With a history that stretches back to the early sixties, the Who have been a staple diet of several generations of rock fans. Despite  drummer Keith Moon being a casualty of the intense rock lifestyle, the band is still active and gigs.


The Who were formed in 1964 with Roger Daltrey on vocals, Peter Townshend on guitar, John Entwistle on bass and Keith Moon on drums. The band has been active during the period 1964-1982, briefly in 1989 and from 1996 to the present, albeit with only two of the original members still alive: Roger Daltrey and Peter Townshend.

The band has played under a number of different labels over the years including: Brunswick, Reaction and Polydor in the UK; and Decca, MCA, Warner Brothers and Universal in the USA.

Albums
My Generation (1965)
A Quick One (1966)
The Who Sell Out (1967)
Tommy (1969)
Who's Next (1971)
Quadrophenia (1973)
The Who By Numbers (1975)
Who Are You (1978)
Face Dances (1981)
It's Hard (1982)
Endless Wire (2006)
 
In the early 1960's Peter Townshend and John Entwistle formed a band called The Confederates. At the time Roger Daltrey was playing guitar for a band called The Detours and asked John Entwistle to join The Detours on bass, Entwistle suggested Pete Townshend as rhythm guitar. When Detours vocalist Colin Dawson left Daltrey took his place and Townshend assumed the part of lead as well as rhythm guitar.

In 1964 Keith Moon joined the band as drummer and the band's name was changed to The Who. In 1965 the band's first single, 'I Can't Explain', made it to the top 10 in the UK. In the same year the first album, 'My Generation', was released that included the single 'Substitute'.

The Album 'A Quick One' followed in 1966 and in 1967 they released 'The Who Sell Out', a concept album that included the US hit single 'I Can See For Miles'.

The WhoPoster
In 1968 The Who released the single 'Magic Bus'. Townshend was interviewed by Rolling Stone , when he revealed plans for a full length rock opera, that was eventually realised in the album 'Tommy'. The Who played Woodstock the same year.

In 1970 'Live at Leeds' a live recording of a gig at Leeds University, was released. The album is considered by many critics to be the ultimate live rock album ever. 1971 saw the release of 'Who's Next', that included two tracks notable for the early use of synthesisers: 'Baba O'Riley' and Won't Get 'Fooled Again'.

In 1973 Quadrophenia was released. This was another rock opera about a mentally ill boy named Jimmy set against the conflicting lifestyles of Mods and Rockers in Brighton. The album reached number 2 in both the UK and US charts.

'The Who by Numbers' was released in 1975. Also in the same year the movie 'Tommy' directed by Ken Russell was released. 'Tommy' stared Roger Daltry and earned Pete Townshend an Academy Award for best Original Score.

'Who Are You', charting at number 2 in the US, was released in 1978. Keith Moon passed away in his sleep after an overdose of Heminevin, being replaced by Kenney Jones of the Small Faces.

The band toured during 1979, released a documentary, 'The Kids are Alright', and the hit film 'Quadrophenia'.

The band released two albums with Kenny Jones as drummer: Face Dance, including the top 10 single You Better You Bet, in 1981 and It's Hard in 1982.
The 980's saw the break up of the band with Townshend declaring he had no more material for the who. There were several one off gigs and a couple of tours, during one of which on 27th June 2002 Entwistle was found dead after suffering a heart attack at the Hard Rock Hotel.

In 2006 Endless Wire, the bands first studio album since 1982, was released. The band are still performing, despite Townshend suffering problems with his hearing, and look like continuing into the near future.


Updated and redesigned editions of the classic guides to the music of the world's best known acts. Written by experts, each book examines every song in a given artist's recorded repertoire, making it an invaluable guide for Who collectors and fans alike.

This little book is an excellent overview of all of the officially released output of The Who's career. It would provide a useful guide to new Who converts and seasoned Who freaks alike. Contains some background on the albums and a brief critical appraisal of each and every track. Wicked! Also has some neat photos.


A very thorough and methodical roundup of The Who's career. A mine of information and stories that every Who fan will love.

Pete Townshend wrote 'Hope I die before I get old' in 1965 and took the Who to the top of the world in 1969's smash hit Tommy. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990 and has song writing credits on a number of rock classics. An accurate, detailed and fascinating account of the life of a man whose story should have been told in this much detail long ago. Wilkerson interviewed Townshend himself and several of Townshend's friends and associates for this book.

The Who, without a doubt one of history's most listened to and talked about rock bands, burst upon a startled world in the early sixties and for nearly twenty years since have maintained a pre-eminent position in shaping the sound and style of a generation. Subject to reams of media criticism throughout their career, the Who themselves have often remained aloof preferring it seems to let their music speak for them, except for Pete Townshend, their lead guitarist, who became a spokesman for his generation.

When best-selling Rolling Stone writer Dave Marsh, who has been a passionate believer in, and a tough critic of the group since the early sixties, was invited by Pete Townshend to write a history of their legendary band, he spent three years investigating and researching their story.

Before I get Old is the first book to discard the myth and nonsense, so much a part of the usual Who coverage: it tells the story of not one but six personalities - the band themselves and their two enigmatic managers, Lambert and Stamp. In short, every inch of fascinating, shocking, hilarious or provocatively relevant material on the Who and their wild and crazy lives and careers is here in this story.