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British group The Who. Rock Encyclopedia

British rock band formed in 1964. The original line-up consisted of: Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The band gained huge success through extraordinary live performances, and is 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 their innovative technique - breaking instruments on stage after a performance, and due to hit singles that fell into 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 US Top 10 hit single was I Can See For Miles in 1967. In 1969, the rock opera Tommy was released, becoming the first Top 5 album in the US, for it was followed by Live At Leeds (1970), Who's Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973) and Who Are You (1978).

In 1978, the group's drummer Keith Moon died, after his death the group 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 set The Small Faces of Kenny Jones The band finally disbanded in 1983. Since then, they have reunited several times to perform at special events such as Live Aid, as well as reunion tours such as the 25th Anniversary Tour and Quadrophenia in 1995 and 1996.

In 2000, the band 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 Townsend and Roger Daltrey continued to perform under titled The Who. In 2006, a new studio album called Endless Wire was released and reached the Top 10 in both the US and the UK.

Story

The Who started out as The Detours, a band founded by guitarist Roger Daltrey (born March 1, 1944) in London in the summer of 1961. Early in 1962, Roger recruited John Entwistle (born October 9, 1944), a bass player who played in bands founded at Acton County Grammar School, which he and Roger attended. John suggested an additional guitarist - his high school and band friend Pete Townshend (born May 19, 1945). Also in The Detours were 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 will remain until the late 70s. The Detours started out covering pop tunes but quickly changed to loud, uncompromising 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. Shortly thereafter, Doug Sandom left the band and was replaced in April by the young and crazy drummer Keith Moon (born August 23, 1947). Moon, dressed in red and 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 his guitar neck against the low ceiling during a show. The next time the band played there, the fans yelled at Pete to break his guitar again. It broke and Keith followed him by smashing his drum kit. At the same time, Pete developed his "airmill" style of playing the guitar, taking the stage movements of Keith Richards as a basis.

In May 1964 The Who were taken over by Pete Meaden. Meadan was the leader of a new youth movement in Britain called fashion, young people dressed in stylish clothes and shaved their heads short. Midan renamed The Who to The high numbers. Numbers was what the mods called each other, and High meant taking leapers, pills that mods took to hang out all weekend. Midan wrote The High Numbers' only single, "I'm the Face". This song was an old R&B song with new lyrics about fashion. Despite all of Midan's attempts, the single failed, but the band became the mods' favorite band.

It all happened when two people, Kit Lambert (son of composer Christopher Lambert) and Chris Stamp (brother of actor Terence Stamp) were looking for a band they could make a movie about. Their choice fell on The High Numbers in July 1964 and they became the band's new managers. After a failure at EMI Records, the band's name returned to The Who. The Who rocked London after a Tuesday night show at the Marquee Club in November 1964. The Who were advertised all over London with black posters made by Richard Barnes, including "air-mill" Pete and the slogan "Maximum R&B." Shortly thereafter, Keith and Chris encouraged Pete to start writing songs for the band in order to get 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 band secure a deal with Decca Records in the US.

Pete's early songs were written in opposition to Roger's macho stage status. Roger controlled the position of the leader in the group with the help of his fists. Pete's growing ability as a songwriter threatened that status, especially after the hit single "My Generation." It's an ode to Mod's outlook on life, with the singer stuttering from an amphetamine overdose, "I hope to die before I'm old." When the single hit the charts in December 1965, Pete, John and Keith forced Roger to leave the group because of his violent behavior. blow.) But Roger promised to be "peaceful" and was taken back.

At the same time, The Who released their first album "My Generation." Due to a lack of publicity about The Who recordings in the US and a desire to sign with Atlantic records, Keith and Chris ended their contract with Talmy and signed the band to Atlantic records in the US and Reaction in the UK. Talmy responded with a counterclaim that completely halted the release of the next single, "Substitute." The band then paid Talmy's royalties for the next 5 years and returned to Decca in the US. This event and extremely expensive replacements for destroyed instruments soon left The Who heavily indebted.

Keith kept insisting that Pete write songs. While playing one of his home demos to Keith, Pete joked that he was writing a rock opera. Keith liked the idea very much. 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 new single and that first rock opera condensed into the short song "I'm a Boy." In the meantime, in order to earn money, the band started making the next album, with the stipulation that each member of the band should record two songs for it. Roger managed only one, Keith - one song and one instrumental. John, however, wrote two special songs, one about "Whiskey Man" and one about "Boris The Spider." This was the start for John as an alternative songwriter for the band, a writer with a dark sense of humour.

There wasn't enough material for a 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 who is seduced by Ivor the Engine Driver after her man was gone for a year. The album was called "A Quick One", which carried a double meaning, the name of a mini-opera and some sexual innuendo (for this reason, the album was renamed "Happy Jack" in the US, like the single).

With the lawsuit settled with Decca and Talmy, The Who were able to tour the US. They started with a series short shows at Easter concerts by D.J. Murray the K's in New York. The collapse of the equipment they had abandoned in England was revived and the Americans were in awe. This was the beginning of wild popularity in the United States. 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 establish Rolling Stone magazine.

