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The Who
Formed in the early '60s, the Who grew to be one of the major forces of the mod movement and the British Invasion. Decades after its heyday, the band remains as well known for its stage moves -- guitarist Pete Townshend's arm windmills, singer Roger Daltrey's microphone acrobatics, Townshend and drummer Keith Moon's tendency to smash their instruments, and bassist John Entwistle's still and silent stance -- as for its legacy of music. The Who's early songs were R&B-based, gaining the band a dedicated mod following. From 1964-68, they released a number of mod singles, including "I Can't Explain," "Substitute," "I Can See for Miles" and their signature tune, "My Generation." They stunned the music world in 1969 with Tommy, a double concept album hailed as the first successful rock opera. From then on, the Who became a battleground between Daltrey and Entwistle's desire to stick to loud rock songs and Townshend's increasingly complex musical visions. This battle led to more straightahead rock albums like Who's Next (1971), as well as the band's second concept project, 1973's Quadrophenia. Shortly after the release of the seminal Who Are You in 1978, the band was struck by tragedy, when Moon -- the consummate decadent rock star -- died of a drug overdose. The band soldiered on with ex-Faces drummer Kenney Jones in the drumseat, releasing two lackluster studio albums, 1981’s Face Dances and 1982’s It’s Hard. They split officially after the release of their final album, the 1984 live set Who’s Last. They have since reunited several times, incurring the wrath of critics and fans alike, who’ve lambasted the tours as crass money-making schemes. The Who most recently convened for a full-scale tour in 2000. |
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