The Who are a British rock band formed in 1964. The original lineup consisted of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The band achieved enormous success through their extraordinary live performances and are considered both one of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s, as well as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
The Who became famous in their homeland both due to an innovative technique - smashing instruments on stage after a performance, and due to hit singles that reached the Top 10, starting with the 1965 hit single “I Can't Explain” and albums that fell into the Top 5 (including the famous “My Generation”) The first hit single to reach the Top 10 in the United States was “I Can See For Miles” in 1967. In 1969, the rock opera “Tommy” was released, which became the first album to reach the top. in the Top 5 in the US, followed by "Live At Leeds" (1970), "Who's Next" (1971), "Quadrophenia" (1973) and "Who Are You" (1978).
In 1978, the band's drummer Keith Moon died, after his death the band released two more studio albums: Face Dances (1981) (Top 5) and It's Hard (1982) (Top 10). The ex-drummer was put behind the drum kit Kenny Jones's The Small Faces broke up completely in 1983. They reunited several times after that for special events: the Live Aid festival in 1985, the band's 25th anniversary reunion tour and the performance of "Quadrophenia" in 1995. 1996
In 2000, the group began discussing the topic of recording an album of new material. These plans were delayed by the death of the band's bassist John Entwistle in 2002. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey continued to perform under the name The Who. In 2006, a new studio album entitled "Endless Wire" was released, which reached the Top 10 in both the US and UK.
History of the group
Origins (1961-1964)
The Who began as The Detours, a band formed by guitarist Roger Daltrey in London in the summer of 1961. In early 1962, Roger recruited John Entwistle as a bass player who had played in bands based at Acton County Grammar, which he and Roger attended. John suggested an additional guitarist - his school friend Pete Townshend. Also in the band were drummer Doug Sandom and vocalist Colin Dawson.
Colin soon left the band and Roger took over as vocalist. The composition of the group: 3 musicians and a vocalist will remain so until the end of the 70s. The Detours started out covering pop tunes, but soon began doing covers of American rhythm and blues. In early 1964, The Detours learned that there was a band with the same name as them and decided to change it. Pete's art school friend Richard Barnes suggested the name The Who and the name was officially adopted. Soon after, Doug Sandom left the band and was replaced by young drummer Keith Moon in April.
The Who found a way to attract fans after Townshend accidentally broke the neck of his guitar on a low ceiling during a concert. During the next concert, fans shouted at Pete to do it again. He broke his guitar and Keith followed him by smashing his drum kit. At the same time, the “air mill” appeared - a style of guitar playing invented by Pete, which was based on the stage movements of Keith Richards.
In May 1964, The Who were taken under the patronage of Pete Meadan, the leader of the new British youth fashion movement. Midan renamed The Who to The High Numbers (Numbers was what the mods called each other, and High meant taking lippers, the pills that the mods took to spend the entire weekend at discos).
Meaden wrote The High Numbers' only single, "I'm the Face" (the song was an old R&B song with new lyrics about mods). Despite all Miden's attempts, the single failed, but the group fell in love with the mods. At this time, young director Keith Lambert (son of composer Christopher Lambert) and actor Chris Stump (brother of actor Terence Stump) were looking for a group about which they could make a film. Their choice fell on the group The High Numbers. In July 1964 they became the group's new managers. After failure at EMI Records, the group's name was reverted to The Who.
First successes and disagreements in the group (1964-1965)
The Who rocked London with a night of performances at the Marquee Club in November 1964. The group were advertised throughout London with black posters designed by Richard Barnes, featuring an "airmill" Pete Townshend with the words "Maximum R&B". Soon after, Keith and Chris encouraged Pete to start writing songs for the band in order to attract the attention of The Kinks producer Shell Talmy. Pete adapted his song “I Can’t Explain” to fit the style of The Kinks songs and convinced Talmy. The Who signed him to a contract and he became their producer for the next 5 years. Talmy, in turn, helped the group secure a contract with Decca Records in the United States.
Pete's early songs were written in opposition to Roger's macho stage persona. Roger held the position of leader in the group through force. Pete's increasing abilities as a songwriter threatened this status, especially after the hit single "My Generation". When the single made it into the charts in December 1965, Pete, John and Keith forced Roger to leave the group due to his violent behavior (this happened after Roger discovered Keith's drugs and flushed them down the toilet. Keith tried to object, but Roger knocked him out with one blow ). Roger later promised to be "peaceful" and was accepted back.
First albums (1965-1966)
At the same time, The Who released their first album, My Generation. Due to lack of advertising in the US and a desire to sign with Atlantic Records, Keith and Chris broke their contract with Talmy and signed contracts with Atlantic Records in the US and Reaction in the UK. Talmy responded with a counterclaim that completely stopped the release of the next single, "Substitute". The group then paid Talmy's royalties for the next 5 years and returned to Decca in the US. This event and the extremely expensive replacements for the destroyed instruments soon plunged The Who into deep debt.
Keith continued to insist that Pete write songs. While showing Keith one of his home demos, Pete joked that he was writing a rock opera. Keith really liked this idea. Pete's first attempt was called "Quads". It was a story about how parents raised 4 daughters. When it was discovered that one of them was a boy, they insisted on raising him as a girl. The group needed a new single and this first rock opera was compressed into a short song, “I’m a Boy.” Meanwhile, in order to make money, the group began making the next album, with the stipulation that each member of the group must record two songs for it. Roger succeeded in only one, Keith - one song and one instrumental. John, however, wrote two songs - "Whiskey Man" and "Boris The Spider". This was the beginning of John's career as an alternative songwriter with a dark sense of humor.
There wasn't enough material for the new album, so Pete wrote a mini-opera to close the album. “A Quick One While He’s Away” is a story about a woman waiting apart for her husband who is seduced by a racer. The album was called "A Quick One", which carried some sexual innuendo (for this reason, the album and its single were renamed "Happy Jack" in the US).
After settling their lawsuit with Decca and Talmy, The Who were able to tour the United States. They started with a series of short appearances at D.J.'s Easter concerts. Murray The K's in New York. The destruction of the equipment they had abandoned in England was revived and the Americans trembled. This was the beginning of The Who's wild popularity in the United States.
They returned to the US in the summer to play the Monterey Festival in California. The performance brought The Who to the attention of San Francisco hippies and rock critics who would soon found Rolling Stone magazine.
