The Lost Studio Experiment Behind “Won’t Get Fooled Again”: The Who and Leslie West Revisited
Among the many myths surrounding classic rock recordings, few are as persistent as the belief that Leslie West once joined The Who onstage for a live performance of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” In reality, West’s involvement with the song belongs not to the concert stage, but to a little-known and ultimately abandoned studio experiment in 1971, one that sheds rare light on the band’s creative crossroads during the making of Who’s Next.
In March 1971, The Who were deeply immersed in Pete Townshend’s ambitious Lifehouse project, a multimedia concept that pushed the band into unfamiliar technological territory. Townshend was experimenting extensively with synthesizers, tape loops, and early electronic sequencing, elements that would become central to “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The complexity of managing these systems led Townshend to consider delegating the guitar role during initial recording sessions.
At the Record Plant Studios in New York, Townshend invited Leslie West, then at the height of his fame with Mountain, to play guitar on several trial recordings, including an early version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” West’s contribution reflected his signature approach, a thick, blues-driven tone marked by sustained power rather than Townshend’s sharper rhythmic attack.
The collaboration was not born of dissatisfaction, but practicality. Townshend’s focus on electronic control systems made the idea of a guest guitarist appealing, especially one as respected as West. Yet as the sessions progressed, it became clear that the chemistry, while intriguing, did not fully align with The Who’s evolving vision for the song.
When the band returned to the United Kingdom, they made a decisive choice. The New York recordings were set aside, and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” was re-recorded with Townshend handling guitar duties himself. The final version, released on Who’s Next later that year, became one of the most iconic recordings in rock history, defined by its monumental synthesizer pattern, explosive dynamics, and political urgency.
The Leslie West version did not disappear entirely. Decades later, it surfaced on expanded and Deluxe editions of Who’s Next, offering listeners a rare alternate perspective on a familiar classic. Rather than a replacement, it stands as a fascinating “what if” moment, illustrating how close the song came to taking a different sonic path.
Far from a live collaboration or a lost concert performance, Leslie West’s role in “Won’t Get Fooled Again” represents a brief but revealing chapter in The Who’s studio evolution. It captures a band in transition, balancing technological ambition with instinct, and choosing, ultimately, to trust its own internal chemistry.
For historians and fans alike, this recording remains a valuable artifact, not for what it changed, but for what it reveals about how one of rock’s defining anthems was forged.