Who Biography

The Who is a British rock band of 1960s and 1970s fame, though surviving members have continued to create music and tour together. Noted for the dynamism of their live performances and for their thoughtful and art-influenced music, they are also acknowledged as having been rock pioneers, popularizing among other things the power chord and the rock opera (particularly Tommy and Quadrophenia). The 'classic' lineup of the band was Pete Townshend (lead guitar/vocals), Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), John Entwistle (bass/vocals) and Keith Moon (drums).

Moon joined The Who in April 1964, at the age of 17, an early replacement for their original drummer Doug Sandom. The band was then forced to work with a hired drummer. During one of the band's gigs with said drummer, Moon harassed as a spectator, claiming that he was a better drummer. Called on stage for an impromptu audition, it was then reported that Moon destroyed the bass pedal and cymbals. Moon was never truly confirmed as the drummer by any band member until later. Keith Moon is idolized as one of the best drummers of all time. He died in his sleep at the age of 32, having overdosed on Chlormethiazole, medication taken as part of a program to wean him off alcohol. Moon died the same week as the release of the last Who album he appeared on, Who Are You.

Their earlier "mod" albums, which boasted short, aggressive pop songs, Pete Townshend's distinctive power chords, and constant themes of youthful rebellion and romantic confusion, were formative influences on punk rock and power pop. In their early days they were notorious for destroying their instruments at the end of shows (based on Townshend's reading of Gustav Metzger's notion of 'Auto-Destructive Art').

"The Who", a name suggested by a friend of Pete's named Richard Barnes (They were formerly known as The Detours), was briefly changed to "The High Numbers" when they were discovered by Pete Meaden, who wanted to make them famous as a Mod band and became their manager. It was a reference to the T-shirts with numbers that the mods used at the time. Pete Meaden composed mod songs for them (in fact, the songs were almost copies of mod favourites at the time, with changed lyrics) and they released just one single, "I'm The Face/Zoot Suit", by Fontana records. The single didn't reach the high positions of the charts, and The High Numbers were rejected by EMI. The band readopted the name "The Who" after this fiasco. Just four songs were ever officialy released under the name "The High Numbers": "I'm The Face", "Zoot Suit", "Leaving Here" and "Here 'Tis".

30 October 2006 - The Who comes back with a new album "Endless Wire" produced by guitarist Pete Townshend.