The Who

It’s nothing short of ironic that a group that first got noticed for the line “I hope I die before I get old” (from “My Generation”) lasted over fifty years.

The Who was one of the few bands not dominated by their lead singer. Roger Daltrey had to compete with the guitar antics of Pete Townshend, who was also the band’s primary songwriter. There was also Keith Moon’s over-the-top manic drumming. Meanwhile, bassist John Entwistle stood stoically off to the side providing a solid foundation. Somebody had to.

The Who arrived in the mid-’60s with youth anthems like “My Generation” and “The Kids Are Alright.” In addition, The Who’s concerts were frenzied experiences. They destroyed their instruments long before it was fashionable.

But The Who’s greatest achievement came a year later with “Who’s Next” containing the incredible “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Bargain,” and “Baba O’ Riley.”

By the late ’70s though The Who seemed to run out of steam, which was probably inevitable. With Moon’s passing in ’78 it might have been a good time to hang it up.

Proclaiming Moon irreplaceable, they replaced him anyway with ex-Faces drummer Kenney Jones. The Who also launched a series of successful “farewell” tours.

Jones didn’t last long but The Who continued, for a period, as a trio – until they brought in drummer Zak Starkey (Ringo’s son) who played the kit longer than anyone else.

In ‘02, Entwistle died from an apparent cocaine-induced heart attack in Las Vegas just prior to the launch of the band’s U.S. tour. Not wanting to upset fans or concert promoters, Daltrey and Townshend pressed on with the tour as a “tribute to John.”

Declaring Entwistle “irreplaceable” (hey, we’ve been here before!), they hired Pino Palladino, who had worked on Townshend’s solo projects.

The Who teamed with the U.K.’s Teen Cancer Trust for an ’09 holiday fundraiser, Who Cares. “At a time when your body is changing, your social life is everything and you’re still trying to figure out who you are, getting cancer can seem like an impossible blow to take,” said Daltrey who was spearheading the effort. “But thanks to Teenage Cancer Trust, thousands of teenagers are taking it, and coming out fighting.” The band’s involvement with the cause continued over a decade and a half.

As The Who, now down to Daltrey and Townshend with later additions, were preparing for a real, this is it, final ’25 North American tour, Daltrey fired Starkey, for alleged miscues (which may not have been Starkey’s fault) during a live show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. There were also monitor volume issues. Starkey was then un-fired. Days later though, Starkey was fired again with Scott Devours, who’d worked with Daltrey, filling in.

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