Teenage Wasteland
A rock title unwrapped, Lunar New Year feasting, perspectives on journalism & deli orgasms revisited.
Hello from a dystopian rock & roll rescue act that never was. I dove into the rabbit hole of an iconic rock song from The Who, and what a dive it has been. Come tumbling into the slide, and get your headphones along.
Teenage Wasteland: the story of a rock classic.
Friday Find: some Lunar New Year feasting?
The News on News: perspectives on journalism’s future.
With: Harry meets Sally again, chocolate justice, a one handed font, a view on AI geopolitics.
1. Teenage Wasteland
What’s common between a mid-20th century Indian spiritual master, the American TV series CSI, a dystopian future of people living in ‘experience suits’ connected to a grid, the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, and a quiz question I asked in my New Year’s Quiz 2024-25?
The answer lies- mostly- with a certain Pete Townshend and the iconic song Baba O’Riley.
Listen to the song while you read, maybe? It’s a good idea. I promise > Spotify/ Youtube/ Apple.
Tommy.
In 1969, English rock band The Who released Tommy, a ‘rock opera’ that would become a smash hit and propel the band to one of the biggest acts of the time. It is the story of a child whose trauma leaves him a “deaf, dumb & blind kid”, yet he rises to become a great pinball wizard, a messianic figure. The central character's struggles and the philosophy in the album were inspired by the teachings of one Meher Baba, who took a vow of silence that started in 1925 and lasted until his death in 1969.
Pete Townshend, the lead guitarist and creative driving force behind The Who, first heard about Meher Baba in the autumn of 1967. Here was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the avatar of the age. With a following of hundreds of thousands in India, he also had followers around the globe. His ‘map of consciousness’ was described as "a unique amalgam of Sufi, Vedic, and Yogic terminology".
Townshend was swept up in his teachings, so it was no surprise that much of the band’s music came to be influenced by Pete’s own spirituality. Tommy was, in fact, dedicated to Meher Baba.
The album found both commercial and critical success. Sample these reviews: from Life magazine, "for sheer power, invention and brilliance of performance, Tommy outstrips anything which has ever come out of a recording studio" ; and this from Melody Maker:
"Surely The Who are now the band against which all others are to be judged.”
Fantasy.
After Tommy came a desire (and expectation) to outdo its success. Pete Townshend dreamed up Lifehouse, a project of unprecedented ambition and scale.
I've seen moments in The Who gigs where the vibrations were becoming so pure that I thought the whole world was just going to stop, the whole thing was just becoming so unified.
The plot was inspired by these experiences on the Tommy Tour. In a dystopian future where people are forced to live in "experience suits" connected to a grid, they are kept entertained by programming delivered by the government. Only live music would liberate the people from this forced hibernation. The story centred around a rebel group who discovered that making music together could create a ‘perfect universal chord’ that would free humanity. This musical solution was inspired by the writings of philosopher Inayat Khan in the 1920s, a Sufi musician who had written about the connection of vibration and sound with the human spirit.
More than ambitious, the project was maybe doomed from the start. Its subject matter was astonishingly ahead of its time and it was too formidable an undertaking in 1970. Why? Townshend envisaged interactive concerts where audience data would be fed into synthesizers, individual "musical portraits" of audience members formed, creating a machine capable of generating and combining personal music themes written from computerised biographical data. Ultimately, these thematic components would merge to form the ‘universal chord’.
Phew.
If it sounds complex and crazy, thats because it kinda was. The technology just wasn’t there to make it happen and crucially, Townshend struggled to communicate his vision to the band, who just wanted to record another album. The process deteriorated so much, he suffered a nervous breakdown.
Lifehouse was abandoned.
But who is Baba O’Riley?
The ambitious attempt at a concept album was by no means a wasted effort. From its detritus came the music that would assemble their next album. 1971’s ‘Who’s Next’ carried the music from Lifehouse, if not its connective storytelling.
And so we come to our wasteland.
Baba O’Riley, the first track, would become probably the best known song from this album. It was meant to tell the story of Lifehouse’s central characters- Ray and his wife Sally, living a self-sustaining existence “out here in the fields”.
The track is most recognised by its famous synthesizer opening. Townshend created the iconic riff by using a Lowrey organ’s ‘marimba repeat’ setting, which he looped throughout the track. This approach was inspired by the work of minimalist composer Terry Riley. According to the album liner notes, Townshend wrote the song as his vision of what would happen if the spirit of Meher Baba was fed into a computer and transformed into music. The result would be Baba in the style of Terry Riley.
