Ive kinda gotten into The Who an album at a time every few years or so.

Right now Im discovering The Who Sell Out.
Lovin it. Like a kooky grab bag of nuttiness.

Anyhoo, where is the line I should not cross?
At what point did they become an impersonal corporate summer shed tour vehicle?
When did the fans give up?

That's easy- once Keith died the Who should have stopped recording and just toured.

Once John Entwistle died the Who should have stopped touring and Pete should have gone solo.

Were they good all the way up to 78?

Also, hearing Sell Out reaaaally makes me see where Pollard was trying to go with GBV.

It ends with Quadrophenia. Anything after that is pretty rough going.

The Who Sell Out
Tommy
Live At Leeds
Who's Next
Quadrophenia

at least 4 of the above 5 records are among the greatest records i've ever heard in my life. especially when you consider the expanded version of SELL OUT.

Odds and Sods is great in its filling-in-the-blanks aspect.
The Who By Numbers is a grower...but WHAT a grower!

Who Are You sounds a bit derivative of the Who's Next and Quadrophenia sound templates. i think the songs i liked most when i was a teenager are the ones i don't like as much now and vice versa. "905" is my favorite off that record. i'm always half-way between feeling the record is absolutely essential and just a pretty good record.

Face Dances ~ I didn't like it.
It's Hard ~ oddly enough, i think everyone craps on this one more than Face Dances, but i like it.
Endless Wire ~ i liked a few of the songs, but, for me, not essential listening.

Pretty much.

You should check out A Quick One, too. Not a top to bottom masterpiece or anything, but there are some truly great songs on there.

I refuse to listen to anything by the Who recorded after 1973.

yeah, Quadrophenia is the last great studio album, but Who By Numbers is not bad at all. the rest is spotty. of the later, weaker albums, i think i prefer Face Dances.

The Who Sings My Generation and Quick One are worth a listen, and Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy is essential.

Empty Glass, Chinese Eyes and White City are all great.

the fans have never given up because even when they had lame tours (esp. in 1982 & 1989), they were always an exciting live act and still are today.

the 90s and early 00's shows were particularly impressive. not "1970 great," but a vast improvement on the 80s. Pete suddenly started playing with energy again.

for being a "big impersonal corporate whatever," he still gives all of his energy to the audience. i never feel like he's phoning it in (like other older guys, Phil Collins or Sting, etc.)

this year, he's just a tad slower and age has finally caught up with Roger's voice, but they still put on a great show.

Those three Townshend solo albums are pretty great. It's easily the best song writing he did, post Quadrophenia.

Listening to the Who's early singles and then listening to Who's Next or Quadrophenia, it's like two completely different bands.

As to the original question, the Who should have stopped recording after Moon died. There are a few good songs on the three post Moon albums. Maybe enough to cobble together a decent compilation if anyone was really bored.

"Another Tricky Day", "Eminence Front", and "You Better You Bet" would be definitely part of that Sin City comp. What else? ???

I've been hearing Sell Out tracks via Pandora and itching to get it now. Really nice Brit rock tuneage with a great sense of humor.

"Cry If You Want"

"Daily Records"

"God Speaks of Marty Robbins"

that's about it for me.

"Athena"??? Nah. I thought there was something else from that immediate post-Moon period, maybe from Face Dances..."How Can You Do It Alone"? "The Quiet One"?? Maybe??? But, yeah, Townshend's solo output from that same time (1980 - 1985) blows any of that Who stuff away, and is really astoundingly good.