The Who
Overview
The Who are an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...

 (lead vocals, harmonica and guitar), Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...

 (guitar, keyboards and vocals), John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...

 (bass guitar, brass and vocals) and Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...

 (drums and percussion). They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction. The Who have sold about 100 million records, and have charted 27 top forty singles in the United Kingdom and United States, as well as 17 top ten albums, with 18 Gold, 12 Platinum and 5 Multi-Platinum album awards in the United States alone.

The Who rose to fame in the UK with a series of top ten hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

s, boosted in part by pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...

 stations such as Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...

, beginning in January 1965 with "I Can't Explain
I Can't Explain
"I Can't Explain" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by Pete Townshend, and produced by Shel Talmy. The song was issued as a single in December 1964 in the United States and on 15 January 1965 in the United Kingdom.-Background:...

".
Quotations

That was bowling.

After being asked how he learned to use the Guitar movesWindmill|"windmill" guitar move, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour|The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, CBS Studios, Los Angeles, September 15, 1967

If you steer clear of quality, you're alright.

A Whole Scene Going, BBC 1, Studio 7, BBC Television Centre, London, January 5, 1966

John [Entwistle] and I were listening to a stereo L.P. of The Beatles|The Beatles in which the voices come out of one side and the backing track comes out of the other. And when you actually hear the backing tracks of The Beatles without their voices, they're flippin' lousy.

A Whole Scene Going, BBC 1, Studio 7, BBC Television Centre, London, January 5, 1966

My friends call me Keith, but you can call me John.

Introducing himself to Tommy Smothers|Tommy Smothers, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour|The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, CBS Studios, Los Angeles, September 15, 1967

We became rich later than I expected. Now I'm too old to enjoy my money.

Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, January 5-6, 1978

I think that if John could choose a way to die, it would be just the way it really was.

About John Entwistle's death, due to long time cocaine abuse.

I hope I die before I get old

"My Generation (The Who song)|My Generation", My Generation|My Generation (1965); written by Pete Townshend

It's only teenage wasteland

" Baba O'Riley|Baba O'Riley", Who's Next|Who's Next (1970); written by Pete Townshend

 
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