That summer they toured as the opening band for Herman's Hermits. It was during this tour that Keith's reputation as a wild party animal was cemented by celebrating his 21st birthday, despite the fact that he was only 20, celebrated at a post-show party at a Holiday Inn in Michigan. The list of deeds is truly impressive: a birthday cake collapsed on the floor, fire extinguishers were sprayed on cars, and Keith knocked out a tooth when he slipped on a cake while running from the police. Over time, it turned into an orgy of destruction, culminating in a Cadillac at the bottom of the hotel pool. The Who were banned from staying at Holiday Inns, and this, along with the occasional hotel room crashes, became part of the legend of the band and Keith.
"The Who Sell Out", "Live At Leeds" and the rock opera "Tommy" (1967-1970)
While their popularity was growing in America, their career in Britain began to decline. Their next single, "I Can See For Miles", their most successful single in the US, only reached the Top 10 in the UK. The success of the following singles "Dogs" and "Magic Bus" was even less successful. Released in December 1967, The Who Sell Out sold worse than previous albums. It was a concept album designed as a broadcast from a banned pirate radio station. This album would later be considered one of the band's best albums.
During this downturn, Pete stops taking drugs and accepts the teachings of the Indian mystic Meher Baba. Pete would become his most famous follower and his subsequent works would reflect his knowledge of Baba's teachings. One of his ideas was that those who can perceive earthly things cannot perceive the world of God. From this Pete had a story about a boy who became deaf, numb and blind and, having gotten rid of earthly sensations, was able to see God. Having been cured, he becomes the messiah. The story eventually became known worldwide as the rock opera "Tommy." The Who worked on it from the summer of 1968 to the spring of 1969. It was a last-ditch effort to save the band, and they began performing new material.
Tommy was only a moderate hit when it was released, but once The Who started playing it live, it became a masterpiece. "Tommy" made a strong impression when the band performed it at the Woodstock festival in August 1969. The last song, "See Me, Feel Me," was performed at sunrise. Captured on film and featured in the film Woodstock, The Who became an international sensation. Keith also found a way to promote the album by performing it at opera houses in Europe and America. “Tommy” was used in ballets and musicals, and the group had so much work that many people thought its name was “Tommy.”
Meanwhile, Pete continued to write songs using a new musical instrument - the ARP synthesizer. To kill time before their next project, The Who recorded a live album at Leeds University. "Live At Leeds" became the band's second worldwide hit.
In 1970 Pete had an idea for a new project. Keith made a deal with Universal Studios to make the film "Tommy" with him directing. Pete came up with his idea called “Lifehouse”. It would be a fantasy story about virtual reality and a boy who discovers rock music. The hero would play an endless concert and at the end of the film he would find the Lost Chord, which brings everyone to a state of nirvana.
"Who's Next" (1971)
The group organized open-to-all concerts at the Young Vic in London. The audience and the band themselves had to be filmed during the concert. Everyone would be part of the film, their life stories would be replaced by computer sequences accompanied by synthesizer music. But the result was disappointing. The audience simply asked to play old hits and soon all the band members got bored.
Pete's project was shelved and the band went into the studio to record songs Pete had written for Lifehouse. This is how the album “Who’s Next” was recorded. It became another international hit and is considered by many to be the band's best album. "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes" were played on the radio, and "Won't Get Fooled Again" was the band's closing song throughout their career.
As their popularity grew, the band members became dissatisfied with the sound of Pete's songs. John first launched a solo career with the album Smash Your Head Against The Wall, released before Who's Next. He would continue to record solo albums throughout the early 70s, giving vent to his songs imbued with dark humor. Roger also launched a solo career after building a studio in his barn. The single "Giving It All Away" from his album Daltrey reached the UK Top 10 and gave Roger the boost he had in the band.
Using this charge, Roger began an investigation into the financial affairs of Keith Lambert and Chris Stump. He discovered that they had misused the group's financial fund. Pete, who saw Keith as his mentor, took his side, which led to a rift in the group.
"Quadrophenia" (1972-1973)
Pete, meanwhile, began work on a new rock opera. It was supposed to be a Who story, but after Pete met one of the hardcore fans who had been following the band since The Detours, Pete decided to write a story about a Who fan. It became the story of Jimmy, a mod, a fan of The High Numbers. He works menial jobs to earn money for a GS scooter, stylish clothes and enough pills to get him through the weekend. High doses of speed cause his personality to split into 4 components, each of which is represented by a member of The Who. Jimmy's parents find the pills and kick him out of the house. He comes to Brighton to bring back the glory days of the Mods, only to find a Mod leader turned humble hotel porter. In desperation, he takes a boat and goes out to sea in a strong storm and observes the appearance of God.
The Quadrophenia album had a lot of problems after recording. It was mixed on a new stereo system that did not work quite adequately. Mixing the recording into stereo resulted in the vocals being lost on the recordings, to Roger's horror. On stage, The Who tried to recreate the original sound. The tapes stopped working and everything turned into complete chaos. To add insult to injury, Keith's wife left him before the tour and took their daughter with her. Keith drowned out his sadness in alcohol and even wanted to commit suicide. At the San Francisco show to open the American tour, Keith passed out mid-show and was replaced by Scott Halpin, a guest from the audience.
The film "Tommy" and "The Who By Numbers" (1975-1977)
Upon returning to London, Pete had no rest; production of the film Tommy began immediately. The film was overseen not by Keith Lambert, but by the crazy British film director Ken Russell. He began working with guest stars: Elton John, Oliver Reed, Jack Nicholson, Eric Clapton and Tina Turner. The result was rather tasteless and, although it was liked by the band's fans, it was not a big hit with the public. Two consequences occurred: Roger, who played the lead role in the film, became a star outside the group, and Pete suffered a nervous breakdown and began to drink more than usual.
Everything reached its peak during concerts at Madison Square Garden in June 1974. The audience shouted to Pete - “jump, jump,” and he realized that he no longer wanted anything. The passion for The Who's performances began to cool. This can be seen on the band's next album, The Who By Numbers. It shows the fierce rivalry between Pete and Roger, which was written about by all British music publications.
Subsequent tours in 1975 and 1976 were much more successful than the album. There was a big emphasis on old material. After 1976, The Who stopped touring. This marked the end of the band's association with managers Keith Lambert and Chris Stump; in early 1977, Pete signed their dismissal papers.
"Who Are You" and Change (1978-1980)
After a two-year break, the group entered the studio and recorded the album “Who Are You”. In addition to the new album, The Who made a film about their story, The Kids Are Alright. To do this they bought the Shepperton film studio. After returning from America, Keith was in very sad shape - he gained weight, became an alcoholic and looked 40 at 30.
