May 17, 1969 - The 'Tommy' album is released in the US. Fans in the UK had to wait until May 23rd before it was released over here!
Melody Maker picks it as 'Pop LP of the Month', and Record Mirror calls it "
one of the most incredible feats ever accomplished in music." However, Richard Green in New Musical Express pans the record: "
Pretentious is too strong a word; maybe over-ambitious is the right term, but sick certainly does apply."
The first single from the album, 'Pinball Wizard', was released in March 1969. BBC disc jockey Tony Blackburn attacks the song as "
distasteful" and declares, "
There is no excuse for the lyric". April 24th saw the band appearing on 'Top Of The Pops'. Unfortunately, Tony Blackburn was the DJ host for the show. Keith answers his criticism by hurling drumsticks at his head!
Sadly no footage of this exists any more