They toured that summer as the opening act for Herman's Hermits. It was during this tour that Keith's "hellish" reputation was cemented by his 21st birthday (although he was only 20) celebrated at an after-concert party at the Holiday Inn in Michigan. All that really happened was that the birthday cake crashed to the floor, cars were sprayed with a fire extinguisher, ruining their paint, and Keith knocked out a tooth when he slipped on the cake while running from the police. Over time, and with many embellishments by Keith himself, it turned into an orgy of destruction, culminating in a Cadillac at the bottom of the hotel pool. In any case, The Who were banned from staying at Holiday Inns, and this, along with occasional hotel room crashes, became part of the legend of the band and Keith. While their popularity was growing in the US, their UK career began to decline. Their next single "I Can See For Miles", the 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 designed as a broadcast from a banned pirate radio station in London. This album will 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 later work would reflect what he had learned from Baba's teachings. One such idea was that one 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, dumb and blind and, having got rid of such earthly sensations, will be able to see God. Healed, 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. It was the last attempt to save the band and with the new material he started doing shows.

When "Tommy" was released it was only a moderate hit. But when The Who played the album live, it was a masterpiece. "Tommy" got a big hit when The Who performed it at the Woodstock festival in August 1969. The last song"See Me, Feel Me," was played as the sun rose over the festival. Filmed and featured in the film, Woodstock, Tommy and The Who became international sensations. 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, the group had so much work that many thought it was called "Tommy".

In the meantime, 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 the University of Leeds. "Live At Leeds" became their 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 virtual reality and a boy who discovered 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 band organized concerts open to the public at the Young Vic Theater in London. The audience and the band itself had to film during the concert. Everyone would be part of the film, their life stories would be replaced by computer sequences with 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. So the album "Who's Next" was recorded. It became another international hit and is considered by many best album groups. "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes" played on the radio, and "Won't Get Fooled Again" was the band's closing show throughout their career. As their popularity grew, the band members began to get dissatisfied with the sound of Pete's songs. John first launched his solo career with Smash Your Head Against The Wall before Who's Next. He would continue to record solo albums throughout the early 70s, releasing his songs with dark humor. Roger also started a solo career after building a studio in his barn. The single "Giving It All Away" from his album "Daltrey" hit the UK Top 10 and gave Roger the power boost he had in the band.

Using this charge, Roger launched an investigation into the financial affairs of Keith Lambert and Chris Stump. He discovered that they were misusing the band's financial fund. Pete, who saw Keith as his mentor, took his side, leading to a crack in the group. Pete, meanwhile, has begun work on a new rock opera. It was supposed to be a The Who story, but after Pete met Irish Jack, who had followed the band since the Detours, Pete decided to make a story about a The Who fan. It became the story of Jimmy, Fashion, a fan of The High Numbers in 1964. He works a dirty job to earn a GS scooter, stylish clothes and enough leapers to spend the weekend. High doses of AIDS lead to the fact that his personality is 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 ringer. In desperation, he takes a boat and goes out to sea in a violent storm and observes the Epiphany ("Love, Reign O'er Me").

There were a lot of problems with "Quadrophenia" after recording. It was mixed on a new quad system, but the technology was very inadequate. Mixing the recording to stereo resulted in the loss of vocals on the recording, much to Roger's dismay. On stage, The Who tried to recreate the original sound. But the tapes refused to work and it turned out to be complete chaos. On top of that, Keith's wife left him before the tour and took her daughter with her. Kate drowned out his sadness in alcohol and even wanted to commit suicide. At the San Francisco show opening the US tour, Keith collapsed midway through the show and was replaced by Scott Halpin from the audience. On his return to London, Pete did not have a rest, the production of the film "Tommy" began immediately. It was not Keith Lambert who brought the film under control, but the insane British filmmaker Ken Russell. He started working with guest stars Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Ann-Margaret and Jack Nicholson. The result was rather tacky and although it was liked by some of the band's fans, it was a big hit with the public. There were two aftereffects, Roger, who played the lead role, became a star outside of the group and Pete had a nervous breakdown and started drinking more than usual.

This all reached its peak during concerts at Madison Square Garden in June 1974. When the audience shouted "jump, jump" to Pete, he realized that he didn't want anything anymore. Passion from the performance of The Who began to disappear in him. This led to the band's next album, The Who By Numbers. The album traces the bitter rivalry between Pete and Roger, which was written about in all British music newspapers. Subsequent tours in 1975 and 1976 were much better than the album. But there was a very strong emphasis on playing old material rather than new. After several loud gigs during this tour, Pete noticed that his ears were ringing and the ringing would never stop. A visit to the doctor showed that he could soon go deaf if he didn't stop performing. After 1976 The Who stopped touring. This was the last point of the group's collaboration with managers Keith Lambert and Chris Stump, in early 1977 Pete signed the papers on their dismissal.

After a break of 2 years, the band entered the studio and recorded the album "Who Are You". In addition to the new album, The Who filmed a film about their history "The Kids Are Alright". To do this, they even bought Shepperton Studios. When Keith returned from America he was in a very sad shape, he gained weight, became an alcoholic and looked in his 30s for all 40s. The Who completed the album and the film in 1978 with a concert held at Shepperton on May 25, 1978. After 3 months, the album went to sale. 20 days after, on September 7th, 1978, Keith Moon died of an accidental overdose of a drug prescribed for him to control his alcoholism.

Many thought that The Who would cease to exist after Moon's death, but the group had a lot of projects. In addition to the documentary The Kids Are Alright, a new film based on Quadrophenia was in the pipeline. From January 1979 The Who started 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's which led to the rejection of the fans. John "Rabbit" Bundrick was brought into the band on keyboards and the band was later extended with a horn section.