In 1978, The Who completed recording the album and filming with a concert at Shepperton on 25 May. After 3 months the album went on sale. 20 days after that - September 7th, 1978 Keith Moon died from an overdose of medication prescribed to him to control his alcohol addiction. Many thought that The Who would cease to exist after Moon's death, but the group still had many projects. In addition to the documentary "The Kids Are Alright", a new film based on the album "Quadrophenia" was being prepared for release. In January 1979, The Who began looking for a new drummer and found Kenny Jones, former drummer of The Small Faces and friend of Pete and John. His playing style was very different from Moon's, which led to him being rejected by fans. John Bundrick was brought into the group as a keyboard player, and the group was later supplemented with a brass section. The new lineup of the band began touring during the summer, playing to huge crowds across the United States. At a concert in Cincinnati in December 1979, tragedy occurred - 11 fans died in a stampede. The band continued to tour, but controversy remained over whether it was the right thing to do.
1980 began with two solo projects. Pete released his first entirely solo album, Empty Glass (Who Came First (1972) was a collection of demos, and Rough Mix (1977) was made with Ronnie Lane). This album was ranked alongside The Who's albums, and the single "Let My Love Open The Door" became very popular. At the same time, Roger released the film McVicar.
Last albums and breakup of the group (1980-1983)
In 1980, Pete's problems became apparent. He was almost always drunk, playing endless solo parts or ranting for a long time from the stage. His drinking developed into a cocaine addiction, and later into an addiction to heroin. He began spending his nights hanging out with members of the New Wave bands, to whom he was God.
The Who's next album, Face Dances, was heavily criticized. Despite the highly successful single "You Better, You Bet", the album was considered to be of lower quality than the group's previous standards.
Roger realized that Pete was destroying himself and offered to stop touring to save him. Pete almost died after overdosing on heroin at Club For Heroes in London and was saved in hospital in the last minutes. Pete's parents put pressure on him and Pete flew to California for treatment and rehabilitation. After returning, he did not feel confident to write new material for the group and asked for a topic. The band decided to record an album that reflected their attitude to the growing tensions of the Cold War. The result was the album It's Hard, which examined the changing role of men with the rise of feminist sentiment. But both critics and fans did not like the album, just like “Face Dances.”
A new tour of the US and Canada began in September 1982 and was called a farewell tour. The final show on December 12, 1982 in Toronto was broadcast worldwide. After the tour, The Who were contractually obligated to record another album. Pete began work on the album "Siege", but quickly abandoned it. He explained to the band that he was no longer able to write songs. Pete announced the breakup of The Who at a press conference on December 16, 1983.
Solo projects of participants and association (1985-1999)
Pete began working at the publishing house Faber & Faber. Work did not distract him much from his new occupation - preaching against heroin use. This campaign lasted throughout the 80s. He also found time to write a book of short stories “Horses" Neck" and make a short film about life in the White City. The film features Pete's new band - Defor. Along with the film "White City" they also released a live album and video "Deep End Live! " On July 3, 1985, The Who came together to perform at the Live Aid charity concert in support of the starving people of Ethiopia. The group was supposed to play Pete's new song "After The Fire", but due to a lack of rehearsals, they were forced to play old songs. After The Fire" later became a solo hit for Roger.
In the 1980s, Roger and John continued their solo careers. In 1985 Roger began a solo tour, and in 1987 John began. The Who's loyal fans continued to support their work.
In February 1988, the group gathered to receive the BPI Life Achievement Award. After the awards, the band performed at the Royal Albert Hall. Pete began writing a new rock opera based on the book "The Iron Man" written by Ted Hagges. Among the guest artists, Pete includes Roger and John for two recordings that were signed by The Who on the album. This led to talk of a reunited team touring. The tour began in 1989 to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary, but the lineup was very different from what it was in 1964. Pete stuck to an acoustic sound with a different lead guitarist. Most of the Deep End lineup was on stage including the new drummer and percussionist. The show began the first full performance of "Tommy" since 1970 and ended in Los Angeles with a star-studded cast including Elton John, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and others. After this, Pete rewrote the album "Tommy" with American theater director Des McAniff into a musical that included moments from Pete's own life. After an initial run at the La Jolla Playhouse in California, The Who's Tommy opened on Broadway on April 23, 1993. Fans of The Who had mixed feelings about the musical, but theater critics in London and New York loved it. With him, Pete won the Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards. Pete's next work is also autobiographical in nature. "Psychoderelict" is about a reclusive rock star who is forced into retirement by a sleazy manager and a conniving journalist. Despite a solo tour in the United States, the new work did not receive much attention.
In early 1994, Roger took a break from filming to hold a grand concert at Carnegie Hall to celebrate his 50th birthday. The music that the band and orchestra played was a tribute to Pete's work. Roger not only invited many guests to sing Pete's songs, but also invited John and Pete to play on stage. After this, Roger and John went on a tour of the United States, performing The Who songs. Pete's brother Simon was on guitar, and Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey was on drums. That same summer, a 4-disc box set of The Who songs was released. The MCA label began releasing remastered and sometimes remixed editions of the group. "Live at Leeds" was released first with 8 additional tracks and was followed by many discs with bonus tracks, artwork and booklets. 1996 began with the formation of a new group, The John Entwistle Band, which toured the United States. The band's new album, "The Rock," was sold at the show and John met with fans after the show.
In 1996, it was announced that The Who would get back together to play "Quadrophenia" at a benefit concert in Hyde Park. The show, held on June 26th, combined Pete's multimedia ideas with some ideas from the Deep End/1989 tour, accompanied by Roger's band. It was supposed to be just one show, but 3 weeks later The Who played a show at Madison Square Garden in New York and began a North American tour in October. They were not billed as The Who, but performed under their own names.
The tour continued in Europe in the spring of 1997 and after another 6 weeks in the USA. In 1998, Pete and Roger finally reconciled. In May, Roger presented Pete with a litany of grievances about Pete's neglect of the band since 1982. Pete burst into tears and Roger heartily forgave him.
Concert activity (1999-2004)
On February 24, 2000, Pete released the Lifehouse Chronicles 6-disc box set on his website. The Who's new tour began on June 25, 2000. Roger pushed Pete to write new material, which made the release of a new album a reality. Pete's efforts to promote The Who's music as soundtracks achieved success when the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation chose "Who Are You" as the show's theme song.
Following the September 11 attacks, The Who performed at a benefit for police and firefighters on October 20, 2001. The concert was broadcast worldwide. Unlike many of the acts, whose sets were filled with gravity and restraint, The Who put on a real show. The band performed at a charity festival at the Royal Albert Hall in support of children with cancer on 7th and 8th February 2002. These shows were John's last.
On June 7, 2002, John died in his sleep at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas from a cocaine-induced heart attack. This happened the day before the start of the band's big tour in the United States.
