The WHO: 1964- 1978
“BUZZ” Newspaper Article; Jan- Feb 2013 (#22-V)
(By: Mr.ZERo)
Recently I was able to see The WHO at the Xcel Center in St. Paul on Tues 27 Nov 2012. Now I hear lots of back lash about the band, specifically referred to as “The TWO” now I find this really wrong and somewhat offensive as Axl’s “Guns N Roses” (who I personally feel is the most over rated band of all time) contains solely Axl, and co-founding member Tracii Guns has not be in the band since May 1985. So why isn’t Axl’s Guns N Roses called “Only Axl” ??? I digress …
> Now for our story < Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend: (19 May 1945: Chiswick, London) & John Alec Entwhistle: (9 Oct 1944: Chiswick, London- 27 June 2002 Cocain induced heart attack in Las Vegas) were friends from Acton County Grammar School & were in a Dixieland band called “The Confederates” sometime in 1962, when Roger Harry Daltrey: (1 Mar 1944: Hammersmith- Acton, London) met Entwhistle walking down the street. Daltery was a Guitarist in a band called “The Detours” since 1961 Entwhistle joined Daltrey and shortly after Townshend joined The Detours with Doug Sandom (1936 UK) on Drums & Colin Dawson on Vocals. Soon Dawson left, and the bands management & Townshend felt the band needed a better drummer & so Sandom was let go. While using a temporary drummer, one Keith John Moon: (23 Aug 1946: Middlesex- Wembley – 7 Sep 1978) approached the band about being their drummer, Moon is soon accepted. Entwhistle informed the band there was already a band called The Detours, so the band changed their name to "The WHO" on 14 Feb 1964. However in an effort to be more "Mod" the band went under the name "The High Numbers" summer of 1964 and released a 45 Single "Zoot Suit/ I'm The Face". Heavily influenced by American R&B- Soul music, the band coined the phrase "Maximum R&B". > A Legal Matter < Amazingly The WHO only released 8 Studio Albums from 1965- 1978 with the original line up, they are listed as follows although it is worth pointing out that the same thing went for The WHO as did most other major British bands (like The Beatles, Rolling Stones & The Kinks), that the UK Versions of their albums were usually released earlier, with different track listings & sometimes even under a different title than the US versions, making both versions worth collecting, however on the UK versions far less were pressed & even fewer made it overseas. > Instant Party < Starting in 1965 the band releases 3 Singles with 4 Non-LP B-Sides. Their 1st LP "My Generation" is released in the USA in Apr 1966 on Decca Records, also in 1966 the band release 6 Singles with 9 Non- LP B- Sides. Note already the band has 13 songs not on an album, so at this point enough to make a 2nd LP. However, "A Quick One" or "Happy Jack" in USA is in fact the band's 2nd LP released in May 1967 on Decca, also in released in 1967 are 3 Singles with 5 Non- LP B- Sides. The band's 1st "Top 40" hit "Happy Jack" a #24 hit on the Billboard Chart on 3 Jun 1967 & then their 2nd hit "I Can See For Miles" a #9 hit on 25 Nov 1967. Later this same year the band's 3rd album "Sell Out" is released on 15 Dec 1967 also on Decca. In 1968 the band release 3 Singles with 4 Non- LP B- Sides. The 45 "Call Me Lightning" hits #40 on 4 May 1968. Again note, the band now have an additional 9 songs not on an album, making a total of 22 songs not on any LP by 1968. And then ... on 23 May 1969 the band make their biggest impact on the music world their 4th album, a concept 2 LP album “Tommy" is released on Decca. Also in 1969 the band release 2 Singles with 1 Non- LP B-Side. "Pinball Wizard" hits #24 on 24 May 1969 & "I'm Free" reaches #37 on 23 Aug 1969. > Naked Eye < The WHO is well known as a "Touring Band" (usually performing up to 2 hour concerts) & reputably heavily "Bootlegged" so the band decided to release their own "Live Album" considered to be 1 of the best "Live" LPs of all time "Live At Leeds" is released May 1970 recorded live at University of Leeds in Yorkshire, UK on 14 Feb 1970, here is the 'complete' Set-list: Heaven And Hell I Can’t Explain Fortune Teller Tattoo Young Man Blues Substitute Happy Jack I'm A Boy A Quick One, While He’s Away Summertime Blues Shaking All Over