The new line-up began touring in the summer, playing to huge crowds in the US. But tragedy struck. At a concert in Cincinnati in December 1979, 11 fans died in a stampede. The band continued to tour, but controversy remained about the correctness of this. 1980 began with two high-profile solo projects. Pete released his first really solo album"Empty Glass" ("Who Came First" was a collection of demos, and "Rough Mix" was a pairing with Ronnie Lane). This album was praised along with The Who 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 have become apparent. He was almost always drunk, playing endless solos or ranting on stage for long periods of time. His drinking led to cocaine, and later to heroin. He began to spend his nights in the company of members of the groups " new wave for whom he was God.

Next album Who "Face Dances" was heavily criticized. Despite the quite successful single "You Better, You Bet", the album was considered below the band's previous standards. Roger realized that Pete was destroying himself and offered to stop touring in order to save him. Pete nearly lost his life after overdosing on heroin at Club For Heroes in London and was rescued from the hospital at the last minute. 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 reflecting their relationship to the growing tensions of the Cold War. The result was the album It's Hard, which also addressed the changing role of the male with the rise of feminism. But both critics and fans did not like the album as well as "Face Dances."

A new US and Canadian tour 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 had to record another album under the contract. 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 when he started working at the publishing house Faber & Faber. The work did not distract him much from his new interest, preaching against the use of heroin, 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, including horns, keyboards, and backing vocals called Defor. live" album and video "Deep End Live!" July 3, 1985 The Who gathered to perform at a charity Concert Live Aid in support of starving Ethiopia. The band was supposed to play Pete's new song "After The Fire," but lack of rehearsal led them to play old songs. "After The Fire," went on to become Roger's solo hit.

In the 80s, Roger and John continued their solo careers. In addition to his film and television work, Roger began a solo tour in 1985. John in 1987. The Who's devoted fans continued to support their work. In February 1988 the band got together to receive the BPI Life Achievement Award. The Who played a small set after the awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall. Pete was then writing a new rock opera based on the children's book The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. In addition to the guest artists, Pete brought in Roger and John for two recordings, which were credited as The Who on the album. This led to talk about the reunited team's tour. The tour started in 1989. It was the band's 25th anniversary, but there 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 show included the first full performance of Tommy since 1970 and ended in Los Angeles with an all-star cast including Elton John, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and more. 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 its first run at La Jolla Playhouse in California, The Who's Tommy opened on Broadway on April 23, 1993. The Who's fans had mixed feelings about the musical, but theater critics in London and New York loved it. With it, Pete won Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards.

Pete's next work is also autobiographical. "Psychoderelict" is about a rock star who is forced into retirement by a dastardly manager and a conniving journalist. Despite a US solo tour, 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 played by the band and orchestra 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, though not together. After that, Roger and John went on a tour of the United States, performing songs Who. Pete's brother Simon was on guitar and Ringo Starr's son Zac Starkey was on drums. In the same summer, a 4-disc box set consisting of songs Who and the MCA label began releasing remastered and sometimes remixed editions of the band. "Live at Leeds" was the first to be released with 8 added tracks, followed by many CDs and bonus tracks, artwork and booklets.

1996 began with the creation new group The John Entwistle Band, which toured the United States. New album this band's "The Rock," was sold at the show and after the show, John met with fans. In 1996, it was announced that The Who would reunite to play "Quadrophenia" at a charity concert in Hyde Park. The show on June 26th combined Pete's multimedia ideas and some ideas from the Deep End/1989 tour, accompanied by Roger's band. It was supposed to be only 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 generally not announced as The Who, but performed under their own names, but they were still perceived as The Who.

The tour continued in Europe in the spring of 1997 and after another 6 weeks in the US. In 1998 Pete and Roger finally reconciled. In May, Roger presented Pete with a list 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 posted the 6-disc box set Lifehouse Chronicles 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 the new album a reality. Pete's attempts to promote The Who's music as soundtracks hit the spot when the television series C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation chose "Who Are You" as the show's theme song. After the September 11 attacks, The Who performed at a charity festival for police and firefighters on October 20, 2001. This concert was broadcast worldwide. Unlike many members, whose sets were filled with gravity and restraint, The Who put on a real show. The band played at the Royal Albert Hall charity festival in support of children with cancer on February 7th and 8th 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. It happened the day before the start of the band's big US tour. The band's fans were shocked when Pete announced that the tour would take place without John. Session bassist Pino Palladino replaced him. Critics and fans have cursed this decision as yet another example of fundraising. Later, Pete and Roger explained they and so many other people had contributed a lot of money for this tour and couldn't lose it.

On January 11, 2003, Pete was declared addicted to child pornography. He explained that he used his credit card to enter a child pornography site, but then he transferred his savings to a fund against child pornography. Pete was interrogated 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 analyzed every detail of Pete's story. He was not charged, but he was given a warning and placed on the "sex offenders" list for 5 years. After a year off, Pete, Roger, Pino, Zach and Rabbit performed as The Who at the Kentish Town Forum on March 24, 2004. On March 30, the band's new best-of compilation Then and Now! 1964-2004 with brand new songs 13 years later "Real Good Looking Boy" and "Old Red Wine" which was a tribute to John.