The band's fans were shocked when Pete announced that the tour would go ahead without John. Session bassist Pino Palladino replaced him. Critics and fans alike cursed the decision as yet another example of a money grab. Later Pete and Roger explained that they and many other people had contributed a lot of money for this tour and could not lose it.
After a year of hiatus, Pete, Roger, Pino, Zach and Rabbit gave a concert as The Who at the Kentish Town Forum on March 24, 2004. On March 30, a new collection of the group's best songs, Then and Now! 1964-2004" with completely new songs 13 years later, "Real Good Looking Boy" and "Old Red Wine", which was a dedication to John
"Endless Wire" (2005-2007)
In 2004, the group toured Japan and Australia for the first time. On February 9, 2005, Roger received an order from Queen Elizabeth II of Britain for his charitable work.
On September 24, 2005, Pete posted the novel The Boy Who Heard Music on his blog. Written in 2000, this follow-up to "Psychoderelict" provided the basis for many of Pete's new songs. After premiering new songs on The Rachel Fuller Show, the band began a new tour that included both new and old songs. On 17 June 2006 the band performed in Leeds, at the same university where they recorded their famous live album 36 years earlier.
A new album, "Endless Wire", featuring acoustic and rock songs, as well as a mini-opera based on "The Boy Who Heard Music", was released on October 31, 2006. The album was originally planned to be released in the spring of 2005 under the working title WHO2. The date was moved due to the fact that drummer Zak Starkey was involved in the recording of Oasis' Don't Believe the Truth album and subsequent tour. The album immediately after its release took 7th position on the Billboard chart. Its fragments are included in the program of performances of The Who Tour 2006-2007.
"The Who" is one of the most influential British rock bands of the 60s and 70s. This is another long-living rock band, organized in 1964! They performed with one line-up for 15 years. After the death of drummer Keith Moon, they continued to perform with a new drummer Kenny Jones is more than 20 years old. Today, only two of the original cast remain alive - Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, but they are wearing vests because they still continue to delight the audience with their performances. And at the closing of the XXX Olympic Summer Games. London couldn't do without the participation of The Who. There are still people alive who call this group the best rock band in the world. So, what is the secret of The Who's success?
I will again judge the popularity of “The Who” in the Soviet Union from my own point of view. Yes, we knew about the existence of such a rock band and that they became famous for smashing instruments on stage. Their music was not played at dances. With all the desire, it was impossible to repeat such a frantic, unbridled sound of the bass guitar and drums. I wouldn’t say that everyone was a fan of her, but there were fans, albeit in small numbers.
Their performances were a must see. How many times have I already said this phrase? That's why they are rock bands; you have to watch and listen to them live. At concerts, the secrets of success are much easier to understand. Colossal energy, improvisational approach to performance, individuality and much more. And these instruments also destroy. The receiving party, aware of such predilections, hastily removed the expensive equipment from the stage after the final chord. But, of course, it was not possible to carry everything away. Such a mess probably looked, to put it mildly, funny.
So, the first and only lineup of The Who.
Roger Daltrey (03/1/1944) – lead vocalist, songwriter, plays a little harmonica and guitar. He showed himself as an interesting actor, starring in the films: “Tommy”, “The Comedy of Errors”, “Lisztomania”, etc. At one time he was a real leader in the group, showing his strength in front of the other participants. They were going to kick him out after he hit the drummer. But Daltrey apologized, reconsidered his attitude and promised not to bully again. Thus, they reined him in and showed him their place.
Pete Townshend (05/19/1945) – guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and lyricist of almost all the group’s songs. I have never played long-term soleshniks. His feature is a hard rhythm and a peculiar attack of the strings with rotational movements with a straightened right hand. This technique that Pete came up with is called the "Air Mill". Here he had no equal. Just like there was no breaking of instruments after the performance before.
Once, by accident, in the final jump he broke the guitar neck. The crowd loved it. At the next concert she demanded the same. So Pete began to destroy equipment and was supported by a drummer. This behavior made The Who stand out from other rockers. (By the way, I experienced for myself what kind of action it is to break guitars when I smashed my own on the asphalt in public. Half the crowd was as if in hypnosis, half was in ecstasy.)
Townshend played a big role in the development of British rock, organizing grand festivals and inviting his many friends to them. So, at one time, he helped Eric Clapton get out of drug addiction. If it weren’t for Pete, there wouldn’t be the Eric we see and listen to now. Although, he himself barely got out of this shit in the 80s.
John Entwistle (10/9/1944 – 06/27/2002) – bassist, multi-instrumentalist. In the circles of fans - simply “The Ox” (Bull). There is phlegm on stage. A minimum of emotions, a static figure, only fingers flashing. He used the bass as lead guitar. Powerful playing technique, a lot of sophisticated moves. Recognized as one of the best bass players of all time. He had a huge influence on the playing technique and sound of subsequent generations of bassists, such as Victor Wooten. He had a wide range of voice: from childish falsetto to low bass. He held matches behind his back when Keith Moon blew up toilets. He died in 2002 as a result of a heart attack from a cocaine overdose.
And finally, the main member of the killer rhythm section - Keith Moon (08/23/1946 – 09/7/1978) - virtuoso drummer. One of the first to use two barrels at performances. The brightest and most unpredictable personality in the lineup. He was a drummer from God and a man not of this world. Half of The Who's fame can be given to him. In high school, an art teacher said about him: “In artistic terms, he’s retarded, in all other respects, he’s an idiot.”
He didn't care about honor and respect. He lived his own life. After smashing drum kits, his second favorite pastime was blowing up hotel bathrooms. He lowered the explosive device into the toilet and flushed it. There was an explosion that destroyed the toilet along with the sewerage system. “Porcelain flying in the air is simply unforgettable!” - he said.
Alcohol and drugs served as a means of self-expression for all participants, and only he experienced joy, shocking those around him. But all these scandalous antics were more humorous in nature than malicious. Here's another example. One day, on the way to the airport, Moon resolutely insisted on returning to the hotel, allegedly he had forgotten something and he definitely needed to return urgently. A luxury limousine arrives at the hotel. Keith jumps out of it like a bullet and runs to his room. He takes the TV and throws it out of the window into the pool. Returning to the car, he says with relief: “I almost forgot!”
He could easily take on the role of anyone: from Hitler to a sexy lady, from a priest to a young schoolboy. He died suddenly in his sleep on September 7, 1978 from an overdose of sleeping pills. During the autopsy, doctors found 32 tablets (!), six of which dissolved, which led to cardiac arrest. A strange coincidence - 32 tablets and 32 years of life. He was recognized as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music. He got into the Guinness Book of Records as the drummer who destroyed the largest number of drum kits on stage.