At the other end, the song’s unexpected (and superb) final act was not originally planned. One Dave Arbus, whose band was recording in the same studio as The Who, was invited by drummer Keith Moon to play the violin solo during the outro. (In most live performances, this part has since been played on the harmonica instead, by lead vocalist Daltrey).
So, here we have three seemingly tertiary figures. The spiritual driver Meher Baba, and the musical inspiration Terry Riley- a combination of their names led to this song title. But the third, and lesser known component, was Arbus. His violin prompted the ‘O’ in the song’s title– because, as Townshend explained, “it sounded a bit Irish at the end“!
And so the world got Baba O’Riley.
Garbage & Desolation.
Despite the intricate and disparate story behind this name, the song is often mistakenly known as ‘Teenage Wasteland’. No surprise, for its most memorable line is, “Don’t cry, don’t raise your eyes, it’s only teenage wasteland”. Interestingly, just this is sung by Townshend, while the rest of the vocals are lead singer Daltrey’s.
A garbage-strewn field and a drug-induced haze helped inspire the line. At the end of one of their most memorable gigs- the Isle of Wight in 1969- the field was covered in rubbish left by fans, which inspired the phrase ‘teenage wasteland’. Then there was Woodstock, which the band was not very impressed by. "The absolute desolation of teenagers at Woodstock, where audience members were strung out on acid and 20 people had brain damage,” said Townshend, adding, “the irony was that some listeners considered the song a teenage celebration: 'Teenage Wasteland, yes! We're all wasted!”
So what is the answer to the question “Who Is Baba O’Riley’? It would appear he is no one, and yet many people, many ideas, finished tunes and unfinished ambitions, all coming together in one iconic rock song.
Pop!
Success in the early 70s would not be short-lived for this rock classic. Three decades later, the song would come in at #159 on Rolling Stone's list of ‘The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ in 2004 (and has stayed there since).
Before that, back in 1982, The Who opened up their catalog of music for commercial licensing. By the 90s, we would see Baba O’Riley featured in a couple of soundtracks like Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam, and memorably in the trailer for American Beauty, both in the year 1999. This would be the beginning of the track being introduced to new generations.
‘Teenage Wasteland’ was one of the working titles for the hugely successful That '70s Show, and it might well have been named that, if the network had wangled the rights. Instead though, the creators still paid homage by naming every episode in one of the seasons after a track by The Who.
Then came CSI, the procedural crime series in the early 2000s- cutting-edge forensics, dramatic labs, gadgets no real cop had, cheesy one-liners… and a title song from The Who (‘Who Are You’, also from this Who’s Next album). In the years following, every CSI spinoff series used a track by the band for its opening (see all). Apparently, Baba O’Riley tapped into “the scrappy nature of the city” for CSI: New York.
I won’t share all of the many uses in pop culture, because its a very long list, though I must highlight one for fans of the ridiculously obnoxious Peter Griffin (The Family Guy)- yes, he sang it too, check out his utter randomness in the clip.
Covered.
Its also one of the most covered songs- I found out that it’s a staple at most Pearl Jam concerts, with their version being voted #8 in a Rolling Stone readers' poll of ‘Greatest Live Cover Songs’. Just look at how fun it seems here! And, I rather enjoyed this very chill folk cover with harmonies, by The Ghost of Paul Revere.
Which brings me to the last note- a scintillating cinematic remix, used in a trailer for the third season of that pre-teens who become teens show steeped in 80s Americana- Stranger Things. A really powerful use of the track for high dramatic effect, and popular in my home. (Though I am glad to say that all, including the two sub-12 year olds prefer ‘the original’). Have a listen, why don’t you.
I suppose half a century can pass by, we may remember or forget spiritual leaders, origin stories could fade and ambitious rock & roll dystopias could fall by the wayside… but youthful disillusionment will persist, and the idea of a Teenage Wasteland will always endure.
One of our best songs is ‘Baba O’Riley’ …The guitar doesn’t come in until about maybe two and a half minutes into the song. So when I’m onstage with the Who, out comes the recording that I made in my home studio. There is this moment of standing there just listening to this music and looking out to the audience and just thinking, “I fucking did that. I wrote that.”
- Pete Townshend
Addendum.
Lifehouse was abandoned, but not forgotten. Townshend regained his passion for it and undeterred through the years, continued to return to it. Finally in 1999, it was broadcast as a play on BBC Radio 3, followed a year later by Life House Chronicles, an exhaustive multi disc box-set that marked the project’s completion.
And this compilation does, in fact, include a song called ‘Teenage Wasteland’!
