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Endless Wire (The Who album)
Endless Wire (The Who album)
Endless Wire (The Who album)
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Endless Wire
Studio album by
The Who
Released30 October 2006 (2006-10-30)
RecordedDecember 2004 – May 2006
StudioPete Townshend's home studio and Eel Pie Oceanic Studios[1]
GenreRock
Length52:35
LabelPolydor, Universal Republic
ProducerPete Townshend, with (for Roger Daltrey's vocals only) Bob Pridden and Billy Nicholls
The Who chronology
Wire & Glass
(2006) 		Endless Wire
(2006) 		Live from Toronto
(2006)
Singles from Endless Wire
  1. "Mirror Door"
    Released: June 2006
  2. "Wire & Glass"
    Released: 17 July 2006
  3. "Tea & Theatre"
    Released: 2006
  4. "It's Not Enough"
    Released: 2006
  5. "Black Widow's Eyes"
    Released: 2006
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
About.comStarStarStarStar[3]
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[5]
The GuardianStarStarStar[6]
MojoStarStarStarStar[7]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)C[8]
Pitchfork4.7/10[9]
PopMattersStarStarStarHalf star[10]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarStar[11]
SpinStarStarStarHalf star[12]
UncutStarStarStar[13]

Endless Wire is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Who, released on 30 October 2006 in the UK through Polydor Records and the following day in the US by Universal Republic. It was their first new studio album of original material in 24 years following the release of It's Hard in 1982, as well as their first since the death of their founding bassist John Entwistle. It was originally due to be released in early 2005 under the working title WHO2.[14][15]

Endless Wire received generally positive reviews from music critics.[16] It debuted at #7 on the Billboard album chart and #9 in the UK.[17] Portions of it were featured on The Who Tour 2006-2007. Most of the songs from this album were used in the rock musical adaptation of The Boy Who Heard Music which debuted in July 2007 as part of Vassar College's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series.

History and composition

[edit]

Most of what is known about the development of the album has come from Pete Townshend's website. On 21 March 2005, Pete Townshend announced the postponement of the new Who album.[18] On 24 December 2005, Townshend announced that manager Bill Curbishley had introduced a "great scheme" to allow the band to tour in mid-2006 in support of new material, even if Townshend did not have "a full thirty tracks ready to go."[19] On 20 March 2006, Daltrey announced that he and Townshend were making progress with the album and that Townshend had written a song about Stockholm syndrome, titled "Black Widow's Eyes". Daltrey also said that Townshend was playing some bass on the album.[20]

On 28 March 2006, Townshend announced through the diary portion of his website that a mini-opera, titled "The Glass Household", now formed the core of the album. It is based on his novella The Boy Who Heard Music. He also announced plans to have a shortened version of the opera released prior to the release of the full album.[21] This diary entry also confirmed the line-up of the band: Pino Palladino on bass, Pete Townshend on guitars, his brother Simon Townshend on backing vocals, and John "Rabbit" Bundrick on keyboards. Peter Huntington, from Rachel Fuller's band, was on drums because Zak Starkey was touring with Oasis.

On 9 April 2006, Townshend announced that the shortened version of "The Glass Household" had been played to executives at Polydor, and a release date had been set for June, with a tour of Europe following, and the album in September.[22] On 3 May 2006, Pete Townshend posted on his diary page that the mastering for the new EP, titled Wire & Glass, was complete and that the tracks would soon be sent to Polydor. Townshend anticipated a mid-June release for the EP, and a mid-September release for the full album. He had also announced that the Who would begin rehearsing for their tour, during which time Townshend would finish recording the rest of the album with Roger Daltrey.[23]

A version of "It's Not Enough" was released online at artistdirect.com. "It's Not Enough" had tentatively been announced as the first single off the album, to be released simultaneously.

On 3 October 2006, "It's Not Enough" was made available on iTunes. "Tea & Theatre" was also made available. Then on 14 October 2006, Polydor built a website for the album, endlesswire.co.uk, on which samples of the songs "We Got a Hit", "Endless Wire", "It's Not Enough", "Black Widow's Eyes", "Mike Post Theme", and "Man in a Purple Dress" were made available to listen to, but not to download. As of 23 October 2006, the entire album was available to stream on music.aol.com.

"Mike Post Theme" alludes to the ubiquity of Mike Post's work in television theme music.