British rock band formed in 1964. The original lineup consisted of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The band achieved enormous success through their extraordinary live performances, and are considered one of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s, recognized as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
The Who became famous in their homeland both due to the innovative technique of smashing instruments on stage after a performance, and due to hit singles that reached the Top 10, starting with the 1965 hit single I Can't Explain and albums that reached the Top 10. 5 (including the famous My Generation) The first hit single to reach the Top 10 in the US was I Can See For Miles in 1967. In 1969, the rock opera Tommy was released, which became the first album to reach the Top 5 in the US. they were followed by Live At Leeds (1970), Who's Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973) and Who Are You (1978).
In 1978, the band's drummer Keith Moon died, after his death the band released two more studio albums: Face Dances (1981) (Top 5) and It's Hard (1982) (Top 10). The ex-drummer was put behind the drum kit Kenny Jones's The Small Faces broke up completely in 1983. They reunited several times after this, for special events such as Live Aid, as well as reunion tours such as the 25th Anniversary Tour and Quadrophenia. 1995 and 1996.
In 2000, the group began discussing the topic of recording an album of new material. These plans were delayed by the death of the band's bassist John Entwistle in 2002. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey continued to perform under the name The Who. In 2006, a new studio album entitled Endless Wire was released, which reached the Top 10 in both the US and UK.
Story
The Who began as The Detours, a band founded by guitarist Roger Daltrey (born March 1, 1944) in London in the summer of 1961. In early 1962, Roger recruited John Entwistle (born October 9, 1944), a bass player who played in bands based at Acton County Grammar, which he and Roger attended. John suggested an additional guitarist - his school friend and friend from various groups, Pete Townshend (born May 19, 1945). The Detours also featured drummer Doug Sandom and vocalist Colin Dawson.
Colin soon left The Detours and Roger took over as vocalist. The composition of the group, 3 musicians and a vocalist, would remain the same until the late 70s. The Detours started out covering pop tunes, but quickly pivoted to loud, hard-edged covers of American rhythm and blues. In early 1964, The Detours found a band with the same name and decided to change it. Pete's art school friend Richard Barnes suggested The Who and the name was officially adopted. Soon after this, Doug Sandom left the group and in April his place was taken by the young and crazy drummer Keith Moon (born August 23, 1947). Moon, dressed in red clothes and with dyed hair, insisted on performing with The Who. He broke the band's drummer's pedal and was accepted. The Who found another way to attract fans when Pete accidentally broke the neck of his guitar on a low ceiling during a show. The next time the band played there, the fans were screaming at Pete to break his guitar again. He broke it and Keith followed him, smashing his drum kit. At the same time, Pete developed his “air mill” guitar playing style, taking Keith Richards’ stage movements as a basis.
In May 1964, The Who were taken over by Pete Meadan. Meaden was the leader of a new youth movement in Britain called the mods, in which young people wore stylish clothes and shaved their heads short. Meaden renamed The Who to The high numbers. Numbers was what the mods called each other, and High meant using leapers, pills that the mods took to party all weekend. Meedan wrote The High Numbers' only single, "I'm the Face". This song was an old R&B song with new lyrics about mods. Despite all Miden's attempts, the single failed, but the group became the mods' favorite group.
It all happened when two people, Keith Lambert (son of composer Christopher Lambert) and Chris Stamp (brother of actor Terence Stamp) were looking for a band they could make a film about. They chose The High Numbers in July 1964 and became the group's new managers. After failing at EMI Records, the band's name reverted to The Who. The Who rocked London with a Tuesday night show at the Marquee Club in November 1964. The group were advertised throughout London with black posters designed by Richard Barnes, featuring Airmill Pete and the slogan "Maximum R&B." Soon after, Keith and Chris encouraged Pete to start writing songs for the band in order to attract the attention of The Kinks producer Shel Talmy. Pete adapted his song "I Can't Explain" to the Kinks' style and convinced Talmy. The Who signed him to a contract and he became their producer for the next 5 years. Talmy, in turn, helped the group secure a contract with Decca Records in the United States.
Pete's early songs were written in contrast to Roger's macho stage status. Roger controlled the leader's position in the group with his fists. Pete's increasing abilities as a songwriter threatened this status, especially after the hit single "My Generation." It's an ode to the Mod's view of life, with the singer stuttering from an amphetamine overdose and shouting, "I hope to die before I get old." When the single made it into the charts in December 1965, Pete, John and Keith forced Roger to leave the group due to his violent behavior. (This happened after Roger discovered Keith's drugs and flushed them down the toilet. Keith tried to object, but Roger knocked him out with one blow.) But Roger promised to be “peaceful” and was accepted back.
At the same time, The Who released their first album, My Generation. Due to a lack of advertising for The Who's recordings in the US and a desire to sign with Atlantic records, Keith and Chris broke their contract with Talmy and signed the group to Atlantic records in the US and Reaction in the UK. Talmy responded with a countersuit that completely stopped the release of the next single, "Substitute." The group then paid Talmy's royalties for the next 5 years and returned to Decca in the US. This event and the extremely expensive replacements for the destroyed instruments soon plunged The Who into deep debt.
Keith continued to insist that Pete write songs. Playing one of his home demos to Keith, Pete joked that he was writing a rock opera. Keith really liked this idea. Pete's first attempt was called "Quads." This story is about how parents raised 4 girls. When it was discovered that one of them was a boy, they insisted on raising him as a girl. The group needed a new single and this first rock opera was compressed into a short song, “I’m a Boy.” Meanwhile, in order to make money, the group began making the next album, with the stipulation that each member of the group must record two songs for it. Roger succeeded in only one, Keith - one song and one instrumental. John, however, wrote two special compositions, one about "Whiskey Man" and the other about "Boris The Spider." This was John's start as an alternative songwriter for the band, a writer with a dark sense of humor.
There wasn't enough material for the new album, so Pete wrote a mini-opera to close the album. "A Quick One While He's Away" is the story of a woman who is seduced by Ivor the Engine Driver after her man has been gone for a year. The album was called "A Quick One", which carried a double meaning, the title of a mini-opera and some sexual innuendo (for this reason the album was renamed in the USA to "Happy Jack", like the single).
With the settlement of the lawsuit with Decca and Talmy, The Who were able to tour the United States. They started with a series of short shows at D.J.'s Easter concerts. Murray The K's in New York. The destruction of the equipment they had abandoned in England was revived and the Americans trembled. This was the beginning of wild popularity in the USA. They returned to the US in the summer to play at the Monterey Pop Festival in California. The performance brought The Who to the attention of San Francisco hippies and rock critics who would soon found Rolling Stone magazine.
