Tommy at 50 ― The Mood, the Music, the Look, and the Legacy of the Who Legendary Rock Opera

For the 50th anniversary of The Who’s most legendary album, Tommy, comes the definitive illustrated guide to the album, featuring a foreword from Pete Townshend as well as new interviews with the legend himself and showcasing original art from the artist of the album's iconic case.

On May 23, 1969, The Who released their breakthrough album, Tommy. It was their fourth studio album and would sell more than twenty million copies, receive wide critical acclaim, and be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Now, in honor of the album’s fiftieth anniversary, acclaimed music journalist, Who expert and memorabilia collector, and friend of the band Chris Charlesworth has teamed up with Mike McInnerney, a longtime friend of Pete Townshend and the artist for Tommy’s original album cover, to create an extraordinary keepsake volume that is a tribute to the unforgettable album and its namesake song.

With eye-opening text and two hundred color photos, Tommy at 50 considers the album Tommy from four distinct angles, examining the mood of its creation, the origins and content of its music, the look of its iconic artwork, and the album’s enduring legacy. It draws on new interviews from key players in the story, including Pete Townshend, and features art created exclusively for the book by McInnerney. An insightful guide and collector’s edition volume for all fans of The Who, Tommy at 50 offers an unparalleled window into The Who’s finest hour.

Chris Charlesworth is a music journalist who joined the staff of Melody Maker—at the time, one of Britain’s leading music publications—in 1970 and went on to serve as its news editor and American editor before leaving the paper in 1977. During this period, he became particularly close with The Who, traveling with them on tour and visiting them at their homes in a social capacity. In 1977, he joined Sir Productions, the New York–based company that looked after The Who’s US affairs. Charlesworth later became the editor-in-chief of Omnibus Press, a position he held for thirty-three years. He’s written and edited a number of books on The Who, including The Who: An Illustrated Biography (Omnibus, 1982). At Pete Townshend’s request, he compiled the four-CD Who boxed set, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, in 1994, and went on to oversee the wholesale renovation of the group’s back catalog for remastered CD. In this capacity, he selected bonus tracks, commissioned and edited new sleeve notes and artwork, and contributed track details. Charlesworth has an extensive collection of Who memorabilia that includes every book written about them, scores of vinyl singles and albums, over one hundred CDs, and numerous videos. Charlesworth lives in the UK.

Mike McInnerney was an active member of the counterculture movement in London during the sixties. His psychedelic posters, painted murals, and work for alternative journals helped promote the music, arts, politics, and events of the era. Following a stint as art editor of the International Times, he designed record sleeves, including that of The Who’s Tommy album, and produced editorial illustrations for leading journals such as Britain's Sunday Times and Nova magazine. His work is exhibited at major institutions around the world, including London’s Whitechapel Art Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Whitney museum in New York. McInnerney also wrote a chapter in Sgt. Pepper at 50. He lives in the UK.