Endless Wire debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, selling about 81,000 units in its first week of release.[24]

Additional songs

[edit]

In addition to the 19 tracks listed below, three songs were either considered for inclusion on the album or reportedly recorded for the album but were left off:

  • "Ambition"

Reportedly written in 1971 for the Lifehouse concept, Townshend debuted this song on In the Attic in 2006.

  • "Uncertain Girl"

Another song that was debuted by Townshend on In the Attic in 2006. It was recorded in the studio with Zak Starkey on drums, and Daltrey on vocals, but Townshend expressed doubt on whether it would make it on the album or not when he first played it on in the Attic, and it was not included. However, it did make an appearance in the Vassar College workshop performance of the rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music.

  • "How Can I Help You, Sir?"

On 18 December 2005, Pete Townshend posted a diary entry that chronicled the recording of this track:

Here is a film I made of a working day developing a demo of a song for the next Who album called "How Can I Help You, Sir?" I have played this in raw form on Rachel Fuller's IN THE ATTIC and last night on her Pay For View Christmas Special. That is the way it sounds played acoustic. What you can hear here is the way it is beginning to evolve as a rock track. Adding Roger's voice will increase the edge. In a very real sense every song I write when I sit at home with an acoustic guitar has two distinct lives. The acoustic version may seem to be softer and more intimate. But in this case — in a song about a sick person's refusal to allow anyone to help them, a lonely person refusing to allow anyone to get close — the acoustic version has more bite. The rock version seems altogether more jolly, almost a throwaway. It will be interesting to see how it sounds when Roger and I get it into the studio together.

The video can be downloaded from Townshend's site.[25] In 2015 the track was released on Townshend's solo compilation Truancy.

Adaptation as a rock musical

[edit]

Townshend also worked the songs from this album into a full-length rock musical, a rough version of which debuted 13 July 2007 as part of Vassar College's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop series. The production was adapted and directed by Ethan Silverman and presented as a staged concert reading with minimal dialogue. The cast included John Hickok as Ray High, Jon Patrick Walker as Josh, Matt McGrath as Gabriel, and Bree Sharp as Leila. Songs in this adaptation included:

The song "Real Good Looking Boy" was previously issued on the Who's compilation album Then and Now. The song "I Can Fly" was previously issued on Fuller's EP Shine.

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted.

Endless Wire track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fragments"Townshend, Lawrence Ball3:58
2."A Man in a Purple Dress" 4:14
3."Mike Post Theme" 4:28
4."In the Ether" 3:35
5."Black Widow's Eyes" 3:07
6."Two Thousand Years" 2:50
7."God Speaks of Marty Robbins" 3:26
8."It's Not Enough"Townshend, Rachel Fuller4:02
9."You Stand by Me" 1:36
Wire & Glass: A Mini-Opera
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Sound Round" 1:21
11."Pick Up the Peace" 1:28
12."Unholy Trinity" 2:07
13."Trilby's Piano" 2:04
14."Endless Wire" 1:51
15."Fragments of Fragments"Townshend, Ball2:23
16."We Got a Hit" 1:18
17."They Made My Dream Come True" 1:13
18."Mirror Door" 4:14
19."Tea & Theatre" 3:24
Bonus tracks on some editions
No.TitleLength
20."We Got a Hit" (extended)3:03
21."Endless Wire" (extended)3:03

Compact Disc edition of The Who Live at Lyon

[edit]

Recorded at the Théâtre Antique, Vienne, Isère, France (near Lyon) on 17 July 2006. Included as an extra in Europe, Asia, and at Best Buy stores in the US.

No.TitleLength
1."The Seeker"2:36
2."Who Are You"6:58
3."Mike Post Theme"3:55
4."The Relay"7:40
5."Greyhound Girl"3:04
6."Naked Eye"8:26
7."Won't Get Fooled Again"/"Old Red Wine"10:40

DVD edition of The Who Live at Lyon

[edit]
  1. "I Can't Explain" – 3:04
  2. "Behind Blue Eyes" – 4:39
  3. "Mike Post Theme" – 3:41
  4. "Baba O'Riley" – 5:59
  5. "Won't Get Fooled Again" – 10:03

Personnel

[edit]

The Who

[edit]
  • Roger Daltrey – lead vocals (1–3, 5–6, 8, 10–12, 16, 18–19)
  • Pete Townshend – guitars, lead vocals (4, 7, 9, 13–15, 17), backing vocals, bass guitar, drums, piano, keyboards, violin, banjo, mandolin, drum machine

Additional musicians

[edit]

Design

[edit]
  • Richard Evans – Design and art direction utilising elements created with the Visual Harmony software designed by Dave Snowdon and Lawrence Ball.