They toured that summer as the opening act for Herman's Hermits. It was during this tour that Keith's "hell" reputation was cemented by his 21st birthday (even though he was only 20), celebrated at a post-concert party at a Holiday Inn in Michigan. All that really happened was that the birthday cake collapsed on the floor, cars were sprayed with a fire extinguisher, ruining their paint, and Keith lost a tooth when he slipped on the cake while running from the police. Over time, and many embellishments from Keith himself, it became an orgy of destruction, culminating in a Cadillac at the bottom of a hotel pool. In any case, The Who were banned from staying at Holiday Inns, and this, along with the occasional hotel room crashes, became part of the band's and Keith's legend. While their popularity was growing in the US, their career in the UK began to decline. Their next single, "I Can See For Miles", their most successful single in the US, only reached the Top 10 in the UK. The success of the following singles "Dogs" and "Magic Bus" was even less successful. Released in December 1967, The Who Sell Out did not sell as well as previous albums. It was a concept album developed as a broadcast from an outlawed pirate radio station in London. This album would later be considered one of the best.
During this fall, Pete stops taking drugs and accepts the teachings of the Indian mystic Meher Baba. Pete would become his most famous follower and his future works would reflect what he learned from Baba's teachings. One of these ideas was that those who can perceive earthly things cannot perceive the world of God. From this, Pete came up with the story of a boy who became deaf, numb and blind and, having gotten rid of such earthly sensations, would be able to see God. Having been cured, he becomes the messiah. The story eventually became known worldwide as "Tommy". The Who worked on it from the summer of 1968 until the following spring. This was the last attempt to save the group and with new material they began to give shows.
When "Tommy" was released it was only a moderate hit. But when The Who performed the album live, it became a masterpiece. "Tommy" made its big impact when The Who performed it at the Woodstock festival in August 1969. The final song, "See Me, Feel Me," was performed as the sun rose over the festival. Captured on film and featured in the film Woodstock, Tommy and The Who became an international sensation. Keith also found a way to promote the work by performing "Tommy" at opera houses in Europe and New York. “Tommy” was used in ballets and musicals, and the group had so much work that many people thought it was called “Tommy.”
Meanwhile, Pete continued to make demos using a new musical instrument, the ARP synthesizer. To kill time before their next project, The Who recorded a live album at Leeds University. "Live At Leeds" became a second worldwide hit. In 1970 Pete had an idea for a new project. Keith made a deal with Universal Studios to make the film "Tommy" with him directing. Pete came up with his idea called “Lifehouse”. It would be a fantastic story about virtual reality and a boy who discovers rock music. The hero would play an endless concert and at the end of the film he finds the Lost Chord, which brings everyone to a state of nirvana. The group organized open-to-all concerts at the Young Vic in London. The audience and the band themselves had to be filmed during the concert. Everyone would be part of the film, their life stories would be replaced by computer sequences accompanied by synthesizer music. But the result was disappointing. The audience simply asked to play old hits and soon all the band members got bored.
Pete's project was shelved and the band went into the studio to record his songs written for Lifehouse. This is how the album “Who’s Next” was recorded. It became another international hit and is considered by many to be the band's best album. "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes" were played on the radio, and "Won't Get Fooled Again" was the band's closing song throughout their career. As their popularity grew, the band members began to become dissatisfied with the sound of Pete's songs. John first launched a solo career with the album Smash Your Head Against The Wall, released before Who's Next. He would continue to record solo albums throughout the early 70s, giving his songs an outlet for his dark humor. Roger also launched a solo career after building a studio in his barn. The single "Giving It All Away" from his album Daltrey reached the UK Top 10 and gave Roger the boost he had in the band.
Using this charge, Roger began an investigation into the financial affairs of Keith Lambert and Chris Stump. He discovered that they had misused the group's financial fund. Pete, who saw Keith as his mentor, took his side, which led to a rift in the group. Pete, meanwhile, began work on a new rock opera. It was supposed to be a Who story, but after Pete met Irish Jack, who had been following the band since the Detours, Pete decided to make a story about a Who fan. It became the story of Jimmy, Mod, a fan of The High Numbers in 1964. He works menial jobs to earn a GS scooter, stylish clothes and enough leapers to spend the weekend. High doses of speed cause his personality to split into 4 components, each of which is represented by a member of The Who. Jimmy's parents find the pills and kick him out of the house. He travels to Brighton to bring back the glory days of the Mods, but finds the leader of the Mods in the guise of a humble bell-ringer. In desperation, he takes a boat and goes out to sea in a strong storm and observes the Epiphany (“Love, Reign O’er Me”).
Quadrophenia had a lot of problems after recording. It was mixed on a new quadraphonic system, but the technology was very inadequate. Mixing the recording to stereo resulted in the vocals being lost on the recording, much to Roger's horror. On stage, The Who tried to recreate the original sound. But the tapes refused to work and the result was complete chaos. To add insult to injury, Keith's wife left him before the tour and took their daughter with her. Keith drowned out his sadness in alcohol and even wanted to commit suicide. At the San Francisco show to open the American tour, Keith passed out mid-show and was replaced by Scott Halpin from the audience. Upon returning to London, Pete had no rest; production of the film Tommy began immediately. It was not Keith Lambert who brought the film under control, but the crazy British film director Ken Russell. He began working with guest stars Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Ann-Margaret and Jack Nicholson. The result was rather tasteless and although it appealed to some of the band's fans, it was a big hit with the public. There were two after effects, Roger, who played the lead role, became a star outside the group and Pete had a nervous breakdown and began to drink more than usual.
This all reached its peak during the concerts at Madison Square Garden in June 1974. When the audience shouted to Pete “jump, jump,” he realized that he no longer wanted anything. The passion for performing The Who began to fade from him. This led to the band's next album, The Who By Numbers. The album shows the fierce rivalry between Pete and Roger, which was written about in all the British music newspapers. Subsequent tours in 1975 and 1976 were much more successful than the album. But there was a very strong emphasis on playing old material rather than new. After several high-profile concerts during this tour, Pete noticed that his ears were ringing and the ringing would not stop. A visit to the doctor revealed that he may soon go deaf if he does not stop performing. After 1976, The Who stopped touring. This was the band's last collaboration with managers Keith Lambert and Chris Stump; at the beginning of 1977, Pete signed papers on their dismissal.
After a break of 2 years, the group went into the studio and recorded the album “Who Are You”. In addition to the new album, The Who filmed their story, The Kids Are Alright. They even bought Shepperton Studios for this purpose. When Keith returned from America he was in very sad shape, he had gained weight, became an alcoholic and looked 40 at 30. The Who completed the album and film in 1978 with a concert held in Shepperton on May 25, 1978. Three months later the album arrived in sale. 20 days after, on September 7, 1978, Keith Moon died of an accidental overdose of medication prescribed to him to control his alcoholism.
