Summing up Roger’s solo catalogue

When I tentatively began exploring Roger’s solo catalogue in 2002, I was quite nervous and expected the worst. Thanks to the loud voices of the older guys on my Who mailing lists, I was led to believe it was hit-or-miss at best and embarrassing garbage at worst. Of course, the consensus on my estrogen Who lists was much different. As proudly tomboyish and gender-defiant as I’ve always been, I can’t deny the experience and opinions of male and female Who fans are often radically divergent!

I decided to sample Roger’s solo stuff because I was familiar with his voice and liked it very much. I had a general sense of what I’d be getting, despite how unreasonably nervous I used to be about trying anything new musically.

Roger himself understood early on he’d probably never be a huge solo star, and approached it as a fun hobby to pass the time and keep singing when The Who weren’t touring or recording their own albums. He didn’t do much marketing for his solo work, and didn’t even tour by himself.

All that aside, however, his solo albums aren’t nearly as bad as they’ve gotten the reputation of. The whole point of going solo, for many artists, is to try something new and break away from the type of music they made with their bands. Most of Roger’s solo albums don’t have a Who-like sound because that’s not what he was going for!

I will never understand so-called fans who whine and rant because a band or artist dared to experiment with a new style of music instead of spending their entire career constantly remaking their quintessentially greatest albums. No one is denying the strength and awesomeness of those records, but it would get really boring fast if all their songs sounded like mindless carbon copies. Many artists become one-hit wonders because their follow-up sounds way too much like that first big hit, and people laugh about it.

Roger also understood most Who fans weren’t wild about his solo albums, and that he was targeting a different type of audience. The voice is the same, but the songs aren’t. If you can recognise and respect that, you’ll probably enjoy his solo catalogue a lot more.

Hearing the worst and subsequently having very low expectations also helped me to like most of his albums far more than I thought I would. They’re not nearly as bad as I was falsely led to believe.

Just about everyone recommended McVicar first, since it’s a de facto Who album. Not only do Pete and John play and sing background vocals, but the songs also have a very Who-like feel. If you didn’t know this is a Roger solo album, you’d think it was The Who playing as The Who.

Another great place to start, or to go after McVicar, is Under a Raging Moon. It too has a very Who-like sound (which Roger was deliberately going for), and Pete even wrote the first track. As you might guess, the eponymous closing track is a tribute to Keith Moon.

My third-favourite album is One of the Boys, which was a hugely pleasant surprise. Every single song is a winner for me, and the album’s eclectic nature works for it instead of against it. Roger used a much wider group of songwriters than usual, so he wasn’t tied to just one style. This is perhaps his most criminally underrated album.

I also adore Can’t Wait to See the Movie, which is a marvellous trip down memory lane for me as a proud Eighties kid. While it has those trademark synths that musically defined my childhood decade, it’s not exclusively welded to that era like some other Eighties albums.

I couldn’t resist getting his eponymous 1973 début, since it was only $2 and Roger looks so beautiful and angelic on the cover. It makes no pretension of being timeless music or even a 5-star album, but it is a really fun listen. Not all music is meant to be serious and tailored to perfection. Sometimes you just want to kick back and listen to something lightweight, just as there are times you go for eating ice-cream and corn chips on the davenport instead of a five-course meal at a super-expensive restaurant.

Rocks in the Head is another fun romp, this time marked with the trademark style of the early Nineties. I only recently finally got acquainted with it, but it only took a few listens to start getting into it and really liking it.

Ride a Rock Horse is also a fun, rocking romp, but it’s never been one of my favourites. I appreciate and like it more now than I originally did, after listening to it again for the first time in many years, but it’s not what I’d personally recommend for someone just getting into his solo work. You always want to start with the strongest examples.

Parting Should Be Painless is his weakest solo effort, in my opinion. It’s not that the material is necessarily bad, just not presented in the strongest way. The individual songs would probably sound a lot better if they came up by themselves on the radio or a playlist, but they don’t work when collected on the same album. Even an album with a deliberately depressing theme should have more energy than this!

If you just want a sample of everything before committing to an entire album, you can try the greatest hits compilations Best Bits (1981), Best of Rockers & Ballads (1991), Martyrs & Madmen (1997), Anthology (1998), and Moonlighting: The Anthology (2005). Best Bits contains two previously-unreleased songs, “Treachery” and “Martyrs and Madmen” (#38 in the U.S.). “Say It Ain’t So, Joe” was also re-released and went to #41 in the U.S.

Roger sings lead on some of the songs on the Lisztomania soundtrack, which is a fair bit better than the movie.

In 2014, Roger released Going Back Home, a collaborative album with guitarist Wilko Johnson (who was fighting pancreatic cancer at the time). Another new album, As Long As I Have You, came in 2018. I’ve heard a few of their songs on auto-generated Spotify playlists, but have yet to listen to either in entirety.

