Quadrophenia was originally released as a two-LP set with a butterfly jacket and a thick booklet containing lyrics, a text version of the story, and photographs illustrating the tale. MCA Records re-released it as a two-CD set in 1985 with the lyrics and text story line on a thin fold-up sheet but none of the photographs. The original Polydor CD issue included the complete booklet in miniature, as did the remastered MCA and Polydor CD reissues of 1996.
In the liner notes to the remastered Odds and Sods Townshend revealed that Quadrophenia evolved from an idea for a self-indulgent autobiography of the band (which was allegedly to have been titled Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock!). Two of the opera's tracks date from 1972 ("Is It In My Head?" and "Love Reign O'er Me"), a year that also produced The Who's singles "Join Together", "Relay" and "Long Live Rock" (the latter not actually released until 1974). However, by the time Quadrophenia was released, the band's role in the story was only symbolic, via Jimmy's four personalities.
The 8-track tape version of this album has the distinction of being one of the few 8-tracks that is arranged exactly like the album, with no song breaks.
Quadrophenia reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard album chart (kept from #1 by then-labelmate Elton John with his Goodbye Yellow Brick Roadalbum) and was the highest position of any Who album in the US as they would never hit #1 on the US album charts.
The band viewed the tour in support of the album as disastrous. Initial performances were plagued by malfunctioning sound effects tapes. Once the tapes started, the band had to play to them. The band felt constrained in playing to these recordings, preferring a more free-form attitude.
On the first night of the U.S. leg at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, drummer Keith Moon collapsed onstage. Scot Halpin, an audience member, was brought on to finish the show.
Pete Townshend now looks back on the album with great praise. "The music is the best music that I've ever written, I think, and it's the best album that I will ever write.
