The Who, the #43 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

"One of the finest bands on the planet."

"Life changing music brought by one of the greatest rock bands in history."

"Absolute musical brilliance."

"None better than the Who! Awesome instruments, awesome vocals, awesome everything!"

"Genius, timeless, legends..."

"The Who are incredible."

"The Who is made up of four people who are some of the best musicians in their class."

"Magnificent."

"The Who really were artists. The use of obscure instruments, the harmonies, the grabby hooks, and mostly the patience they took to craft it really shines through."

"One of my FAVE bands ever."

"Their sound was so awesome."

"Amazing band, truly."

"The fact the all of four of these legends were in the same band is incredible!"

"Thanks to the Who for making great music."

"One of the best bands EVER for bringing their electric energy to the stage! "

Guitarist Pete Townshend and John Entwistle became friends at Acton County Grammar School and formed a jazz group.  Entwistle played French horn in the Symphony Orchestra, but as he liked Rock music, he first tried guitar before switching to bass after hearing Duane Eddy's songs.  Entwistle could not afford to buy an instrument so he made his own.

Townshend went to Ealing Art College. Roger Daltrey was expelled from school at age 15 and in 1959, started the group the Detours, playing lead guitar.  The Detours played mostly instrumental covers for professional shows at business functions and weddings.  Soon, Daltrey saw Entwistle with a bass guitar and invited him to join his group.  Shortly after, Entwistle suggested the group invite Townshend and Daltrey switched to lead vocals after Colin Dawson left the band.  Harry Wilson originally played drums, but was replaced by Doug Sandom.

The Detours began supporting other artists after signing a management contract with promoter Robert Druce.  After finding out that there was a group called Johnny Devlin and the Detours, the group met to choose a new name and decided on the Who.

The group played regularly at the White Hart Hotel in Acton, the Goldhawk Social Club in Shepherd's Bush, the Notre Dame Hall in Leicester Square and the Oldfield Hotel in Greenford.  By this time, the Who switched to manager Helmut Gorden, who arranged for them to audition for Chris Parmeinter of Fontana Records.

Parmeinter wasn't happy with Sandom, and Townshend immediately told Doug he would be fired if he didn't improve.  Sandom left and the Who auditioned possible replacements.  They were particularly impressed with Keith Moon, who was with a group called the Beachcombers.  

Once again, the Who switched managers, hiring Peter Meaden.  Meaden renamed the group the High Numbers and this time, the band successfully auditioned with Fontana.  They recorded a single which flopped.  The band reverted to the name the Who and began honing the live act that would soon make them famous. 

Daltrey began using his microphone cable as a whip and would jump into the crowd, Moon threw his drumsticks into the air mid-beat, catching them in perfect timing to use them again.  It is around this time that Townshend initiated his trademark windmilling motion to play guitar.

In the revolving management situation, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp took over from Meaden after seeing the Who at the Railway Hotel in Wealdstone.  The band began playing rhythm and blues and came up with the slogan "maximum R&B".  

In June of 1964, Townshend broke the head of his guitar when he accidentally scraped it on the low ceiling.  When the audience laughed, Pete became angry and smashed the instrument on the stage before picking up another one to continue playing.  The next week, he did it again, prompting Moon to kick his drum set over.  From this point on, the Who included such antics in their shows.

The Who soon landed shows at the famous Marquee club in London, where they were seen by Shel Talmy, who produced the Kinks. 

 

Townshend wrote "I Can't Explain", which, after Talmy signed the Who to his production company, was sold to Decca Records in the United States.  The band needed just four takes to record it and the single peaked at #8 in the U.K. but stalled at #93 in the U.S.

The Who recorded the song at Pye Studios.  Jimmy Page played fuzz guitar on "Bald Headed Woman", the flip side. The band promoted "I Can't Explain" on the television shows Ready Steady Go! and Top of the Pops. 

While touring Denmark, Daltrey flushed Moon's amphetamines down the toilet and upon the group's return to Britain, they fired Daltrey.  He was reinstated with the understanding that each member would have equal say rather than Roger making all their decisions.

 

In 1965, the Who released their debut album My Generation, which raced to #5 in the U.K.  Townshend wrote this at age 20 while riding the train from London to Southampton.  "'My Generation', he explained, "was very much about trying to find a place in society.  I was very, very lost."  Daltrey brilliantly used a stutter on lead vocals on the title song, a #2 smash in the U.K. and Australia that also charted at #3 in Canada, #6 in West Germany and #9 in Austria but only #74 in the United States, making it one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

But the Who and Talmy had disagreements that led to an end to the recording contract.  The group signed with Reaction Records and released "Substitute" as a single.  But it was only a hit in Europe, reaching #2 in the Netherlands, #5 in New Zealand and #5 in the U.K. 

 

The single "The Kids Are Alright", written as a tribute to the Mods, a group of rebellious British youth, stalled at #41 in the U.K.  and didn't even make the Hot 100 in the U.S.  While it is popular with a segment of the population, the lack of success showed that the majority of the music-listening public wasn't keen on the Who.

 

We also want to feature "Out In The Street", featuring the frantic distorted guitar of Townshend and the lightning-quick drumming of Moon.

Moon and Entwistle, who recorded a show on Ready Steady Go! with Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, were late to a Who performance.  Townshend took exception and attacked Moon with his guitar, leaving a black eye and bruises.  Moon and Entwistle quit the band but after a change of heart, rejoined one week later.  

The band released the album A Quick One, another Top 5 album in Great Britain.  The United States album Happy Jack yielded the title song, a Top 10 hit throughout Europe and #1 in Canada but only #24 in the U.S.

The Who landed an appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, which gave them considerable exposure and attention in the U.S.  They opened for the Herman's Hermits on a tour of the United States.  The band released the non-album single "Pictures Of Lily", #4 in the U.K., #5 in Germany and the Netherlands, #7 in Australia and #9 in Austria.  

 

In 1967, the band released The Who Sell Out.  "I Can See For Miles", written by Townshend about his future wife Karen, reached #9 in the U.S. and #10 in the U.K.  She still married him after the song.  It was the only Top 10 song the Who would ever have in the United States.

 

People who are casual Who listeners associate lead singer Roger Daltrey with most of their songs, but Pete sang a few himself, like "I Can't Reach You".

 

We hear Byrds and Beatles influences on this song--"Relax".

 

The album is a collection of unrelated songs mixed with fake commercials and is a loose concept album in that way.  This is "Sunrise".

"Tattoo" is something of a right of passage song about two young boys who think that if they get a tattoo that will make them a man.

The Who toured the United States with Eric Burdon and the Animals and scored an appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.  Moon talked one of the stage workers into putting explosives into his drum set, but the worker loaded it with 10 times more than expected.  When the set exploded, Moon was knocked off the drum riser, his arm was cut by flying shrapnel from his cymbal, Townshend's hair was singed and he suffered hearing loss in his left ear and a studio monitor and camera were destroyed.

 

The band released the album Magic Bus:  The Who on Tour, with "Magic Bus" reaching #6 in Canada but a stiff everywhere else, including #25 in the United States.

After Lambert and Stamp formed the label Track Records, distributed by Polydor, the Who switched release of their U.K. material from Brunswick Records to Track.  The group toured the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The group was known by now but hardly household names.  That changed with the release of their next album.  Join us for Part Two!