WHO

The Who were one of the most energetic of the British beat groups: fans came to expect exhibitions of explosive violence at their live performances, and it was this element of performance art that made the band an ideal subject for films.

The Who, formed in 1964, were four young men from the poorer parts of London: guitarist Pete Townshend (b. May 1945), vocalist Roger Daltrey (b. May 1944), drummer Keith Moon (b. August 1947, d. September 1978), and bassist John Entwistle (b. October 1944). Rage on stage was an integral part of their live performances, and Townshend would end a concert with the ritual smashing of his guitar, while Moon would send his drum kit toppling over.

The band made a series of exciting, pithy singles, often with adolescent anti-heroes as their subject, including “My Generation” (1965). Their first big success came in 1969 with their concept album, Tommy, which is widely regarded as being the first rock opera. This tale of a deaf, dumb, and blind kid with an unusual talent for pinball brought them long-awaited chart success in the U.S., peaking at No. 4. Another rock opera, Quadrophenia, was to follow in 1973. This was based on the adventures of a group of mods—a British youth subculture of the 1960s, for whom The Who had been heroes.

The album Live at Leeds (1970) captured the group at its incandescent best, and songs from Who’s Next (1971) reached the U.K. Top 10. “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” a track from that album, is eight-and-a-half minutes of stirring music, with Daltrey’s passionate singing deployed to its best effect. In the song Townshend summed up the failure of the 1960s hippie movement in the line: “Meet the new boss/Same as the old boss,” which Daltrey roared out over a tumultuous background of crashing instrumentation to provide an awesome climax to the song.

In the late 1970s, the group’s energies were dissipated by their separate solo work, although Tommy was made into a film, directed by the eccentric Ken Russell, in 1975. In 1978, Moon—who had enjoyed a reputation for being “the bad boy of rock” by trashing hotel rooms and driving cars into swimming pools—finally destroyed himself with an overdose of drugs that had been prescribed to fight his alcoholism. He was replaced by Kenny Jones (b. September 1948), formerly of the Small Faces. In 1983, the group officially disbanded, although they occasionally reformed for concert appearances.

The Clash, SEX PISTOLS, and the Britpop bands were among the many to find The Who’s brand of no-frills rock inspiring. In the 1990s, Tommy was successfully revived in London’s West End, and on Broadway.

Graham McColl

The Who: (from left) Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, andfohn Entwistle.

FURTHER READING

Barnes, Richard. The Who: Maximum R&B (London: Eel Pie, 1982)

Butler, Dougal. Full Moon (New York: Quill Books, 1982)

Kamin, Philip, and Peter Goddard. The Who: The Farewell Tour (New York: Beaufort Books, 1983).

SUGGESTED LISTENING

Live at Leeds; My Generation: The Very Best of The Who; Quadrophenia; Tommy; Who’s Next.