 The Who - One of the most enduring and influential rock
groups of all time, the Who -- Roger Daltrey (vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar),
John "The Ox" Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums) -- first caught the
public's attention in the mid-1960s by smashing their instruments on stage. They
have continued to hold it for more than 30 years thanks to a powerful blend of
R&B and straight-up rock 'n' roll. After Moon's death in 1978 and two final
albums, the other members of the Who went on to successful solo careers, and the
band has sporadically reunited for tours; their numerous hits remain classic
rock radio staples. The Who toured America several times in the mid-'60s,
becoming a cult act thanks to their energetic live show, which now included a
nightly destruction of guitars that quickly ate up the band's profits.
Meanwhile, their next two albums, 1966's A Quick One (Happy Jack in the U.S.)
and the 1967 concept album The Who Sell Out, performed respectably in Britain
and, to a lesser extent, the U.S., where their 1967 single "I Can See For Miles"
became their first American Top 10 hit. Two years later the Who returned with
their second rock opera, the 1973 double album Quadrophenia, a tale based
loosely on Pete Townshend's experiences in the London mod scene of the early
1960s. Like Tommy, Quadrophenia was made into a movie, released in 1979. Also in
1971 Decca released the first of many Who compilations, Meaty, Beaty, Big and
Bouncy, a collection of early singles. The Who By Numbers (1975) and Who Are You
(1978), though commercially successful, marked the beginning of the band's
decline. On September 7, 1978, drummer Keith Moon was found dead of a drug
overdose; eerily, he had appeared on the cover of their most recent album (Who
Are You) in a chair marked "Not to be taken away." After a period of
mourning, the band decided to press on, bringing in ex-Small Faces drummer
Kenney Jones for their next two albums, 1981's Face Dances and 1983's It's Hard.
Their 1982 "farewell" tour was documented on the live album Who's Last, but the
Who didn't really disappear. The '80s didn't mark the end of Who reunion fever.
The Who performed the epic Quadrophenia as part of a 1996 tour, and came
together again for short tours in 1999 and 2000, suggesting that nearly 20 years
after their "farewell" tour, the Who still hadn't finished saying goodbye. Seth
Hindin
Contact Grabow for more information or to book the Who for
your next corporate or private event.
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