In 2004, the band toured Japan and Australia for the first time. February 9, 2005 Roger received an order from Queen Elizabeth II of Britain for his charitable activities. On September 24, 2005, Pete posted the novel The Boy Who Heard Music on his blog. Written in 2000, this sequel 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 ago. The new album "Endless Wire", which includes 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 - vocalist, harmonica

Keith Moon - drummer

John Entwistle - bass guitarist, brass instruments

The Who are a British rock band formed in 1964. The original line-up consisted of: Pete Townsend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The band gained huge success through extraordinary live performances and is considered both one of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s and one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

The Who became famous in their homeland both due to their innovative technique - breaking instruments on stage after a performance, and due to hit singles that hit the Top 10, starting with the 1965 hit single "I Can" t Explain "and albums that fell into Top 5 (including the famous "My Generation") The first US Top 10 hit single was "I Can See For Miles" in 1967. In 1969, the rock opera "Tommy" was released, becoming the first album to hit 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 group's drummer Keith Moon died, after his death the group 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 set The Small Faces by Kenny Jones The group finally disbanded in 1983. After that, they reunited several times for performances at special events: Festival Live Aid in 1985, reunion tours celebrating the band's 25th anniversary and performing "Quadrophenia" in 1995 and 1996.

In 2000, the band 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 Townsend and Roger Daltrey continued to perform under the name The Who. In 2006, a new studio album called "Endless Wire" was released, which reached the Top 10 in both the US and the UK.

Group history

Origins (1961-1964)

The Who started out as The Detours, a band founded by guitarist Roger Daltrey in London in the summer of 1961. In early 1962, Roger recruited bass player John Entwistle, who had played in bands founded at the Acton County Grammar School that he and Roger attended. John suggested an additional guitarist - his high school friend Pete Townsend. Also in the group 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 until the end of the 70s. The Detours began by covering pop tunes, but soon began to cover American rhythm and blues. In early 1964, The Detours found out that there was a band with the same name as theirs and decided to change it. Pete's art school friend Richard Barnes suggested the name The Who and the name was officially adopted. Shortly thereafter, Doug Sandom left the band and was replaced by young drummer Keith Moon in April.

The Who found a way to attract fans after Townsend accidentally broke his guitar neck against a low ceiling during a concert. During the next concert, the fans yelled at Pete to do it again. He broke his guitar and Keith followed him, smashing his drum kit. At the same time, "airmill" 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 over by Pete Meaden, the leader of the new British youth fashion movement. Midan renamed The Who The High Numbers (Numbers was what the mods called each other, and High meant drinking lipers, pills that mods took to spend the whole weekend in discos).

Midan wrote The High Numbers' only single "I'm the Face" (the song was an old R&B song with new lyrics about fashion). Despite Miden's best efforts, the single failed, but the mods fell in love with the band. 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 band they could make a film about. Their choice fell on the group The High Numbers. In July 1964 they became the group's new managers. After the failure at EMI Records, the band's name was re-named The Who.

The first successes and disagreements in the group (1964-1965)

The Who rocked London after a late-night performance at the Marquee Club in November 1964. The Who were advertised all over London with black posters made by Richard Barnes, including "air-milled" Pete Townsend with the words "Maximum R&B". Shortly thereafter, Keith and Chris encouraged Pete to start writing songs for the band in order to get the attention of The Kinks producer Shell Talmi. Pete adapted his song "I Can't Explain" to the style of The Kinks songs and persuaded Talmy. The Who signed him to a contract and he became their producer for the next 5 years. Talmy, in turn, helped the band secure a deal with Decca Records in the US.

Pete's early songs were written in opposition to stage image Roger is macho. Roger held the position of leader in the group by force. Pete's growing ability as a songwriter threatened that status, especially after the hit single "My Generation". When the single hit the charts in December 1965, Pete, John and Keith forced Roger to leave the group because of his violent behavior (this happened after Roger discovered Keith's drugs and flushed them down the toilet. Keith tried to protest, but Roger knocked him out with one blow ). Roger later promised to be "peaceful" and was taken back.

First albums (1965-1966)

At the same time, The Who released their first album, My Generation. Due to a lack of promotion in the US and a desire to sign with Atlantic Records, Keith and Chris ended their contract with Talmy and signed with Atlantic Records in the US and Reaction in the UK. Talmy responded with a counterclaim that completely halted the release of the next single, "Substitute". The band then paid Talmy's royalties for the next 5 years and returned to Decca in the US. This event and extremely expensive replacements for destroyed instruments soon left The Who heavily in debt.

Keith kept insisting that Pete write songs. While showing Keith one of his homemade demos, Pete joked that he was writing a rock opera. Keith liked the idea very much. 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 band needed a new single and this first rock opera condensed into the short song "I'm a Boy". In the meantime, in order to earn money, the band started making the next album, with the stipulation that each member of the band should record two songs for it. Roger managed only one, Keith - one song and one instrumental. John, however, wrote two songs - "Whiskey Man" and "Boris The Spider". This was the start of John's career as an alternative songwriter with a dark sense of humor.

There wasn't enough material for a 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 in separation for her husband, who is seduced by a racing driver. The album was called "A Quick One" with some sexual innuendo (for this reason, the album and its single were renamed "Happy Jack" in the US).

After settling a lawsuit with Decca and Talmy, The Who were able to tour the US. They began with a series of short performances at D.J.'s Easter concerts. Murray the K's in New York. The collapse of the equipment they had abandoned in England was revived and the Americans were in awe. 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 establish Rolling Stone magazine.

