In late 1968 or early 1969, when the Who played a rough assembly of their new album to critic Nik Cohn, Cohn gave a lukewarm reaction to it. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity. Nevertheless, the song was a commercial success and remains one of the most recognised tunes from the opera. Townshend once called it "the most clumsy piece of writing ever done". He shows us a game from ten years earlier, and compares it to the more advanced games of recent times.Ĥ9:30 Copy video clip URL Jon says that Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Hugh Hefner are among the celebrities who are known pinball enthusiasts.The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called "Local Lad" in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera's eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: "He ain't got no distractions / Can't hear those buzzers and bells / Don't see lights a flashin' / Plays by sense of smell / Always gets a replay / Never seen him fall / That deaf dumb and blind kid / Sure plays a mean pinball.", and "I thought I was the Bally table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him". Then he continues playing Cue Ball Wizard, while discussing pinball score inflation and other aspects of game design.Ĥ4:39 Copy video clip URL Jon talks about his opinion on why Chicago is the “pinball capital of the world.” Then he talks about the technological aspects of recent pinball design. We see him play the game, with close-up shots of the board’s design.Ģ7:45 Copy video clip URL Jon describes what he thinks it means to call oneself a “pinball wizard.” He owns between seventy and eighty games that were all made before 1965. It is a pool themed game that would often be found in taverns. When he was in college, studying art at Cal State, the student union had pinball games that he played often.ġ5:25 Copy video clip URL Jon shows us some tricks that most pinball players cannot do.Ģ2:40 Copy video clip URL Jon moves onto the next machine, a game called Cue Ball Wizard. Another is to bring back a rule from games of past decades.ġ3:00 Copy video clip URL Jon talks about the origin of his interest in pinball.
He goes into specifics of game locations and corresponding earnings.ġ1:30 Copy video clip URL One of Jon’s trademarks in pinball rule design is adding in an improbable but possible task that can multiply the player’s score. His high score on this game is around six billion, he says.Ġ7:00 Copy video clip URL The hardest part of designing a pinball game, according to Jon, is trying to appeal to as wide a range of people as possible. He talks about the secrecy involved in pinball game design.Ġ4:40 Copy video clip URL Jon plays a golf-themed pinball game he co-designed, called Teed Off. Jon shows some popular games, such as Super Mario Brothers and Street Fighter 2. Norris comes to meet him and takes him into the pinball factory where he works as an engineer. This tape features a tour of Gottlieb pinball company with engineer and "pinball wizard" Jon Norris.Ġ0:00 Copy video clip URL Cameraman Doug Sawyer checks in with a receptionist at Gottlieb to see Jon Norris.
Raw footage shot for the TV series Chicago Slices.