way Out (working title for However Much I Booze)
CD3 (Track Sessions: Ramport and Shepperton Studios – Previously Unreleased)
01 Ramport Jam (Excerpt)
02 She Loves Everyone (Tracking Session)
03 Control Myself (Dreaming From The Waist Tracking Session)
04 There Ain’t No Way Out (However Much I Booze Tracking Session)
05 Goin’ To Frisco/Round And Round (In A Hand Or A Face Tracking Session)
06 Hi-Heel Sneakers Jam with Nicky Hopkins (Studio Outtake)
07 Pete And Keith “The Artiste” (Studio Dialogue)
08 Success Story (Tracking Session)
09 How Many Friends (Tracking Session)
10 Imagine A Man (Tracking Session)
11 They Are All In Love (Tracking Session)
12 She Loves Everyone (Retake With Nicky Hopkins)
13 Squeeze Box (Tracking Session)
14 Instrumental 1 (Tracking Session)
15 I’m Dreaming (Dreaming From The Waist Retake)
16 Every Minute (Blue Red And Grey Tracking Session)
17 Instrumental 2 (Rough Mix) (Tracking Session)
18 The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #1 (Radio Commercial)
CD4 (Early Mixes and Guide Vocals – Previously Unreleased)
01 Slip Kid – Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix Without Overdubs)
02 However Much I Booze – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
03 Squeeze Box – Alternate Roger Vocal
04 Dreaming From The Waist – Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
05 Imagine A Man – Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
06 Success Story – John Vocal (Early Mix)
07 They Are All In Love – Alternate Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
08 Blue Red And Grey (Unedited Version)
09 How Many Friends – Pete Vocal (Early Mix)
10 In A Hand Or A Face (Early Mix)
11 They Are All In Love Alternate Roger Vocal (Early Mix)
12 Squeeze Box (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
13 Imagine A Man (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
14 They Are All In Love (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
15 How Many Friends (Acoustic Stripped Mix, 2026)
16 The Who By Numbers US Radio Spot #2 (Radio Commercial)
17 Keith Moon And John Entwistle Preview (The Who by Numbers With John Peel, BBC 1975)
18 However Much I Booze (Live At The Summit, Houston, USA, 20 November 1975)
19 Slip Kid (Live At Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA, 11 March 1976)
CD5 (Live at The Vetch Field – Swansea, Wales – June 12, 1976)
01 My Wife
02 Baba O’Riley (Previously Unreleased)
03 Squeeze Box
04 Behind Blue Eyes
05 Dreaming From The Waist
06 Amazing Journey (Previously Unreleased)
07 Sparks (Previously Unreleased)
08 The Acid Queen (Previously Unreleased)
09 Fiddle About
10 Pinball Wizard
11 I’m Free
12 Tommy’s Holiday Camp
13 We’re Not Gonna Take It / See Me, Feel Me
14 Summertime Blues (Previously Unreleased)
15 My Generation/Join Together/My Generation Blues (Previously Unreleased)
16 Won’t Get Fooled Again (Previously Unreleased)
BD (The Who By Numbers 2026 – Atmos Mix/5.1 Surround Mix/2026 Stereo Mix/Live)
Live at Metropolitan Stadium – Pontiac, MI – December 6, 1975 – Previously Unreleased Mono Recording)
01 I Can’t Explain
02 Substitute
03 My Wife
04 Baba O’Riley
05 Squeeze Box
06 Behind Blue Eyes
07 Dreaming From The Waist
08 Boris The Spider
09 Magic Bus
10 Amazing Journey / Sparks
11 The Acid Queen
12 Fiddle About
13 Pinball Wizard
14 I’m Free
15 Tommy’s Holiday Camp
16 We’re Not Gonna Take It / See Me, Feel Me
17 Summertime Blues
18 My Generation/Join Together/Road Runner/My Generation Blues
19 Won’t Get Fooled Again
Never thought this would happen. I could nitpick that the Charlton gig should of been included, but I’m very happy that this long ignored album is getting this treatment.
Along with this, I have hope for other classics that should be revisited in such a way.
I agree about Charlton – maybe because we know the tapes exist and Little Feat released their set, or maybe because it was pouring with rain and we finally had to flee the hail of bottles when SAHB played.