Previously known as The Detours, the group changed their name to The Who in 1963. Although at one time the band had a different drummer and lead vocalist, there are actually only four members that most people associate with this super-group. They are drummer Keith Moon, lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, bass player John Entwistle, and lead guitarist and primary songwriter Pete Townshend.
The 1960s were the first decade during which the band gained popularity and fame. Their first singles were the hits "I Can’t Explain" and "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere." This was followed by the release of their debut album My Generation. Singles such as "The Kids Are Alright," as well as the title track, are still known and loved my many people. Other hits of the era include "I Can See For Miles" and "Magic Bus." It was also during this time that the group earned a reputation for their wild on-stage antics. This often included destroying their equipment at the end of a show, while Moon was known to detonate explosives onstage.
To welcome in the next decade, The Who released Live at Leeds, which is considered by many to be their best album. Other highlights of the 1970s included the release of the 1973 album Quadrophenia and Who Are You, released in 1978. The decade was also marred by tragedy, however. Keith Moon, the wild and crazy drummer of the band, died from a prescription drug overdose the same year that Who Are You was released. The band decided to continue on despite the loss of one of their key members. Moon was replaced by Kenney Jones.
The 1980s were a low decade for the group. Although their albums Face Dances and It’s Hard had impressive sales and were met with favorable reviews, many fans felt the sound of the group had changed after the unfortunate departure of Moon. Townshend declared that he wanted to do one more major tour, after which he wanted The Who to concentrate only on studio recordings. The tour was a sell-out throughout North America. In 1983, Townshend declared his intentions to leave the band. Also during this decade, Kenny Jones had his final performance with The Who, and the group completed a successful 25th Anniversary tour.
In 1990, all of The Who’s members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, one of the greatest honors for any group. Although the members were working on solo albums throughout the 1990s, they did reunite for several shows. The audience reception and rave reviews convinced them that perhaps they should consider making a new album. These new found hopes were again affected by another loss. John Entwistle was found dead in his hotel room in 2002, just one day before the group was scheduled to embark on a tour. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack brought on by cocaine use. Once again, however, the remaining members persevered. Endless Wires, released in 2006, contained the group’s first new songs in over twenty years. Daltrey and Townshend, the only remaining original members of The Who, continue to tour, performing for sold out stadiums of fans throughout the world.
YUDDY