They toured that summer as the opening act for Herman's Hermits. It was during this tour that Keith's reputation as a wild party animal was cemented by the celebration of his 21st birthday, despite being only 20, celebrated at a party after the show at the Holiday Inn in Michigan. The list of deeds is truly impressive: the birthday cake fell to the floor, fire extinguishers were sprayed on cars, and Keith knocked out a tooth slipping on the cake while running from the police. Over time, this 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 occasional hotel room crashes, became part of the legend of the band and Keith.

"The Who Sell Out", "Live At Leeds" and rock opera "Tommy" (1967-1970)

While their popularity was growing in America, their career in the UK began to decline. Their next single "I Can See For Miles", the 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 slump, Pete stops taking drugs and accepts the teachings of the Indian mystic Meher Baba. Pete would become his most famous follower and his later work would reflect his knowledge of Baba's teachings. One of his ideas was that one who can perceive earthly things cannot perceive the world of God. From this, Pete had a story about a boy who became deaf, dumb and blind and, having got rid of earthly sensations, was able to see God. Healed, he becomes the messiah. As a result, the story became world famous as the rock opera "Tommy". The Who worked on it from the summer of 1968 to the spring of 1969. It was the last attempt to save the band and they began to play new material.

When Tommy was released, it was only a moderate hit, but after 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 played at sunrise. Filmed 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. Ballets and musicals were staged on "Tommy", the group had so much work that many thought that its name was "Tommy".

Meanwhile, Pete continued to compose songs using a new musical instrument - the ARP synthesizer. To kill time for their next project, The Who recorded a live album at the University of Leeds. "Live At Leeds" became the group'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 would find the Lost Chord, which brings everyone to the state of nirvana.

"Who's Next" (1971)

The band organized concerts open to the public at the Young Vic Theater in London. The audience and the band itself had to film during the concert. Everyone would be part of the film, their life stories would be replaced by computer sequences with 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 the songs Pete had written for Lifehouse. So 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" played on the radio, and "Won't Get Fooled Again" was the band's closing show throughout their career.

As their popularity grew, the band members became dissatisfied with the sound of Pete's songs. John first launched his solo career with Smash Your Head Against The Wall before Who's Next. He would continue to record solo albums throughout the early 70s, giving vent to his songs steeped in dark humor. Roger also started a solo career after building a studio in his barn. The single "Giving It All Away" from his album "Daltrey" hit the UK Top 10 and gave Roger the boost he had in the band.

"Quadrophenia" (1972-1973)

Pete, meanwhile, has begun work on a new rock opera. It was supposed to be a The Who story, but after Pete met one of the ardent fans who had followed the band since The Detours, Pete decided to write a story about a The Who fan. She became a story about Jimmy - fashion, a fan of The High Numbers. He works a dirty job to earn money for a GS motor scooter, stylish clothes, and enough pills to get through the weekend. High doses of AIDS lead to the fact that his personality is 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, but finds the Mod leader turned humble hotel porter. In desperation, he takes a boat and goes out to sea in a violent storm and observes the appearance of God.

There were a lot of problems with Quadrophenia after recording. It was mixed on a new stereo system that did not work quite adequately. Mixing the recording in stereo resulted in the loss of vocals on the recordings, to Roger's dismay. On stage, The Who tried to recreate the original sound. The tapes refused to work, and everything turned into complete chaos. On top of that, Keith's wife left him before the tour and took her daughter with her. Keith drowned his sadness in alcohol and even wanted to commit suicide. At the San Francisco show opening the US tour, Keith passed out in the middle of the show and was replaced by Scott Halpin, who was invited from the audience.

Film "Tommy" and "The Who By Numbers" (1975-1977)

On his return to London, Pete did not have a rest, the production of the film "Tommy" began immediately. The film was not controlled by Keith Lambert, but by the insane British filmmaker Ken Russell. He launched work with guest stars: Elton John, Oliver Reed, Jack Nicholson, Eric Clapton and Tina Turner. The result was rather tasteless and, although liked by the band's fans, was not a big success with the public. There were two consequences: Roger, who starred in the film, became a star outside of the group, and Pete suffered a nervous breakdown and started drinking 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 didn't want anything anymore. The passion for performing The Who began to cool down. This can be seen on the band's next album, The Who By Numbers. It traces the bitter rivalry between Pete and Roger, which was written about by all British music publications.

Subsequent tours in 1975 and 1976 were much better than the album. There was a lot of emphasis on old material. After 1976 The Who stopped touring. This was the end of the band's collaboration with managers Keith Lambert and Chris Stump; in early 1977 Pete signed the papers for their dismissal.

"Who Are You" and change (1978-1980)

After a two-year hiatus, the band entered the studio and recorded the album "Who Are You". In addition to the new album, The Who made a film about their history "The Kids Are Alright". To do this, they bought Shepperton Film Studios. After returning from America, Keith was in a very sad shape - he gained weight, became an alcoholic and looked 40 in his 30s.