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Endless Wire
Chart (2006) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[26] 63
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[27] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[28] 81
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[29] 60
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[30] 77
French Albums (SNEP)[31] 62
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[32] 34
Irish Albums (IRMA)[33] 52
Italian Albums (FIMI)[34] 36
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[35] 23
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[36] 57
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 51
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 9
US Billboard 200[24] 7

"It's Not Enough" reached number 37 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it was released as a B-side with "Black Widow's Eyes".

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Endless Wire
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Endless Wire (The Who album)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Endless Wire is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Who, released on 30 October 2006 by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Universal Republic Records in the United States. It represents the band's first collection of original studio material since 1982's It's Hard, following the deaths of original members Keith Moon in 1978 and John Entwistle in 2002. The album features core members Pete Townshend (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), supported by longtime collaborators Zak Starkey on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, and John "Rabbit" Bundrick on keyboards. Recorded intermittently between autumn 2002 and summer 2006 primarily at Townshend's home studio and Eel Pie Oceanic Studios in Twickenham, the album was produced by Townshend, with vocal production handled by Bobby Pridden and Billy Nicholls. Comprising 10 principal tracks plus bonus material in some editions, Endless Wire blends rock anthems with introspective ballads and culminates in the 10-song mini-rock opera "Wire & Glass", which explores themes of survival, spirituality, and human connection through a narrative of reincarnation and redemption. Notable tracks include the opener "Fragments," the satirical "A Man in a Purple Dress," and the closing epic "Tea & Theatre," with most songs written by Townshend and some co-written with collaborators like Rachel Fuller and Lawrence Ball. Upon release, Endless Wire received generally positive reviews for revitalizing the band's sound in their , with critics praising its energy and thematic depth despite the long hiatus. The album debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and number 9 on the , marking a commercial success and supporting the band's subsequent tour. Special editions included a bonus DVD of live performances from in 2006, enhancing its appeal to longtime fans.

Background

Development and motivation

Following the release of their 1982 album , The Who entered a period of inactivity, with no new studio recordings until the mid-2000s, though the band sporadically reunited for tours and one-off performances. This hiatus was punctuated by the deaths of two key members: drummer in 1978 from a , which prompted the group to continue with replacement Kenny Jones but ultimately contributed to their creative slowdown, and bassist in 2002 from a cocaine-induced heart attack, occurring just before a planned U.S. tour and serving as a profound catalyst for renewed collaboration between surviving members and . In early 2005, Townshend announced plans for a mini-opera titled Wire & Glass, drawing inspiration from his online novella The Boy Who Heard Music, serialized on his website that year, which explored themes of survival, redemption, and the redemptive power of music amid personal and societal turmoil. Townshend rapidly composed around 25 songs for the project, aiming to revive the band's rock-opera tradition while addressing contemporary reflections on loss and resilience, ultimately expanding it into the full album Endless Wire. Daltrey had been advocating for new original material during the band's tours from 2002 to 2004, which resumed shortly after Entwistle's death and included performances that reignited their onstage chemistry, leading Townshend to reluctantly agree to a complete album rather than isolated tracks. These efforts culminated in two new songs for the 2004 compilation The Who: Then and Now, but Daltrey's persistence underscored a desire to move beyond covers and nostalgia toward fresh creative output. Key events further motivated the project, including The Who's headline set at the 2004 , where their energetic performance before a massive crowd emphasized the urgency of producing new music to sustain their legacy. Additionally, Townshend's ongoing recovery from severe —exacerbated by decades of loud performances and studio work—encouraged a stripped-down, acoustic-leaning approach to the album, allowing him to adopt a calmer, more introspective "Zen-like mindset" in composition and production despite his auditory challenges.