Many thought that The Who would cease to exist after Moon's death, but the group had many projects. In addition to the documentary "The Kids Are Alright", a new film based on "Quadrophenia" was being prepared for release. In January 1979, The Who began looking for a new drummer and found Kenney Jones (born September 16, 1948), former Small Faces drummer and friend of Pete and John. His style was completely different compared to Moon, which led to fan rejection. John "Rabbit" Bundrick was brought in on keys and the group was later supplemented with a horn section.
The new lineup of the band began touring during the summer, playing to huge crowds across the United States. But a tragedy occurred. At a concert in Cincinnati in December 1979, 11 fans died in a stampede. The band continued to tour, but controversy remained over whether this was the right thing to do. 1980 began with two high-profile solo projects. Pete released his first truly solo album, "Empty Glass." (“Who Came First” was a collection of demos, and “Rough Mix” was made with Ronnie Lane). This album was praised along with The Who's albums, and the single "Let My Love Open The Door" became very popular. At the same time Roger released McVicar, an excellent film in which he played a bank robber. This year, Pete's problems became apparent. He was almost always drunk, playing endless solos or ranting at length from the stage. His drinking led to cocaine, and later heroin. He began spending his nights hanging out with members of the New Wave bands, to whom he was God.
The Who's next album, Face Dances, was heavily criticized. Despite the highly successful single "You Better, You Bet", the album was considered below the group's previous standards. Roger realized that Pete was destroying himself and offered to stop touring to save him. Pete nearly lost his life after overdosing on heroin at Club For Heroes in London and was saved at the last minute in hospital. Pete's parents put pressure on him and Pete flew to California to recover and get rid of drugs. After returning, he did not feel confident to write new material for the group and asked to suggest a topic. The band decided to record an album that reflected their attitude to the growing tensions of the Cold War. The result was the album It's Hard, which also addressed the changing role of men with the rise of feminism. But critics and fans didn’t like the album just like “Face Dances.”
A new tour of the US and Canada began in September 1982 and was called a farewell tour. The final show on December 12, 1982 in Toronto was broadcast worldwide. After the tour, The Who were contractually obligated to record another album. Pete began work on the album "Siege", but quickly abandoned it. He explained to the band that he was no longer able to write songs. Pete announced the end of The Who at a press conference on December 16, 1983.
Pete surprised everyone by starting to work at the publishing house Faber & Faber. Work did not distract him much from his new interest, preaching against heroin use, a campaign that lasted throughout the 80s. He also found time to write a book of short stories "Horses" Neck" and make a short film about life in the White City. The film features Pete's new band, including horns, keyboards and back-up vocals called Defor. Along with the film "White City," they also released " live" album and video "Deep End Live!" On July 3, 1985, The Who gathered to perform at the Live Aid benefit for famine-stricken Ethiopia. The band was scheduled to play Pete's new song, "After The Fire," but lack of rehearsal led them to play old songs, "After The Fire," which later became a solo hit. Roger.
In the 1980s, Roger and John continued their solo careers. In addition to his film and television work, Roger began a solo tour in 1985 and John in 1987. The Who's loyal fans continued to support their work. In February 1988, the group gathered to receive the BPI Life Achievement Award. The Who played a short set after the awards at the Royal Albert Hall. Pete was then writing a new rock opera based on the children's book "The Iron Man" written by Ted Hughes. In addition to the guest artists, Pete brings in Roger and John for two recordings that appear as The Who on the album. This led to talk of a reunited team touring. The tour began in 1989. It was for the band's 25th anniversary, but it was a completely different band on stage than in 1964. Pete stuck to an acoustic sound with a different guitarist leading the way. Most of the Deep End lineup was on stage including a new drummer and percussionist. The shows included the first full performance of "Tommy" since 1970 and ended in Los Angeles with a star-studded cast including Elton John, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and others. After that, The Who disappeared again, but not "Tommy". Pete rewrote it with American theater director Des McAnuff into a musical that included moments from Pete's own life. After an initial run at the La Jolla Playhouse in California, The Who's Tommy opened on Broadway on April 23, 1993. Fans of The Who had mixed feelings about the musical, but theater critics in London and New York loved it. With him, Pete won the Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards.
Pete's next work is also autobiographical in nature. "Psychoderelict" is about a rock star whose recluse is forced into retirement by a sleazy manager and a conniving journalist. Despite a solo tour in the United States, the new work did not receive much attention. In early 1994, Roger took a break from filming to hold a grand concert at Carnegie Hall to celebrate his 50th birthday. The music that the band and orchestra played was a tribute to Pete's work. Roger not only invited many guests to sing Pete's songs, but also invited John and Pete to play on stage, although not together. After this, Roger and John went on a tour of the United States, performing The Who songs. Pete's brother Simon was on guitar and Ringo Starr's son Zac Starkey was on drums. That same summer, a 4-disc box set of The Who songs was released and the MCA label began releasing remastered and sometimes remixed editions of the group. "Live at Leeds" was released first with 8 tracks added and was followed by many CDs and bonus tracks, artwork and booklets.
1996 began with the formation of a new group, The John Entwistle Band, which toured the United States. The band's new album, "The Rock," was sold at the show and John met with fans after the show. In 1996, it was announced that The Who would get back together to play "Quadrophenia" at a benefit concert in Hyde Park. The show, held on June 26th, combined Pete's multimedia ideas with some ideas from the Deep End/1989 tour, accompanied by Roger's band. It was supposed to be just one show, but 3 weeks later The Who played a show at Madison Square Garden in New York and began a North American tour in October. They were not generally billed as The Who, but performed under their own names, but were still perceived as The Who.
The tour continued in Europe in the spring of 1997 and after another 6 weeks in the USA. In 1998, Pete and Roger finally reconciled. In May, Roger presented Pete with a litany of grievances about Pete's neglect of the band since 1982. Pete burst into tears and Roger heartily forgave him. On February 24, 2000, Pete released the Lifehouse Chronicles 6-disc box set on his website. The Who's new tour began on June 25, 2000. Roger pushed Pete to write new material, which made the release of a new album a reality. Pete's efforts to promote The Who's music as soundtracks achieved success when the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation chose "Who Are You" as the show's theme song. Following the September 11 attacks, The Who performed at a benefit for police and firefighters on October 20, 2001. The concert was broadcast worldwide. Unlike many of the acts, whose sets were filled with gravity and restraint, The Who put on a real show. The band performed at a charity festival at the Royal Albert Hall in support of children with cancer on 7th and 8th February 2002. These shows were John's last. On June 7, 2002, John died in his sleep at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas from a cocaine-induced heart attack. This happened the day before the start of the band's big tour in the United States. The band's fans were shocked when Pete announced that the tour would go ahead without John. Session bassist Pino Palladino replaced him. Critics and fans alike cursed the decision as yet another example of a money grab. Later Pete and Roger explained that they and many other people had contributed a lot of money for this tour and could not lose it.