I’m really glad I took a chance and gave Roger’s solo work a fair listen. While my preference will always be for The Who, followed closely by Pete’s solo work, there are a lot of treasures on Roger’s solo albums. They’re all worth multiple listens.

Roger Daltrey’s best solo album (is a de facto Who album)

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The soundtrack to McVicar, released June 1980, is widely considered Roger’s strongest solo album on account of it being a de facto Who album. Pete and John played on it (despite not being credited as The Who), which provides a very Who-like sound. While this is a very strong contender for the title of Roger’s best work on its own merit, it’s very telling that many people regard it so highly because the other guys are on it. These fans (frequently older guys, in my experience) dismiss Roger’s solo albums where he tried a very different style, as though he owed it to them to only ever make music sounding exactly like Who songs. Artists are allowed to try new things!

McVicar, in which Roger plays the title role, is based on the memoir McVicar by Himself, written by armed robber and prison escapee John McVicar (21 March 1940–6 September 2022). Roger was so fascinated by Mr. McVicar’s account of prison life, he bought the film rights to the book with the intention of acting in it. Many people also consider this Roger’s best film work.

John McVicar began shoplifting and breaking into cars as a teen, and escaped a remand home for juvenile offenders in 1956, aged sixteen. He was sentenced to two years of borstal training (youth detention), and became an armed robber after his release. In 1964 he got in trouble with the law again and was sentenced to two years in prison.

He escaped custody while he and a dozen other guys were on their way back HM Prison Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight after a dubious trial. The other escapees were soon discovered during a massive manhunt, but Mr. McVicar remained undetected and got in touch with gang boss Joey Pyle.

Mr. Pyle drove down to Portsmouth and took him as far as Dorking, where he attempted to evade a police roadblock. Mr. McVicar jumped out of the car and made a run for it before the cops could corner them in a cul-de-sac.

John McVicar (far right) at the Cannes Film Festival with Roger and Adam Faith, May 1980; Copyright Daily Mirror (© Mirrorpix)

Mr. McVicar tried to rob an armoured security van while on the run and was busted by cops. More charges were put on him, and he was sentenced to another fifteen years, on top of the eight he was already serving. He was moved to HM Prison Durham, which he once more escaped.

For two years, he was at large in Blackheath, London, with his girlfriend Shirley Wilshire and their son Russell, who was born in 1965. During this time, he was dubbed Public Enemy Number One by Scotland Yard. When he was finally caught, he was forced to continue his 23-year sentence until being paroled in 1978.

He married Shirley in 1972, but they divorced before he was paroled. Russell followed in his footsteps and became an armed robber and prison escapee himself.

His 1980 memoir, which he also wrote the screenplay for, covers a few months of his time in prison instead of of his entire life up to that point. The first half of the film is set in Durham and focuses on the relationships between inmates and prison officials, his plotting to escape, and his successful break.

The second half depicts him on the run in London, during which he plans to start a new crime-free life in Canada with his family. This plan doesn’t come to fruition, however, as he can’t fund it without more crime. He’s busted by the cops after a so-called friend squeals.

Mr. McVicar returns to prison and has more years pasted onto his sentence. While behind bars, he studies for a bachelor’s degree in sociology and is later released.

The film première was at Rialto Cinema in London’s Leicester Square on 27 August 1980. It was produced by Bill Curbishley (The Who’s manager) and Roy Baird, and was nominated for Best Picture in 1981 at the International Mystery Film Festival of Cattolica.

The soundtrack reached #22 in the U.S., #39 in the U.K., #41 in The Netherlands, #44 in New Zealand, and #87 in Australia. Richard Evans designed the sleeve, and David James did the photography.

Track listing:

“Bitter and Twisted” (written by Steve Swindells)
“Just a Dream Away” (Russ Ballard)
“Escape, Part One” (Jeff Wayne) (instrumental)
“White City Lights” (Billy Nicholls and Jon Lind)
“Free Me” (Russ Ballard) (#39 in the U.K.; #53 in the U.S.; #66 in Australia)
“My Time Is Gonna Come” (Russ Ballard)
“Waiting for a Friend” (Billy Nicholls) (#104 in the U.S.)
“Escape, Part Two” (Jeff Wayne) (instrumental)
“Without Your Love” (Billy Nicholls) (#20 in the U.S.; #55 in the U.K.)
“McVicar” (Billy Nicholls)

I love every single song on this album! It’s the perfect place to start with Roger’s solo work, since it sounds so much like a Who album and is such strong material on its own merits. A classic not to be missed.

