Thunderclap Newman

Having long associated with the Who, John "Speedy" Keene supplied the track "Armenia City in the Sky" for their LP The Who Sell Out. Andy Newman supplied the group's pub-style piano with an appearance that matched his actual occupation as a postal clerk. Jimmy McCulloch handled guitar while still a teenager. Pete Townshend's production brought these ingredients together for the album Hollywood Dream. Building on the earlier now-classic single "Something in the Air," the record followed a comparable approach, propelled by Keene's reedy vocals and Newman's charming honky-tonk piano. Hollywood Dream has stayed a favorite among Anglophiles, yet it remained Thunderclap Newman's sole album. Listeners who already possess the original vinyl LP would do well to seek out the expanded compact-disc edition that adds six bonus tracks.