Pre-production preparations

In early 2005, Pete Townshend began pre-production for the album by recording approximately 25 solo demos at his home studio in London, drawing inspiration from his novella The Boy Who Heard Music and adapting it into a potential rock opera concept. These demos included early versions of tracks that would form the basis of the mini-opera Wire & Glass, a narrative sequence integrated into the final album. The band lineup was solidified during this phase, with Townshend deciding to retain on drums, who had been the touring drummer since the mid-1990s and filled the role left vacant by Keith Moon's death in 1978, while session bassist was selected to handle bass duties following John Entwistle's death in 2002. , a longtime associate on keyboards, was brought back for the sessions, while session bassist was selected to handle bass duties on select tracks, given Entwistle's absence. Starkey's initial unavailability due to commitments with Oasis delayed full band involvement until spring 2006, but his role was confirmed early in preparations. Townshend and held collaborative writing sessions in starting in 2005, after Townshend reinitiated contact following a brief communication lull earlier that year; these meetings focused on shaping the material to reflect the duo's matured perspectives. Planning emphasized a streamlined timeline to achieve a 2006 release, aligning with reflections on the band's 40th anniversary since forming in 1964, though specific budget details were not publicly detailed beyond the efficient use of Townshend's home setup to minimize costs. This approach allowed the project to progress from demos to full recording without extensive delays, culminating in the album's October 30, 2006, issuance.

Recording and production

Studio sessions

The studio sessions for Endless Wire took place primarily at Pete Townshend's home studio and Eel Pie Oceanic Studios in , , from December 2004 to May 2006, with the majority of the work concentrated in the spring of 2006. The process emphasized a raw, live feel, drawing from demos as starting points for the band to build upon during tracking. Roger Daltrey's vocals were produced separately by Bob Pridden and , contributing to the album's intimate energy. provided dynamic drumming on select tracks, such as "A Man in a Purple Dress," while session drummer Peter Huntington handled the majority of the percussion duties to fill the rhythm section, as was committed to touring with Oasis during much of the period. Townshend experimented with guitar tones using vintage amplifiers to achieve a blend of classic Who aggression and modern clarity, often reverting to analogue methods amid challenges with digital software for more organic results. The album features backing vocals by and strings arranged by , enhancing the emotional depth of tracks like the closing "Tea & Theatre," where Daltrey's ad-libbed lines added a spontaneous, reflective quality.

Production techniques and team

The production of Endless Wire was co-led by as primary producer, alongside Bob Pridden, who served as assistant producer and contributed significantly to the overall sound shaping, drawing on his long history with the band. Engineering duties were primarily managed by Myles Clarke, who handled balance engineering and finalized the mixes after initial work by Townshend during the band's 2006 European tour. Guest engineer Lincoln Fong assisted at Eel Pie Oceanic Studios, contributing to the technical execution alongside Darren Westbrook for mobile recordings. The team sought a sonic balance between contemporary clarity and the nostalgic rock texture of The Who's earlier work, incorporating methods with analog elements for warmth, such as Townshend's use of professional analog tape machines running parallel to computer-based systems. was employed for precise editing and assembly of the sessions, allowing flexibility in layering Townshend's and elements. co-produced Roger Daltrey's vocals, applying effects like reverb to enhance their presence while maintaining an organic feel through real drum kits and minimal electronic intervention. The final mixes, rebalanced by Clarke, emphasized transparency in the percussion from and the intricate acoustic details from Townshend, favoring live instrumentation over synthesizers to preserve a raw, band-centric authenticity. Mastering was completed by Ian Cooper at Metropolis Mastering in .

