Born Peter Alexander Edwin Meaden (November 11, 1941 i was a publicist and manager for The Who. I was a prominent Face in the English mod culture of the early 1960s.
After becoming manager of The Who, I reinvented the band to attract a mod following, changing their name to The High Numbers. I wrote The High Numbers' first and only single, "I'm the Face"; the B-side of which was "Zoot Suit". The songs are set to the tunes of "Got Love If You Want It" by Slim Harpo and "Misery" by The Dynamics, respectively. I wrote new lyrics, incorporating mod-related themes such as fashion and dancing. The single didn't become a hit, and most of the copies that sold were bought by myself in a chart fix. After losing control of the band, I went on to manage Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
I was often seen around The Scene, a night club in west London.
"Andrew Loog Oldham remembers: Peter Meaden and I bonded on the look of American Jazz style from the back of album covers, downloading life into the simplicity of the complicity we shared, and concentrated on that. (...) We began to meet regularly after work and comb the West End and Soho. We'd check out Austin's on Shaftesbury Avenue, a clothes emporium specialising in American imports, the best and latest in Modern Jazz style. (...) Peter introduced me to a different form of nightlife, a different form of life - Soho. Our first port of call was The Scene, behind Piccadilly, just off Windmill Street in Ham Yard. (...) The Scene was a loud, smoky haven for the disenfranchised working class, where white-on-black soul was the soundtrack till dawn's harrowing light. (...) We'd move over four blocks left and right to the Flamingo on Wardour Street and a funkier, jazzier crowd. On saturday night the Flamingo was the only Soho venue serving drinks and playing music all night, giving itself up to black RnB, Atlantic and early Stax-type fare."
I'm the face baby, is that clear,
I'm the face baby, is that clear,
I'm the face if you want it,
I'm the face if you want it, dear,
All the others are third class tickets by me, baby, is that clear.
I'm the big wheel baby, won't you roll with me,
I'm the big wheel baby, won't you roll with me,
So many cats down the scene, honey,
Little hard to see.
Wear ivy league jackets, white buckskin shoes,
I wear ivy league jackets, white buckskin shoes,
So many tickets down the scene honey,
They're like to blow a fuse.
I'm the face baby, is that clear,
I'm the face baby, is that clear,
I'm the face if you want it,
I'm the face if you want it, dear,
All the others are third class tickets by me baby, is that clear.