In 1978, The Who finished 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 of an overdose of a drug prescribed to him to control his alcohol addiction. Many thought that The Who would cease to exist after the death of Moon, but the group still had a lot of projects. In addition to the documentary The Kids Are Alright, a new film based on the Quadrophenia album was in the making. From January 1979 The Who began looking for a new drummer and found Kenny Jones, former drummer for The Small Faces and a friend of Pete and John. His playing style was very different from Moon's, which led to his rejection by the fans. John Bundrick was brought into the band as keyboardist, and the band was later added with a horn section. The new line-up began touring in the summer, playing to huge crowds in the US. At a concert in Cincinnati in December 1979, a tragedy occurred - 11 fans died in a stampede. The band continued to tour, but controversy remained as to whether it was the right thing to do.

1980 began with two solo projects. Pete released his first all-solo album, Empty Glass (Who Came First (1972) was a collection of demos, and Rough Mix (1977) was a pairing with Ronnie Lane). This album was ranked along with The Who albums, and the single "Let My Love Open The Door" became very popular. At the same time, Roger released the film "McVicar".

Recent albums and breakup of the group (1980-1983)

In 1980, Pete's problems became apparent. He was almost always drunk, playing endless solos or ranting on stage for long periods of time. His drinking developed into a cocaine addiction and later into a heroin addiction. He began to spend his nights in the company of members of the "new wave" groups, for whom he was God.

The Who's next album, Face Dances, was heavily criticized. Despite the quite successful single "You Better, You Bet", the album was considered to be of lower quality than the band's previous standards.

Roger realized that Pete was destroying himself and offered to stop touring in order to save him. Pete nearly died after a heroin overdose at Club For Heroes in London and was rescued in the 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 band and asked to be suggested a topic. The band decided to record an album reflecting their relationship to the growing tensions of the Cold War. The result was the album It's Hard, which looked at the changing role of the male with the rise of feminist sentiment. But both critics and fans did not like the album, as well as "Face Dances."

A new US and Canadian tour 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 required 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 members and association (1985-1999)

Pete started working at the publishing house Faber & Faber. The work did not greatly distract him from his new occupation - preaching against the use of heroin. 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. Together with the film White City, a live album and video" Deep End Live! ". On July 3, 1985, The Who got 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 lack of rehearsals, they had to play old songs. " After The Fire" went on to become Roger's solo hit.

In the 80s, Roger and John continued their solo careers. In 1985, Roger began a solo tour, and in 1987, John. Loyal fans of The Who continued to support their work.

In February 1988 the band got together 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 by Ted Hughes. 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. It was the band's 25th anniversary, but the line-up 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 a new drummer and percussionist. The show began the first full performance of "Tommy" since 1970 and ended in Los Angeles with an all-star cast including Elton John, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and more. After that, Pete rewrote the Tommy album with American theater director Des McAniff into a musical that included moments from Pete's own life. After its first run at La Jolla Playhouse in California, The Who's Tommy opened on Broadway on April 23, 1993. The Who's fans had mixed feelings about the musical, but theater critics in London and New York loved it. With it, Pete won Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards. Pete's next work is also autobiographical. "Psychoderelict" is about a reclusive rock star who is forced into retirement by a dastardly manager and a conniving journalist. Despite a US solo tour, the new work did not receive much attention.

In early 1994, Roger took a break from acting to hold a grand concert at Carnegie Hall to celebrate his 50th birthday. The music played by the band and orchestra 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 that, Roger and John went on a tour of the United States, performing songs by The Who. Pete's brother Simon was on guitar and Ringo Starr's son Zach Starkey was on drums. The same summer, a 4-disc box set consisting of songs from The Who was released. The MCA label began releasing remastered and occasionally remixed editions of the band. "Live at Leeds" was the first to be released with 8 added tracks, followed by many CDs 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 after the show, John met with fans.

In 1996, it was announced that The Who would get back together to play "Quadrophenia" at a charity concert in Hyde Park. The show on June 26th combined Pete's multimedia ideas and some ideas from the Deep End/1989 tour, accompanied by Roger's band. It was supposed to be only 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 announced as The Who, but performed under their own names.

Concert activity (1999-2004)

On February 24, 2000, Pete posted the 6-disc box set Lifehouse Chronicles 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 the new album a reality. Pete's attempts to promote The Who's music as soundtracks hit the spot when the television series C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation chose "Who Are You" as the show's theme song.

After the September 11 attacks, The Who performed at a charity festival for police and firefighters on October 20, 2001. This concert was broadcast worldwide. Unlike many members, whose sets were filled with gravity and restraint, The Who put on a real show. The band played at the Royal Albert Hall charity festival in support of children with cancer on February 7th and 8th 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. It happened the day before the start of the band's big US tour.

The band's fans were shocked when Pete announced that the tour would take place without John. Session bassist Pino Palladino replaced him. Critics and fans have cursed this decision as yet another example of fundraising. Later, Pete and Roger explained they and so many other people had contributed a lot of money for this tour and couldn't lose it.

After a year of hiatus, Pete, Roger, Pino, Zach and the Rabbit performed as The Who at the Kentish Town Forum on March 24, 2004. On March 30, the band's new best-of compilation, Then and Now! 1964-2004" with brand new songs 13 years later "Real Good Looking Boy" and "Old Red Wine" which was a tribute to John

"Endless Wire" (2005-2007)

In 2004, the band toured Japan and Australia for the first time. 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 sequel 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 ago.

The new album "Endless Wire", which includes 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 postponed due to drummer Zach Starkey being involved with Oasis' Don't Believe the Truth album and touring. The album immediately after the release took 7th position in the chart of Billboard magazine. Its fragments are included in the performance program of The Who Tour 2006-2007.