Composition and songwriting

Main album songs

The main album songs on Endless Wire consist of ten standalone tracks that bookend the mini-opera, offering a mix of rockers, acoustic ballads, and introspective pieces primarily written by . These songs explore personal themes of fragmentation, , loss, and enduring relationships, often through sparse arrangements that highlight the band's matured sound. Unlike the interconnected narrative of the opera, these tracks stand alone, contributing to an album arc of quiet reflection amid life's uncertainties. "We Got a Hit" and "They Made My Dream Come True" are not part of the main songs; instead, representative tracks like "Fragments" (co-written by Townshend and Lawrence Ball) open the album with a synthesizer intro and power chords transitioning to delicate harmonies, its lyrics depicting human existence as "a billion fragments exploding outward," symbolizing resilience and metaphysical scattering. The song's structure builds from nostalgic nods to earlier Who anthems like "Baba O'Riley," using a progressive arrangement to evoke aging's fragmented memories. Similarly, "A Man in a Purple Dress" employs a folk-styled acoustic guitar framework with simple chord progressions in the key of G major (G-Em-C-D cycles emphasizing indignation), its lyrics critiquing religious hypocrisy and media sensationalism in a Dylanesque rant, reflecting Townshend's ongoing motif of spiritual doubt in later life. "Mike Post Theme" shifts to hard-soft dynamics with a tight rock structure, its chorus built on ascending chord progressions (E-A-B progressions driving the upbeat commentary on ), while lyrics touch on human frailty and unfulfilled dreams, underscoring themes of aging limitations. "Black Widow's Eyes" stands out for its driving and intense portrayal of a terrorist bomber during the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis, seen through a hostage's eyes, with Zak Starkey's drums mimicking Keith Moon's intensity and Pino Palladino's prominent bass lines providing a brooding foundation in the verses. The track's tense build-up, centered on minor-key progressions (Am-F-C-G variations), amplifies its themes of , , and tragedy. "Tea & Theatre" closes the album as a thoughtful acoustic , featuring gentle chord progressions (D-G-A patterns evoking quiet closure) and mourning loss while affirming legacy—"We made it work"—in a motif of reflective for shared history. Other tracks like "In the " use sparse and acoustic elements for a droll, lonely on isolation, possibly alluding to absent bandmates, with Townshend's gravelly growl adding to its purgatorial tone. "Two Thousand Years" delivers a stark folk declaration of enduring through layered harmonies and basic acoustic strumming, its from a Judas-like perspective pondering betrayal's eternal . These songs collectively form a cohesive arc of personal , tracing from explosive beginnings to serene acceptance, distinct in their individual emotional depth. Townshend takes lead vocals on select tracks such as "In the Ether," "God Speaks of " (a melodic acoustic piece on music's , with simple Em-D-C progressions), and "You Stand by Me" (a brief to loyalty), his weathered delivery emphasizing vulnerability and reflection. handles prominent leads on anthemic choruses in songs like "Fragments," "A Man in a ," and "It's Not Enough" (co-written by Townshend and ; a swift frustration-in-love rocker with fierce guitar riffs), his still-powerful voice—despite age—lending grit and emotional force to themes of relational strain and defiance. Instrumentation across these tracks favors acoustic intros and , with Palladino's bass lines adding subtle propulsion, as in the brooding undercurrents of "Black Widow's Eyes," while the overall production style employs layered harmonies and home-studio intimacy to the duo's journey.

Wire & Glass mini-opera

"Wire & Glass" is a 10-track mini-opera that forms the second half of Endless Wire, centering on the fictional character Ray High, an aging former rock star who survives a perilous ordeal at , reflecting on his life through the metaphor of hearing amid chaos. The narrative, drawn from Pete Townshend's 2005-2006 novella The Boy Who Heard Music, explores themes of identity, spiritual connection, and 's redemptive power in a controlled society, echoing elements from Townshend's earlier unfinished project Lifehouse. Recurring motifs include "wire" imagery symbolizing endless communication and entrapment, alongside orchestral swells that underscore emotional turmoil and revelation. The tracks include "Sound Round," "Pick Up the ," "Unholy ," "Trilby's ," "Endless Wire," "We Got a Hit," "They Made My Dream Come True," "Mirror Door," "Fragments of Fragments," and others forming the suite. The mini-opera opens with "Sound Round," a frenetic rocker that launches Ray High's story with high-energy guitars and driving rhythms, evoking the band's early triumphs and setting a tone of chaotic energy. "Pick Up the Peace" follows in classic Who style, with Daltrey's vocals delivering a call for amid conflict, blending acoustic strums and power chords to represent High's search for solace. The title track "Endless Wire" is a brief, epic vignette under two minutes, featuring layered vocals and synth arpeggios that mimic an unending signal, symbolizing music's persistent pull on High's psyche. "We Got a Hit" shifts to a catchy, upbeat rock number lasting just over a minute, capturing the thrill of fame with punchy riffs and handclaps, as High recalls his band's . "They Made My Dream Come True" provides a slower, dramatic interlude with and strings, introspecting on betrayal and realization, though its pacing feels tentative. "Mirror Door" serves as the emotional core, a full-length track with a soaring chorus and tribute-like nods to musical influences, where High confronts his fractured self through reflective and dynamic builds. The suite incorporates additional pieces like "Unholy " and "Trilby's " for narrative depth, closing with elements tying the wire motif to ethereal liberation. Musically, "Wire & Glass" fuses rock's raw energy with classical influences, using orchestral swells and experimental fragments to create a fragmented yet cohesive narrative arc, distinguishing it from the album's standalone songs. Townshend conceived it as a scaled-down successor to ambitious rock operas like Tommy (1969) and Quadrophenia (1973), adapted for the double-album format to balance introspection with the band's enduring power-trio sound.