On January 11, 2003, Pete was declared involved in child pornography. He explained that he used his credit card to log into a child pornography site, but then he transferred his savings to an anti-child pornography fund. Pete was questioned by the police, his computer was taken away and the whole world called Pete a pedophile and ridiculed his explanation. Four months later, a police investigation went into every detail of Pete's story. He was not charged, but was given a caution and placed on the sex offenders register for 5 years. After a year's hiatus, Pete, Roger, Pino, Zach and Rabbit performed as The Who at the Kentish Town Forum on March 24, 2004. On March 30, a new best-of collection of Then and Now was released! 1964-2004 with completely new songs 13 years later, “Real Good Looking Boy” and “Old Red Wine,” which was a dedication to John.
In 2004, the group toured Japan and Australia for the first time. On February 9, 2005, Roger received an order from Queen Elizabeth II of Britain for his charitable work. On September 24, 2005, Pete posted the novel The Boy Who Heard Music on his blog. Written in 2000, this follow-up to "Psychoderelict" provided the basis for many of Pete's new songs. After premiering new songs on The Rachel Fuller Show, the band began a new tour that included both new and old songs. On 17 June 2006 the band performed in Leeds, at the same university where they recorded their famous live album 36 years earlier. A new album, "Endless Wire", featuring acoustic and rock songs, as well as a mini-opera based on "The Boy Who Heard Music", was released on October 31, 2006.
Compound
Pete Townshend - guitarist, composer, studio keyboardist
Roger Daltrey - vocals, harmonica
Keith Moon - drummer
John Entwistle - bass guitarist, horns
(b. October 9, 1944) took place in 1959 in the ranks of the jazz band "The Confederates", with the first of the guys playing the banjo, and the second playing the horn. A couple of years later, their future partner Roger Daltrey (b. March 1, 1944) made a homemade six-string and organized the skiffle group “The Detours”. After some time, John joined the team as a bassist, dragging Pete with him, who got the second guitar. At that time, the band also included vocalist Colin Dawson and drummer Doug Sandom, but already in 1963 Roger took the microphone for himself, and Colin was kicked out the door. Having replaced the frontman, "The Detours" turned into an actively performing band, specializing in rhythm and blues and rock and roll. For about a year the quartet played in pubs, clubs and dance halls, and in February 1964, at the suggestion of one of Pete’s friends, the group was renamed “The Who”. Sandom soon left, and from April 1964 the installation was occupied by maniac drummer Keith Moon (b. August 23, 1946).
At the same time, the ensemble was curated by a fan of the Mod movement, Peter Meaden, at whose suggestion the sign changed to “The High Numbers”. When the single "I"m The Face/"Zoot Suit", released under his leadership, failed, Keith Lambert and Chris Stump took over management. They returned the name "The Who" to the quartet and arranged a strong promotion for their charges, flooding London with prospectuses promising "maximum rhythm and blues." Meanwhile, at one of the concerts, an interesting incident occurred: Pete was swinging his guitar wildly, accidentally hit it on the ceiling and broke it. Out of frustration, he smashed the instrument into pieces, and at the next performance he deliberately repeated this trick. Now Moon supported his friend, who turned the installation around, and since then, pogroms have become an integral part of The Who concerts.
Thanks to their scandalous reputation, the team easily sold out clubs like Marquee, but almost all the proceeds were spent on buying new instruments. In January 1965, “The Who” made their first shot at the top ten with the single “I Can’t Explain,” followed by the EPs “Anyway Anyhow Anywhere” and “My Generation.” The debut album was also a good success, and in the British charts he got the fifth line. If on this record the lion's share of the material belonged to the pen of Townshend, then on “A Quick One” the rest of the musicians also got involved in the songwriting process. Another noteworthy moment of the second long play was the appearance of the track “Happy Jack”, positioned as. mini-opera In 1967, the team made its first foray into America and produced the concept program "The Who Sell Out", which simulated the broadcast of a pirate radio station.
The following year, The Who suffered a fiasco on the singles front, releasing the disastrous EP Dogs, but this failure was compensated for by two headlining US tours. During those tours, Pete had the idea of creating a full-fledged rock opera, and his idea was realized on the double album "Tommy". The success of this monumental work was enormous, and tickets for accompanying performances were sold out at incredible speed. The scandalous fame of the team that left trashed hotel rooms also grew. Moon was the one most adventurous, and the peak of his adventures was the Cadillac at the bottom of the hotel pool. Following "Tommy", the top ten was rammed by the magnificent live album "Live At Leeds", which became a model for all other rock live shows.
In 1971, the group took on the implementation of a new conceptual project, "Lifehouse", but due to Townshend's nervous breakdown, the work stalled, and instead the usual album "Who's Next" was born. However, despite the murky sessions, the result was excellent , and the disc took the highest position in the British lists. After the release of “Who’s Next,” the team’s activity decreased, and its members began releasing solo albums, but in 1973, “The Who” returned with the rock opera “Quadrophenia,” which settled in second place. lines on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Moon and Townshend's cravings for alcohol increased, resulting in a sharp decline in the number of concerts. Pete captured his personal experiences of this period on the record "The Who By Numbers", which could well claim the status of his solo album. Despite the fact that the next album, "Who Are You", became the band's fastest-selling release, a serious blow awaited the team. On September 7, 1978, Keith took an excessive dose of anti-alcohol pills and passed away.
Many thought that the band had come to an end, but already at the beginning of 1979, The Who returned to the stage, joining their ranks with ex-Faces drummer Kenny Jones and keyboardist John Bundrick. However, internal problems did not disappear, and Townshend soon switched from whiskey to heroin, which significantly reduced his composing abilities. The albums "Face Dances" and "It's Hard" received mixed reviews, and in 1982, after staging a farewell tour, the band announced its dissolution. In the following decades, there were a considerable number of reunions, and even after the death of John Entwistle, who died in the summer of 2002 , Townshend and Daltrey continued to steer the ship called “The Who” through the waves of show business. In 2006, it even came to the creation of another album, and a significant amount of space on the disc was devoted to the mini-opera “Wire & Glass”.
Last update 10/22/09
