1964, London, England. The British Rock invasion began with the Beatles arriving on US soil for the first time, and a score of many other rock/pop acts would come flooding on to the scene, including the Detours, the original name of the band. Lead Singer Roger Daltrey joins guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon, to create what would become one of the best lineups in live rock concert history.
Back in the UK, while the charts were burning up with Beatles hits, a sound-alike single from the newly renamed band, The Who, broke the top ten. That single was “I Can’t Explain,” and was followed by a string of other hits such as “My Generation,” “Substitute,” and “Happy Jack.”
The Who joined many other pioneering rock bands of the generation by performing at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. This show, along with the release of the single “I Can See For Miles,” propelled the band into the US charts for the first time, supported by a massive and extensive tour across the country.
But it was in 1969 that the rock opera album “Tommy” with its’ massive single “Pinball Wizard,” made critical and commercial splash for the band. Their live performances at Woodstock, the Isle of Wight Festival, and the Live at Leeds album all cemented their reputation as a destructive force to be reckoned with. Literally. Considering The Who were one of the first bands to consistently destroy guitars and drums during their live shows.
The album “Who’s Next” continued the band’s foothold on rock stardom with the hit “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” As 1973 rolled in, the band returned to their mod roots sound with Quadrophenia, and got their first chance to oversee a Hollywood film in the screen adaptation of the Tommy rock opera, which premiered in 1975.
1978 was a massive, and devastating year for the band. While their release of the album Who Are You and the singles within were a worldwide success, the band was rocked by the sudden death of drummer Keith Moon. It was then the band decided to semi-retire from touring, with a complete split of the band in 1983 after Townshend’s disinterest in touring ever again.
The band occasionally re-formed for live appearances at Live Aid in 1985, a 25th anniversary tour in 1989, and a tour for Quadrophenia in the late 90s. In 2002, John Entwhistle’s passing saw the end of touring and the release of a new album until around 2006 when the band returned to the studio, reformed, and ready to carry on with Townshend and Daltrey. The band continues to tour today and has plans for an album within 2019.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