"The Who"is one of the most influential groups British rock 60-70s. This is another rock band - a long-liver, organized in 1964! They performed as one team for 15 years. After the death of drummer Keith Moon, they continued to perform with new drummer Kenny Jones for over 20 years. To date, only two of the first line-up have survived - Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend, but they are in vests, because they still continue to delight the audience with performances. So at the closing of the XXX Olympic Summer Games in London, The Who took part. There are still people who call this band the best rock band in the world. So what is the secret to The Who's success? Let's figure it out.

On the popularity of "The Who" in the Soviet Union, I will again judge from my bell tower. Yes, we knew about the existence of such a rock band and that they became famous for breaking instruments on stage. Their music was not played at the dances. With all the desire, it was impossible to repeat such a frantic, unbridled sound of the bass guitar and drums. I would not say that everyone was a fan of her, but there were fans, albeit in a small amount.

You should have seen their performances. How many times have I said this phrase? That's why they are rock bands, that you need to watch and listen to them live. At concerts, the secrets of success are much easier to understand. Enormous energy, improvisational approach to performance, individuality and much more. And these tools are also crushing. The receiving party, knowing about such predilections, after the final chord hastily carried away expensive equipment from the stage. But, of course, it was not possible to carry everything away. Such a mess looked, perhaps, to put it mildly, funny.

So, the first and unique composition of The Who.

Roger Daltrey (March 1, 1944) – lead vocalist, songwriter, plays some harmonica and guitar. He showed himself as an interesting actor, starring in the films: "Tommy", "Comedy of Errors", "Listomania", etc. At one time he was a real leader in the group, showing his strength in front of the rest of the 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 their place.

Pete Townshend (May 19, 1945) - guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and lyricist of almost all the band's songs. Never played long solos. His feature is a hard rhythm and a peculiar attack of the strings with rotational movements of the straightened right hand. Such a technique, which Pete came up with, is called the "Air Mill". Here he had no equal. As there was no breaking of instruments after the performance before.

Once, by accident, in the final jump, he broke the neck of the guitar. The crowd liked it very much. At the next concert, she demanded the same. So Pete began to destroy the equipment and he was supported by the drummer. From this behavior, The Who stood out sharply from the rest of the rockers. (By the way, I experienced for myself what kind of action it is to break guitars when I broke my own on asphalt in public. Half of the crowd, as if in hypnosis, half in ecstasy.)

Townsend played a big role in the development of British rock, organizing grandiose festivals, inviting his many friends to them. So he, at one time, helped Eric Clapton get out of drug addiction. If not for Pete, there would be no Eric, whom we see and listen to now. Although, he barely got out of this shit in the 80th.

John Entwistle (October 9, 1944 - June 27, 2002) bassist, multi-instrumentalist. In fan circles, simply "The Ox" (Bull). On the stage - phlegm. A minimum of emotions, a static figure, only fingers flicker. He used the bass as lead guitar. Powerful game technique, a lot of fancy moves. Recognized as one of the best bass players of all time. He had a huge impact on the playing technique and sound of subsequent generations of bassists such as Victor Wootain. He had a wide range of voice: from children's 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 participant of the killer rhythm section - Keith Moon (08/23/1946 – 09/07/1978) - virtuoso drummer One of the first to use two barrels in performances. The brightest and most unpredictable personality in the composition. He was a drummer from God and a man not of this world. Half the glory of The Who can be safely given to him. IN high school an art teacher spoke of him this way: “Artistically, he is backward, in all other respects, an idiot.”

He didn't care about honor and respect. He lived his own life. After smashing drum kits, his second favorite activity 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 sewer. “Porcelain flying in the air is simply unforgettable!” he said.

Alcohol, drugs served as a means of self-expression for all participants, and only he experienced joy, shocking others. But all these scandalous antics were more humorous than malicious. Here is another example. One day, on the way to the airport, Moon strongly insisted on returning to the hotel, allegedly he forgot something and he definitely needed to return urgently. A luxury limousine pulls up to the hotel. The whale shoots out of it like a bullet and runs to his room. Takes the TV and throws it out the window into the pool. Returning to the car, he says with relief: “I almost forgot!”

He could easily enter into the image 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. At 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 entered the Guinness Book of Records as the drummer who destroyed the largest number of drum kits on stage.

(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 - the horn. A couple of years later, their future partner Roger Daltrey (b. March 1, 1944) made a self-made six-string and organized the skiffle group "The Detours". After some time, John joined the team as a bassist, dragging Pete along 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 to himself, and Colin was put out the door. Replacing the frontman, "The Detours" turned into an active concert team, 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 the maniac drummer Keith Moon (b. August 23, 1946).

At the same time, the ensemble was supervised by a fan of the mod movement, Peter Meaden, at whose suggestion the sign was changed to "The High Numbers". When the single "I" m The Face / "Zoot Suit", released under his direction, failed, Keith Lambert and Chris Stump took over the management. They returned the name "The Who" to the quartet and gave their wards a strong promotion, flooding London with prospectuses with the promise of "maximum rhythm and blues". In the meantime, at one of the concerts, an interesting incident occurred: Pete was swinging his guitar violently, accidentally hit it on the ceiling and broke it. Out of frustration, he smashed the instrument to pieces, and at the next performance he deliberately repeated this trick. Now his friend was supported by Moon, who turned the installation, and since then, pogroms have become an integral part of The Who concerts.

