William Snyder/TrinifoldThe Who officially started recording their new studio album at London’s British Grove Studios over the weekend, and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend has been documenting the proceedings in a video blog that’s he posting on YouTube and TheWho.com.
The first clip begins with Townshend explaining that singer Roger Daltrey “is not with us on this first day, which is kind of sad, but he’s off getting himself together, preparing for the year ahead.” Townshend adds, “[H]e’ll be in to do some vocal work hopefully when he gets back, I think which [will be] about halfway through February.”
Later in the video, Pete is shown arriving at the studio and greeting various Who touring members, including his brother, guitarist/backing vocalist Simon Townshend; drummer Zak Starkey; and bassist Pino Palladino. Longtime Who and Townshend collaborator Billy Nicholls also is there, as are the new album’s producer, Dave Sardy; Pete’s guitar tech, Alan Rogan; and some engineers.
As the clip goes on, we see Townshend checking out the various guitars he’s planning to use on the sessions, and conferring with Sardy.
As the video near its end, Pete explains that he’ll be posting footage showing him, Starkey and Palladino working on a new track. He notes, “In the summer last year I produced some tracks, which are the ones that we’re working on here.”
A second video, also from the first day of recording, shows Starkey perfecting his drum sound for the session. One other clip, from the second day of the proceedings, features Townshend recording acoustic guitar tracks, as well as Zak and Pino working, respectively, on drum and bass parts.
The Who’s new album is expected out sometime this year. The band begins a U.S. symphonic tour on May 7 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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