My Generation Magic Bus Overture It's A Boy 1921 Amazing Journey Sparks Eyesight To The Blind Christmas Acid Queen Pinball Wizard Do You Think It's Alight Fiddle About Tommy Can You Hear Me There's A Dr. Go To The Mirror Smash The Mirror Miracle Cure Sally Simpson I'm Free Tommy's Holiday Camp We're Not Gonna Take It Entwhistle once said "The Beatles ... they make better records than we do, but we blow them away on stage" Also in 1970 the band release 3 Singles with 3 Non- LP B- Sides. "Summertime Blues" hits #27 on 15 Aug 1970 & "See Me, Feel Me" reaches #12 on 28 Nov 1970. The band then release their 5th album "Who's Next" 25 Aug 1971 on Decca. Also in 1971 the band release 3 Singles with 3 Non- LP B- Sides. With "Won't Get Fooled Again" a #15 hit on 18 Sep 1971 & "Behind Blue Eyes" reaching #34 on 18 Dec 1971. In Oct 1971 the band's 1st compilation LP is released "Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy" a "Greatest Hits" really, as all but 1 song was released on a 45. On to 1972 the band release 3 Singles with 4 Non- LP B- Sides, with "Join Together" hitting #17 on the charts on 9 Sep 1972. > Too Much Of Anything < In 1973 the bands 6th LP, and the 2nd 'Rock Opera' (also a 2 LP) "Quadrophenia" is released on 19 Oct on Track & MCA Records, along with 2 Singles in 1973 with 1 Non- LP B- Side, with "The Relay" reaching #39 on the charts on 13 Jan 1973. In Oct 1974 "Odds & Sods" is released. This is the 2nd compilation album released by the band, except this one contains singles & unreleased songs. The title, well... the 3rd word, in the UK, is an equivalent to the "F" word in the US. Then in 1974 the band release 3 Singles with 4 Non- LP B- Sides. At this the band has 11 songs out that again are not on any LP. In 1975 "By Numbers" is released on 25 Oct, on MCA. The band’s 7th album & release the Single "Squeeze Box" which hits #16 on 14 Feb 1976 & then release 2 Singles in 1976. The band's 8th and final LP with the original line-up "Who Are You" is released on 18 Aug 1978 on MCA. Keith Moon dies of an overdose of 32 pills of Clomethiazole on 7 Sep 1978 at Shepherd Market, Mayfair, on the same property where Mama Cass Elliot died. The band release 2 Single 45s 1 being "Who Are You" with the "F word" taken out by cutting the time down to 3:27 min. the song hits #14 on 4 Nov 1978. > Another Tricky Day < The WHO hire former "Faces" Drummer: Kenneth Thomas Jones: (16 Sep 1948: Whitechapel, London) in early 1979. On 26 Dec 1979 in London @ Hammersmith Odeon the band record their show for the charity LP "Concerts for the People of Kampuchea" that came out Mar 1981 on Atlantic, 4 songs were used from that set. With Jones on board the band release 2 studio albums "Face Dances" Mar 1981 & "It's Hard" Sep 1982. The last WHO concert was on 17 Dec 1982 in Toronto & a video was released from it: "Who Rocks America" & a 2nd "Live" album recorded on 14 Dec 1982 in Richfield, OH @ the Coliseum, which was the last US date of the tour. "Who's Last" was released in Dec 1984. > One Life’s Enough < As The WHO's "Farewell Tour" came to a close "Rarities Vol 1 & 2" were released in Aug 1983 in the UK only, I feel these 2 LPs are worth mentioning as almost all of the 25 tracks contained here are not on The WHO's official studio LPs. Later in 1985 with the introduction of the CD "Who's Missing" came out in Nov 1985 & "Twos Missing" in Apr 1987, totaling 24 tracks between the 2 CDs, these are the US versions of the UK "Rarities: 1 & 2" however as usual there are several tracks between the 2 ‘Releases’ that do not cross over & are unique to the UK or US releases. A final note while The WHO only released 11 studio LPs all 4 original band members did release Solo albums: Daltry: 8 Solo LPs from 1973- 1992 & Entwhistle: 7 Solo LPs from 1971- 2000 & Moon: "Two Sides" in Mar 1975 & Townshend: 7 Solo LPs from 1972- 1993. I have always found it fascinating how music history evolves as time goes by, for example 4 of The WHO's most famous songs "I Can't Explain" "My Generation" "Baba O'Riley" (consistently misidentified as ‘Teenage Wasteland’) & "Love Reign O'er Me" none of these songs were "Top 40" Hits. So until the next time: “Nerd Is The Word”
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