Actually found a source to back up my claim...
"Why review The Who again so soon after the last review? Quite simply, this is one of the most eagerly awaited CD re-releases since the format was invented. The album had been previously issued on CD in the USA, the subject of an earlier Making Time review, but this is the UK version of the album which does differ slightly. Furthermore, it is a double CD with numerous additional tracks, some of which may not have been released previously in the UK.
This is an album with a chequered history that arose from a long-running dispute between the Who and Shel Talmy, the album's producer. It is best to know the basics of this to understand why it has been probably the hardest to obtain of any classic album. The short version is as follows. Shel Talmy was the Who's original producer who had already worked with the Kinks on the likes of You Really Got Me. He was impressed when he saw a Who gig in London and looked to capture that live energy in the group's recorded sound. From this point the first classic hits emerged in I Can't Explain and Anyway Anyhow Anywhere.
As well as playing numerous gigs, the band spent a lot of time in the studio recording elements of the live act as new Townsend songs. However, a rift developed between the band and Talmy, possibly due to the level of control that the producer seemed to be exerting and the lack of original material in the tracks being recorded. Consequently, the Who wanted to get rid of Talmy. The immediate effect was that the release of Circles/Instant Party Mixture was cancelled. The band started to record without Talmy and arranged the release of Substitute on Reaction Records. Both Circles and Instant Party were recorded and were, at times, b-sides to the new single.
Shel Talmy's reaction was to take the Who to court as he had a contractual right to record the band that extended as far as a four-year option on future recordings. He also arranged for A Legal Matter / Circles to be released as a spoiler. The Kids are Alright and La La La Lies were also released by Talmy on the Brunswick label. The band remained relatively unaware of the extent of the situation financially until they realised that they were not receiving many royalties, even from Tommy, and that most of the money was heading towards Talmy. Talmy still owned the My Generation recordings and this prevented their release in the UK although there was a release of the album by Virgin some years back."
http://www.makingtime.co.uk/cdrev102002.html
Long story short, Townshed isn't the sellout. It's the whole band, and, they're busy getting screwed by a bad record move.