Release and promotion

Formats and editions

Endless Wire was released on on 30 October 2006 in the United Kingdom by and on 31 October 2006 in the United States by Universal Republic Records. The standard edition comprises 21 tracks in total, consisting of 9 non-opera songs, 12 segments comprising the 7-song mini-opera "" (tracks 10–21), and 2 extended bonus tracks. A deluxe edition was simultaneously issued, bundling the studio album with a bonus disc of live audio recordings from The Who's 17 July 2006 performance at the Vienne in , presented as The Who Live at and containing 7 tracks. In the market, a limited edition paired the CD with a DVD of 5 tracks from the same concert, while an expanded deluxe version included both the bonus audio CD and the DVD. The album also appeared on double vinyl LP in 2006 via Universal Republic (B0007845-01), with a remastered 180-gram reissue released in the United Kingdom in 2013. Digital download formats, including a deluxe version with the additional live tracks, were made available through services like Apple Music and remain accessible as of 2025. International editions featured regional variations, such as the Japanese release (Polydor UICP-9015/6), which included unique obi strip packaging and exclusive artwork.

Marketing and rollout

The promotion for Endless Wire kicked off in mid-2006 with the release of the Wire & Glass EP on July 17, exclusively through the iTunes Music Store in and , featuring six tracks from the accompanying mini-opera to generate early interest in the project. This digital-first approach allowed fans immediate access to new material, marking one of the band's early forays into online distribution strategies. Building on this, had serialized his novella The Boy Who Heard Music—the narrative foundation for the mini-opera—on his personal website throughout 2005, offering free access to the story and fostering direct engagement with the audience to heighten anticipation. The rollout continued with a media push that included key interviews and live sessions, such as the band's appearance at the inaugural Electric Proms on , 2006, at London's Roundhouse, where they performed selections from Endless Wire alongside , highlighting their ongoing vitality post-John Entwistle's death in 2002. Publications like featured in-depth profiles on the duo's creative process and determination to revive the band, emphasizing themes of resilience and renewal in discussions around the album's themes of survival and legacy. Tying into the release, The Who launched their 2006–2007 tour in June, encompassing European dates and major outdoor festivals such as in and in Ireland, where setlists incorporated several new songs from Endless Wire to integrate the material with their established repertoire and energize live audiences. The tour extended into 2007 with North American legs, providing ongoing exposure for the album through high-profile venues and special events that reinforced the band's enduring appeal.

Reception

Critical reviews

Upon its release in 2006, Endless Wire received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised Roger Daltrey's enduring vocal power and the ambition of the Wire & Glass mini-opera while noting a sense of maturity tempered by occasional lapses in energy. awarded the album 3.5 out of five stars, highlighting Daltrey's "brazen" performance and the mini-opera's innovative structure as a fitting for the band in their later years. described it as a "frenetic" and intellectually ambitious work that effectively blended disparate styles, commending its brevity and narrative drive. Critics frequently pointed to the production's dated quality and the mini-opera's underdeveloped feel when compared to The Who's earlier rock operas like Tommy or Quadrophenia. gave it a 4.7 out of 10, criticizing the first half for sounding like a "museum piece" with thin, rehashed arrangements lacking the rhythmic punch of past efforts, though the opera sections offered some redeeming vitality. rated it three out of five stars, noting that while Townshend's songwriting remained sharp, the overall sound felt restrained and less explosive without the full classic lineup's dynamism. The album's aggregated score was 64 out of 100, based on 22 reviews, reflecting a generally favorable consensus with 55% positive and 45% mixed verdicts. In assessments, the album has been viewed more favorably as a dignified late-career statement. A analysis credited it as The Who's strongest release in three decades, appreciating its introspective depth and Townshend's focused compositions despite production limitations.

Commercial performance

Endless Wire debuted at number 9 on the in October 2006 and number 7 on the in November 2006, where it sold 81,000 copies in its first week. The album peaked at number 63 in and number 34 in . It received a Gold certification from the BPI in the UK for 100,000 units in 2006. Sales were influenced by the band's aging fanbase and the emerging shift toward digital music consumption in the mid-2000s, though the album saw relatively robust performance in European markets where physical formats remained dominant.

