Pete Townshend Details Massive ‘Who Came First’ Reissue

The Who‘s Pete Townshend will mark the 45th anniversary of his debut solo album, Who Came First, with an expansive reissue featuring eight unreleased tracks. The two-CD set arrives April 20th via UME.

Among the previously unreleased songs are three cuts, “Nothing Is Everything,” “There’s a Fortune In Those Hills” and “Meher Baba in Italy.” The track list also boasts new edits and alternate versions of songs like “Parvardigar” and “Content,” as well as a live version of “Drowned” recorded in India.

The collection will also feature new liner notes from Townshend, the album’s original poster and a 24-page booklet packed with rare photos of Townshend and his guru, Meher Baba, in the recording studio. Who collaborator Jon Astley remastered the 45th anniversary edition of Who Came First using the original master tapes.

Released in 1972, Who Came First found Townshend collecting tracks from two previously released, but rare, collaborative tribute albums to Baba, Happy Birthday and I Am. Townshend then fleshed out the record with a handful of demos from the Who’s unfinished rock opera, Lifehouse. 

Along with Townshend’s reissue of Who Came First, the Who will commemorate the 50th anniversary of a two-night stand at the Fillmore East with a double CD, Live at the Fillmore East 1968, also out April 20th. 

Who Came First 45th Anniversary Edition Track List

CD 1
1. “Pure and Easy”
2. “Evolution”
3. “Forever’s No Time At All”
4. “Let’s See Action”
5. “Time Is Passing”
6. “There’s a Heartache Following Me”
7. ” “Sheraton Gibson”
8. “Content”
9. “Parvardigar”

CD2 
1. “His Hands”
2. “The Seeker” (2017 edit)
3. “Day Of Silence”
4. “Sleeping Dog”
5. “Mary Jane” (Stage A Version)
6. “I Always Say” (2017 Edit)
7. “Begin The Beguine” (2017 edit)
8. “Baba O’Reilly” (Instrumental)
9. “The Love Man” (Stage C)*
10. “Content” (Stage A)*
11. “Day Of Silence” (Alternate Version)*
12. “Parvardigar” (Alternate take)*
13. “Nothing Is Everything”*
14. “There’s A Fortune In Those Hills”*
15. “Meher Baba In Italy”*
16. “Drowned” (live in India)*
17. “Evolution” (live at Ronnie Lane Memorial)
(* denotes previously unreleased song)