Townshend’s ‘Lifehouse’ Will See Light of Day

Pete Townshend was able to foresee the Internet nearly 30 years ago. A similar global network, which he called the Grid, is a central element of “Lifehouse,” the sprawling concept piece he originally intended as the follow-up to the Who’s rock opera “Tommy.” It’s finally being realized, in a BBC radio dramatization set to air in the U.K. on Dec. 5.

What even Townshend probably couldn’t envision back then was a world in which a major rock star would release a much anticipated set of material without the involvement of a major record company.

But that’s apparently what’s happening. Negotiations are in the final stages for a “Lifehouse” boxed set--six CDs of music from the radio production, original demos and other material, plus a lavish book--to be issued in the U.S. not through a record company, but via the Best Buy retail chain, which would be the package’s only retail outlet.

“What it speaks to is the changes that are coming in the future, as a result of technology like the Internet, allowing artists to get music to the public in different ways,” says Gary Arnold, the chain’s vice president of marketing.

But the collaboration is a result of the old-fashioned kind of networking: Best Buy was a sponsor of the 1998 tour by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, whose management also handles the Who. Says Arnold, “Discussions came of what Pete was doing, that he’d taken back ownership [from record labels] of some of his material. We welcome the chance to work directly on projects with artists.”

The release will conclude a long and convoluted path for “Lifehouse,” which is a Townshend work rather than a Who project. He never seemed able to make the concept coalesce into a presentable whole. Early ‘70s concert presentations of some projected elements of the piece earned lukewarm reactions from fans, and Townshend shelved it, with some of the best songs--”Baba O’Reilly,” “Behind Blue Eyes”--turning up on the group’s landmark 1972 album “Who’s Next.” Others trickled out over the years on the hodgepodge Who collection “Odds and Sods” and, in demo form, on Townshend’s two ‘80s “Scoop” archival sets.

Still, he repeatedly returned to the idea, fiddling with story and structure. With Y2K approaching and his story set on the last day of 1999, he finally came up with something he felt ready to present in public. Not that it’s all a neat and simple endeavor.

“There’s still a lot of work to do in terms of releasing the box Pete would like,” says Arnold, hopeful that the set will be ready for release before the end of the year. “We’re putting all our resources together to make that date.”

Also in the works is a special edition of a planned album of Who recordings from old BBC sessions. Best Buy would offer a limited number of copies with a bonus disc supplementing the standard single disc. That’s due Feb. 14.