Townshend, Lane, and Baba

Here at last is the Previously Promised Pete Post. PETE TOWNSHEND was involved with a few MEHER BABA tribute albums in the 1970s, and though there was a special edition a while back, there has not been a general release on CD, as far as I can tell.

A couple of Pete's songs were included as bonus tracks when his 1972 LP "WHO CAME FIRST" was issued on CD, but there are still a few that are not so easy to find. I don't have the "WITH LOVE" LP, and my copy of the "I AM" LP is in pretty bad shape, but my "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" is decent, so here are three rare tracks from that.

An edited version of RONNIE LANE's "Evolution" appeared on the "Who Came First" LP and CD, but the full-length version was only available on "Happy Birthday". Its Ronnie singing, with him and Pete on guitars. Then there's Pete's lovely guitar-and-vocal arrangement of Cole Porter's "Begin The Beguine". The guitar playing is wonderful, but Pete's vocals are a little shaky. Still very nice, and I'm sorry about the vinyl crackles. Last up is "Mary Jane", lyrics by MICHAEL WESTLAKE, music by Pete, and performed by Pete.

EVOLUTION (FULL-LENGTH)
BEGIN THE BEGUINE
MARY JANE