Roger Daltrey’s most criminally underrated solo album

One of the Boys, which I consider perhaps Roger Daltrey’s most criminally underrated solo album that deserved much better success, was recorded from November 1976–March 1977 at The Who’s Ramport Studios in London and Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris. Because of tax complications, the vocals had to be recorded in Paris instead of at home.

The album has a more eclectic sound and consistently high-quality material because Roger enlisted the help of a larger group of songwriters instead of just one or two main people with their own particular style. He also used a lot more musicians than on his previous two solo albums.

For the third time in a row, Roger’s cousin Graham Hughes designed and photographed the album art. The cover is modelled after René Magritte’s painting Not to Be Reproduced, which also depicts the subject reflected from the back instead of showing his face.

Roger generously let students from a nearby technical school in the Battersea district film the London recording sessions for an educational project they were doing.

Roger co-wrote three of the songs, his first time since “Here for More” in 1970 he’d done any songwriting. When he puts his mind to it, he’s more than capable of producing a nice tune. His musical calling, however, is obviously singing, which is where he’s chosen to focus his strengths and develop his talents.

One of the Boys was recorded during a six-month sabbatical from The Who, and Roger felt it would finally establish a coherent musical direction for himself as a solo artist. In a 1977 Rolling Stone interview, he said, “It’s always been difficult for me to do that up till now. I’ve always said that if I wanted to make a rock and roll album I’d do it with The Who, because that’s the finest rock and roll vehicle in the world. It would be pointless to do second-best to that. But there are all kinds of music The Who don’t touch.”

In that interview, Roger also admitted feeling overwhelmed and inhibited by Pete’s constant, excellent supply of songs, “but a solo album seemed a good opportunity to put my own material to the test.” His prior songs were “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” (single; co-written with Pete), “See My Way” (on A Quick One), “Early Morning Cold Taxi” (outtake from The Who Sell Out), and the abovementioned “Here for More” (B-side of “The Seeker”).

“The Prisoner” was inspired by John McVicar, an armed robber and prison escapee whom Roger later portrayed in a 1980 biopic. Roger was so fascinated by his stories of prison life, he bought the film rights to Mr. McVicar’s memoir.

Track listing, with stars by the bonus tracks:

“Parade” (written by Phillip Goodhand-Tait)
“Single Man’s Dilemma” (Colin Blunstone)
“Avenging Annie” (Andy Pratt) (#88 in the U.S.)
“The Prisoner” (Roger, David Courtney, S. Todd)
“Leon” (Phillip Goodhand-Tait)
“One of the Boys” (Steve Gibbons) (features backing vocals and bass by John Entwistle, whose deep “Boris the Spider” voice you can’t miss)
“Giddy” (Paul McCartney)
“Say It Ain’t So, Joe” (Murray Head)
“Written on the Wind” (Paul Korda) (#46 in the U.K.)
“Satin and Lace” (Roger, David Courtney, Tony Meehan)
“Doing It All Again” (Roger, David Courtney, Tony Meehan)
“You Put Something Better Inside Me”* (Gerry Rafferty, Joe Egan)
“Martyrs and Madmen”* (Steve Swindells)
“Treachery”* (Steve Swindells)

I love every single song on this album! It’s held up so well over time, and is hands-down one of Roger’s strongest, finest solo albums. Sadly, it wasn’t promoted well enough, and only achieved modest chart success (#45 in the U.K., #46 in the U.S., #80 in Australia). I’d highly recommend it as a great place to start exploring Roger’s solo work.

A rocking romp with Roger

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Roger Daltrey’s sophomore solo album, Ride a Rock Horse, was recorded from November 1974–February 1975, during the filming of the absolutely bizarre Ken Russell film Lisztomania, which makes zero attempt at historical accuracy or even reality. (Was Mr. Russell permanently high during the Seventies or what?!)

The album was released 4 July 1975, three months ahead of Lisztomania. Roger’s cousin Graham Hughes once again designed and photographed the cover. Is it really that much of a stretch to imagine Roger as a randy centaur?!

Whereas Lisztomania flopped (despite a few good critical reviews) and its soundtrack only charted at #85 in Australia and #145 in the U.S., Ride a Rock Horse was a brilliant success. Its highest position was #10 in Australia, and it was also popular in the U.K. (#14), the U.S. (#28), and Canada (#46). In the U.K., it was certified silver.

Once again, Roger didn’t contribute any songs to the album. He’s written and co-written some songs here and there over the years, both for himself and The Who, but that’s just never been his strong suit or something he’s chosen to focus on developing. Roger is first and foremost a vocalist.

Gerald Scarfe made a trippy animated music video for “Hearts Right.”