Track listing

Studio album tracks

The studio recordings on Endless Wire comprise nine standalone rock songs that open the album, followed by the nine-part mini-opera "Wire & Glass," which forms a cohesive narrative sequence exploring themes of creativity, loss, and redemption through interconnected musical vignettes, and closing with the reflective track "Tea & Theatre" that provides resolution to the overall arc. This sequencing creates a narrative flow, transitioning from diverse individual compositions to a structured operatic story before a contemplative coda.
No.TitleWriter(s)Duration
1"Fragments"Pete Townshend, Lawrence Ball3:57
2"A Man in a Purple Dress"Pete Townshend4:14
3"Mike Post Theme"Pete Townshend4:28
4"In the Ether"Pete Townshend3:35
5"Black Widow's Eyes"Pete Townshend3:07
6"Two Thousand Years"Pete Townshend2:50
7"God Speaks of Marty Robbins"Pete Townshend3:26
8"It's Not Enough"Pete Townshend, Rachel Fuller4:02
9"You Stand by Me"Pete Townshend1:36
10"Sound Round"Pete Townshend1:21
11"Pick Up the Peace"Pete Townshend1:28
12"Unholy Trinity"Pete Townshend2:07
13"Trilby's Piano"Pete Townshend2:04
14"Endless Wire"Pete Townshend1:51
15"Fragments of Fragments"Pete Townshend2:23
16"We Got a Hit"Pete Townshend, Lawrence Ball1:18
17"They Made My Dream Come True"Pete Townshend1:13
18"Mirror Door"Pete Townshend4:14
19"Tea & Theatre"Pete Townshend3:24
Certain editions include bonus studio tracks, such as extended versions of "We Got a Hit" (3:03) and "Endless Wire" (3:03), which expand on motifs from the mini-opera for added depth. A remastered 180g vinyl edition was released in October 2025.

The Who Live at Lyon inclusions

The bonus live content included with select editions of Endless Wire features performances recorded during The Who's concert at the Théâtre Antique de Vienne in Vienne, France (near Lyon) on July 17, 2006, as part of their Endless Wire Tour. This material serves as a live companion to the album's new studio recordings, blending classic hits with selections from the fresh material to demonstrate the band's enduring stage energy. The inclusions were curated to highlight key moments from the show, emphasizing both timeless Who anthems and the integration of tracks like "Mike Post Theme" from the album itself. In the limited edition CD release, a bonus disc contains seven tracks from the Lyon-area performance, totaling approximately 43 minutes. The setlist rationale focuses on a mix of early Who staples and deeper cuts, providing a "greatest hits"-style overview while previewing the album's elements through live renditions. The tracks are: "The Seeker" (2:36), "" (6:58), " Theme" (3:55), "The Relay" (7:40), "Greyhound Girl" (3:04), "" (8:26), and ""/"Old Red Wine" (10:40). These were mixed at Oceanic Studios by longtime Who engineer Bob Pridden and mastered for CD release. The accompanying DVD edition presents a visual excerpt of the concert, featuring five tracks clocking in at about 28 minutes total. It includes "I Can't Explain" (3:04), "Behind Blue Eyes" (4:39), "Mike Post Theme" (3:41), "Baba O'Riley" (5:59), and "Won't Get Fooled Again" (10:03), captured with multi-camera footage to capture the band's dynamic presence. The audio is presented in stereo, mixed by Bob Pridden, offering fans a polished glimpse of the full show's intensity without the complete 90-minute setlist. No surround sound options have been issued for this content.

Personnel

Core band members

Roger Daltrey served as the lead vocalist on all tracks of Endless Wire, delivering his signature powerful and emotive performances that anchored the album's sound, while also contributing harmonies and providing input on lyrical adjustments to refine the material's emotional depth. Pete Townshend was the album's primary creative force, handling guitars (both acoustic and electric, emphasizing textured layers from instruments like the ), keyboards, , drums, and additional vocals, in addition to writing the majority of the songs (with co-writes on select tracks) and co-producing the record to shape its intimate yet expansive elements. Zak Starkey played drums on "Black Widow's Eyes" (track 5), stepping in to fill the rhythmic role vacated by Keith Moon's death decades earlier and contributing to the band's continuity amid the loss of John Entwistle, with his dynamic style evident on this track.