Thanks to the scandalous reputation of the team, it was easy to sell out in clubs like "Marquee", but almost all the proceeds went to the purchase of new instruments. In January 1965, The Who made their first hit in the top ten with the single "I Can" t Explain", followed by the minions "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 disc the lion's share of the material belonged to Townshend's pen, then on "A Quick One" the rest of the musicians joined in the songwriting process. Another noteworthy moment of the second LP was the appearance of the track "Happy Jack", positioned as mini-opera In 1967, the team made their first foray into America and prepared a concept program called "The Who Sell Out" that imitated the broadcast of a pirate radio station.

On next year The Who failed on the singles front with the disastrous EP Dogs, but made up for it with two US headlining tours. During those tours, Pete got 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 the accompanying performances were sold out at an incredible rate. Also, the scandalous glory of the team that left the destroyed rooms in the hotels grew. Most of all, Moon was much more 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.

In 1971, the band embarked on a new concept project, Lifehouse, but Townshend's nervous breakdown stalled, and the usual Who's Next album was born instead. , and the disc took the highest position in the British lists.After the release of "Who" s Next, the activity of the team decreased, and its members began to release solo albums, but in 1973 "The Who" returned with the rock opera "Quadrophenia", which settled on the second lines on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Moon and Townshend's alcohol cravings intensified, resulting in a sharp decline in concert dates. Pete captured his personal experiences of this period on the disc "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 group's fastest-selling release, the team was in for a serious blow. On September 7, 1978, Keith took an overdose of anti-alcohol pills and passed away.

Many thought that the team had come to an end, but already in early 1979, The Who returned to the stage, replenishing their ranks with ex-drummer "Faces" Kenny Jones and keyboardist John Bundrick. However, internal problems did not disappear, and Townshend soon switched from whiskey to heroin, which significantly reduced his ability to compose. The albums "Face Dances" and "It" s Hard "received conflicting responses, and in 1982, having arranged a farewell tour, the band announced its dissolution. In the following decades, a considerable number of reunions took place, and even after the death of John Entwistle, who died in the summer of 2002 , Townshend and Daltrey continued to steer the wave of show business called "The Who" In 2006, it even came to the point of creating another album, and significant place the mini-opera "Wire & Glass" was allotted on the disc.

Last update 22.10.09

†
Kenny Jones

Other
projects

The Who became famous in their homeland both due to their innovative technique - breaking instruments on stage after a performance, and due to hit singles that hit the Top 10, starting with the 1965 hit single "I Can" t Explain "and albums that fell into Top 5 (including the famous " My Generation") The first hit single to hit the Top 10 in the US was "I Can See For Miles" in 1967. The rock opera Tommy was released, which became the first album to hit the Top 5 in the US, followed by "Live At Leeds" (), "Who's Next" (), "Quadrophenia" () and "Who Are You" ().

The Who found a way to attract fans after Townsend accidentally broke his guitar neck against a low ceiling during a concert. During the next concert, the fans yelled at Pete to do it again. He broke his guitar and Keith followed him, smashing his drum kit. Then there was the "airmill", a style of guitar playing invented by Pete, which was based on the stage movements of Keith Richards.

Pete's next work is also autobiographical. "Psychoderelict" is about a reclusive rock star who is forced into retirement by a dastardly manager and a conniving journalist. Despite a US solo tour, the new work did not receive much attention.

That same summer, a four-disc box set consisting of The Who songs was released. The MCA label began releasing remastered and occasionally remixed editions of the band. Live at Leeds was the first to be released with eight added tracks, followed by many CDs 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 after the show, John met with fans.

In 1996, it was announced that The Who would get back together to play "Quadrophenia" at a charity concert in Hyde Park. The June 26 show combined Pete's multimedia ideas with some of the ideas from the Deep End/1989 tour, accompanied by Roger's band. It was supposed to be only one show, but three 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 six weeks in the US. In 1998, Pete and Roger finally reconciled. In May, Roger presented Pete with a list 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 June 27, 2002, John died in his sleep at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas from a cocaine-induced heart attack. It happened the day before the start of the band's big US tour.

The band's fans were shocked when Pete announced that the tour would take place without John. Session bassist Pino Palladino replaced him. Critics and fans have cursed this decision as yet another example of fundraising. Later, Pete and Roger explained that they and a lot of other people contributed a lot of money for this tour and could not lose it.

"Endless Wire" (2005-2007)

Daltrey, Townsend, Karin. 2005 year

In 2004, the band toured Japan and Australia for the first time. February 9, 2005 Roger received an order from Queen Elizabeth II of Britain for his charitable work.

A Quick One (December 9)
The Who by Numbers (October 3)
Who Are You (August 18)
Face Dances (March 16)
It's Hard (September 4)

Notes

Links

Joe Giorgianni's Who Page Fan site dedicated to The Who
The Who.info

The Who
Roger Daltrey Pete Townsend John Entwistle Keith Moon Kenny Jones John "Rabbit" Bundrick Pino Palladino Doug Sandom Zach Starkey Simon Townsend
Studio albums	A Quick One The Who Sell Out Tommy Who's Next Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers Who Are You face dancing It's hard Endless Wire
Mini Albums	Ready Steady Who Tommy Won't Get Fooled Again wire & glass