The Who

The Who didn’t just play rock and roll, they attacked their music and their instruments with raw power fueled by teenage rage. The Who evolved in London in 1964 from a group called the Detours (and, later, the High Numbers), which included Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle. They were joined by Keith Moon, who had played in a surf group called the Beachcombers. The newly charged-up band came on as equipment-smashing Mods, declaring “I hope I die before I get old” in their stuttering anthem “My Generation.” The early Who demonstrated a mastery of the three-minute single, articulating in explosive bursts the frustrations of adolescence. By the late Sixties, the group had begun crafting conceptual works, such as Tommy and Quadrophenia. At all stages of their career, the Who were one of rock’s most dynamic live acts. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

John Entwistle of the  Who Bass Guitar

Warwick Buzzard, c. 1979
Design by John Entwistle
Collection of John Entwistle
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Keith Moon Velvet Stage Outfit

Gift of K.W. Moon

One of the most accomplished drummers in rock history, Keith Moon was equally known for his outrageous stunts, both onstage and off. He died in 1978 from an overdose of a drug he was taking to battle alcoholism.  View Velvet Stage Outfit

The  Who Drum Head, 1968

Collection of Walt Tiburski
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