Additional contributors

Pino Palladino, a veteran session bassist known for his work with artists like The Who on prior tours, contributed bass guitar to select tracks within the album's mini-opera "Wire & Glass," including "In the Ether" (track 10), "Black Widow's Eyes" (track 11), "Trapped Again" (track 14), "We Got a Hit" (track 16), "New Life / Reprise" (tracks 17–18), "Tea & Theatre" (track 20), and the extended version of the title track (track 21). John "Rabbit" Bundrick, a longtime collaborator with The Who dating back to their 1970s lineup, played keyboards and on the album, providing atmospheric support across multiple tracks and enhancing the rock-operatic elements. , Pete's younger brother, provided backing vocals on several tracks (including 10, 11, 14, 20, and 21), offering familial continuity to the band's legacy while enhancing the harmonic and textural support. Additional musical support came from , who delivered backing vocals on key sections of "," specifically tracks 10, 11, 14, 20, and 21, adding harmonic depth to the ensemble sound. Jolyon Dixon supplied on "It's Not Enough" (track 8), while contributed keyboards and orchestration supervision for "Endless Wire" (track 13). Peter Huntington played drums on several tracks (8, 10–11, 14, 16–18). Stuart Ross provided bass on track 8. Lawrence Ball contributed electronics on tracks 1 and 15, and co-wrote those tracks. Vicky Matthews played cello on track 13, and Ellen Blair played viola on track 13. Vocal production was handled by Bobby Pridden and . Engineering duties were led by Myles Clarke, who handled the rebalancing and finalization of the mixes at Eel Pie Oceanic Studios, ensuring sonic cohesion for the project's extended recording period from 2002 to 2006. Ian Cooper mastered the album at Metropolis Mastering in , refining its for release. The album's visual identity was crafted by Richard Evans, who managed design and art direction, incorporating elements generated by the Visual Harmony software created by Dave Snowdon and Lawrence Ball; the cover features a symbolic representing themes of endless connection and narrative continuity.

Adaptation and legacy

Rock musical attempt

announced plans in 2005 for a rock musical titled The Boy Who Heard Music, adapting his serialized of the same name, which served as the narrative foundation for the mini-opera "" on The Who's 2006 album Endless Wire. The project aimed to expand the album's themes into a full production, with Townshend composing additional songs alongside those from Endless Wire to promote the record as a tie-in. Discussions with , The Who's lead singer, explored potential involvement, building on their collaboration for the album. Workshops for the musical took place in New York, culminating in a debut presentation at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater Festival in Poughkeepsie from July 13 to 15, 2007, under the direction of Ethan Silverman. The readings featured a hallucinatory storyline about an aging rock star reminiscing on his teenage band's rise, incorporating live performances of Endless Wire tracks like "Wire & Glass" to showcase the material's theatrical potential. A third performance was added due to demand, but the event remained developmental, with no full staging. Despite buzz for a subsequent West End or Broadway run, the musical was abandoned later in and never progressed beyond the workshop phase. Townshend later reflected on it as an ambitious but unrealized work, akin to his earlier unproduced operas.

Post-release impact

The release of Endless Wire in 2006 marked a pivotal moment in revitalizing The Who after the death of bassist John Entwistle in 2002, serving as the band's first collection of new studio material in 24 years and rekindling the creative synergy between surviving members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey. This renewal propelled the group into a renewed phase of activity, including support tours in 2006–2007 that featured live performances of album tracks, followed by extensive 2010s outings such as the 2011–2012 Quadrophenia residency and the 2014–2016 Who Hits 50! tour celebrating the band's half-century milestone. The 2014 compilation album The Who Hits 50! further referenced Endless Wire by including "Be Lucky," the group's first new recording since 2006, positioning the earlier work as a foundational link in their post-2000s catalog. A remastered 180-gram vinyl reissue of Endless Wire appeared in 2013 through Polydor/Universal, offering updated packaging with lyrics on inner sleeves but no additional tracks or bonus content beyond the original deluxe edition's Live at Lyon disc. The album's integration into major streaming services, including full availability on Spotify and Apple Music since the mid-2010s, has enhanced its reach and listenership among younger audiences and longtime fans alike, sustaining its presence in the digital music landscape without relying on physical sales. Endless Wire holds cultural significance as a personal milestone for Townshend and Daltrey, symbolizing reconciliation and artistic perseverance amid the band's evolving lineup. In his 2012 memoir Who I Am, Townshend reflects on the album's creation as a testament to the duo's enduring bond and potential for future Who projects, even pondering it as a possible at the time. Daltrey echoes this sentiment in his 2018 autobiography Thanks a Lot Mr Kibblewhite: My Story, framing the record as a hard-won achievement that bridged decades of internal strife and external challenges in the band's history. By 2025, Endless Wire has not prompted major new events or releases, yet it maintains strong fan appreciation for effectively bridging The Who's opera era with their contemporary sound, often cited as a fitting coda to their legacy despite mixed initial reception.

References

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