2. Friday Find: happy new year!
How's the feasting going? We are right into the Chinese/Lunar New Year, so lets get into some festivities? 🍊 🐍
First off- I don’t dislike stereotypes; I think they exist for a reason (sometimes those reason are appalling, but lets keep that aside shall we?). When used lazily, they are boring or annoying. When used smartly, they can be revelatory. When used in a familiar way, they can be fun. This spot is much of the last.
Now. I sometimes tire of the “Asian aunty” stereotype, only because I have heard/ read/ watched it so often over the years. Many Asian people I know (across geographies) continue to be fond of it though, and there is invariably an affectionate humour attached to it. It is also an Indian stereotype- but that’s for another day. With that, here’s a festive spot from Panda Express in the US, called The Invitation (probably better titled “Have you Eaten Yet?).
I found it amusing and kinda heart-warming. There is (needless to say) some negative reactions around it, but hey, decide for yourself.
Agency- Opinionated ; Production- Anonymous Content; Directed by Max Sherman
3. The News About News
2024 is hardly the year news was disrupted, nor is 2025 the year where it will be magically reinvented. The evolution / shape-shifting in the news space has been underway for some time now. But a report like Reuter’s recent*, “Journalism and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025”* asks us to take stock of the profound transformation.
I see mainstream news today has two major aspects worth considering- trust has been plummeting, and/or it has been steadily aligning with corporate & political interests (both at varying stages in different geographies). Is there a connection between the two? Go figure.
Either way, each aspect is both important, and powerful. And AI will exacerbate the dynamics. I personally find it both amazing and infuriating how the keeping of truth has fallen by the wayside in pursuit of agendas, profit and attention.
The Report.
The numbers inevitably offer a complex story. There appears to be a tension between business optimism and journalistic anxiety- 56% of news executives feel confident about their business prospects, yet only 41% are optimistic about journalism's future! This disconnect is telling, no?
It also speaks to deeper questions about navigating truth in an AI-accelerated world. The AI paradox too, seems inevitable:
87% of newsrooms report being transformed by generative AI
Over 70% are exploring both AI-powered audio versions of articles and offering summaries
Almost four in ten commercial publishers expect licensing income from tech/AI companies to be a significant revenue stream.
Yet 74% fear losing search traffic to AI-generated answers.
Legacy vs New
Traditional media is being squeezed from all sides. Musk's "You are the media now" mantra to the layperson might be symbolic of a broader push to position mainstream journalism as increasingly irrelevant. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok continue to dominate younger audiences’ consumption of information. There is pushback on this, of course; and many journalists whether in legacy media or part of something more independent, or indeed going solo, would argue very much otherwise.
Most of us would be aware of this at some level in the way we get our news, whether we are in ‘the West’ or in Southeast Asia or India. There are attempts in all these regions to ride on the waning trust mainstream media has, to offer something built on the premise of unadorned truth. A difficult basis to establish, to be sure. These attempts are wildly varying in quality and volume, especially dependent on the geographies. Substack is increasing proving to be a platform where journalists come to serve their calling, while Youtube and Instagram offer a different way for thos want to offer a distilled version of the news; surrounded of course by all the noise those platforms bring with them.
Relatedly, the rise of personality-driven news continues to challenge institutional voices. On the one hand, individuals can garner more trust; on the other I wonder about long term ability to offer deeply legitimate reporting without some manner of institutional support.
It feels like we're witnessing a technological shift, yes, but also a fundamental reimagining of how society processes truth. Traditional gatekeepers are evolving, individual creators gaining influence- so are we headed toward a more fractured or more nuanced understanding of truth?
Are these questions overstating our point in time? I believe not.
May be worth another piece, but this is something I am increasingly asking of people I speak with- how are you deciding which sources to trust?
4. Quickie: Chocolate Justice
Fun packaging makes a diff! Oddly shaped chocolate bars are not new, but this is a great way for Cadbury to use packaging to connect with various consumer profiles. Who’s ever going to listen to this guidance while sharing chocolate, though!
Masala Peanuts
(where I share stories or tidbits I find interesting).
Watch: When Harry met Sally, again. For anyone who loves that great rom-com from the 80s, here’s a spot that lays on all the nostalgia with Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal and that deli scene.
Read: In the race to dominate this technology, the greatest risk isn’t falling behind. It’s losing control entirely. The Guardian has a view on the global AI race.
Watch: Cheetos introduces the world’s first font created entirely by a font designer’s ‘other hand’! In a move of sheer genius, it has been named The Other Hand Font!
Mid-morning coffee beckons!