Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out (re-released April 22, 2016)

Photo credit: Alicia J. Rose

The inspiration for her sophomore effort Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out came from her friend Mike Watt of MINUTEMEN who gave her a TASCAM 488 Portastudio 8-track cassette recorder with the original Who album on one track and the other seven empty, for her to fill with intricate vocal harmonies. Not only did Petra re-imagine all The Who’s singing and instrumental parts – including drums – she also tackled all the interstitial mock radio commercials so integral to the original The Who Sell Out experience.  The final result is a technical tour de force that also invites a fuller appreciation of The Who’s own achievement, bringing to the fore all the original elements of chorale music, vaudevillian schmaltz and Renaissance chamber ensemble playing.

“I was a little embarrassed to realize I was enjoying my own music so much, for in a way it was like hearing it for the first time…I love this …. She's so smart, because she listened first to what was on the original record before she started her own thesis with it. That is such a gift for one musician to give another - to really listen…” Pete Townshend on Petra Haden Sings The Who Sell Out