Track listing:

“(Come and) Get Your Love” (written by Russ Ballard) (#46 in Australia; #68 in the U.S.)
“Hearts Right” (Paul Korda)
“Oceans Away” (Phillip Goodhand-Tait) (released as a single but inexplicably failed to chart)
“Proud” (Russ Ballard)
“World Over” (Paul Korda)
“Near to Surrender” (Russ Ballard)
“Feeling” (Paul Korda)
“Walking the Dog” (Rufus Thomas) (#52 in the U.K.; #77 in Australia)
“Milk Train” (Dominic Bugatti and Frank Musker)
“I Was Born to Sing Your Song” (Chris Neal and Donny Marchand)

My favourite tracks are “Oceans Away” (so beautiful and romantic!), “(Come and) Get Your Love,” and “Feeling.”

Roger is in top vocal form on this album, and it’s a really fun listen, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it as an ideal first solo album of his. My feeling has always been that the material isn’t consistently strong or in enough of a cohesive style to elevate it into a 5-star listening experience.

A fun début solo romp with Roger Daltrey

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Roger Daltrey’s eponymous solo début was recorded in January and February 1973, and released 20 April of that year. It was made during an unusually long break in The Who’s touring schedule and an accompanying dry patch between albums. Despite the monster success of Tommy (1969), Live at Leeds (1970), and Who’s Next (1971), the band nevertheless struggled with what they should release as a worthy follow-up. To keep themselves in the public eye, they released a few singles and solo projects.

Since Roger has always been first and foremost a singer (and what an incredible vocalist at that!), not a songwriter, he enlisted the help of one of the least likely people you’d associate with The Who’s style of music: Leo Sayer. A lot of artists going solo deliberately try to carve out their own unique style and voice instead of exactly replicating the kind of stuff they’ve done with their bands, and Roger apparently wanted a clear line between the two in his own life.

David Courtney, who co-wrote a few of the songs, co-produced the album with Adam Faith. The album was recorded at Roger’s Barn Studio in the village of Burwash, East Sussex. Mixing, overdubbing, and final vocals were done at Apple Studios, in the cellar of Apple Corps HQ on 3 Savile Rd., London. Last but not least, the vocals for “One Man Band (Reprise)” were recorded at Nova Sound Studio and the famous rooftop of Apple Corps.

The cover was designed and photographed by Roger’s cousin Graham Hughes, meant to make Roger look Pre-Raphaelite and like a photo in a Victorian locket. (I totally admit I bought this album because it was in the $2 vinyl section and Roger looks so beautiful and angelic on the cover!) The inner sleeve references the myth of Narcissus, as Roger’s reflection is much different from his actual appearance.

Roger told music journalist Chris Charlesworth, “I think it will do The Who some good if it’s a hit, and I think there’s a market for my album.” He was very annoyed at the band’s managers, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, for trying to wreck the album’s chances at chart success out of fear of ending The Who or making Roger so successful he eclipsed The Who. Coupled with their increasingly poor management of the band and Kit’s drug habit, Roger wanted rid of them. In 1974, they were fired and replaced by Bill Curbishley.

When I bought this album in 2002, I was prepared for lightweight fluff on account of Leo Sayer’s reputation as a teen idol. A lot of the older guy fans on my Who mailing lists also spoke disparagingly about Roger’s solo career. But in 1973, Leo Sayer didn’t even have a recording contract. Additionally, I was (and currently remain) unfamiliar with most of his body of work. Here I was judging both an artist and an album he wrote songs for based only on what other people said!

Roger asked Leo Sayer to write some songs for an album as a joke, and ended up with enough material to record an entire album.

In a contemporary review in magazine Creem, music journalist Robert Christgau said, “[B]y anybody else, this would be one more dumb concept album, and it still is.” He didn’t think Roger had enough presence, personality, or smarts to succeed as a strong solo artist. However, the album reached #6 in the U.K. (where it was certified silver), #41 in Canada, #45 in the U.S., and #59 in Australia.

Track listing, with a star by the one bonus track:

“One Man Band”
“The Way of the World” (written by Adam Faith and David Courtney)
“You Are Yourself”
“Thinking” (#61 in the U.K.)
“You and Me” (Faith and Courtney)
“It’s a Hard Life”
“Giving It All Away” (presented as a suite with “It’s a Hard Life”) (#5 in the U.K., #58 in Australia, #83 in the U.S.)
“The Story So Far”
“When the Music Stops”
“Reasons”
“One Man Band (Reprise)”
“There Is Love”* (B-side of “Thinking”)

My favourite tracks are “You Are Yourself,” “Thinking” (how could you not love a song with the chorus line “Thinking about the love we made on the floor”?!), “You and Me” (such beautiful, lush orchestral arrangement!), and “It’s a Hard Life/Giving It All Away.” No one will ever mistake this for one of the greatest albums ever, but it’s a lot of fun.