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Pete Townshend is one of a rare (and seemingly
dying) breed of player--the rhythm guitarist. He is responsible for taking
this art form to its height, and literally invented the 'power chord', a
term describing aggressive rhythmic strumming using fat fifths and open
strings.
He is perhaps most legendary for his live performances--jumping madly about the stage, 'windmilling' his guitar, and smashing his amplifiers at the end of concerts.
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At 13 year old Roger playing guitar to a small group of people who had gathered round him. He first met John and Pete through his own band The Detours. Roger has always been regarded as the 'hard' man of the group. Often sorting out his arguments with his fists. Something Pete and Keith had first hand experience of. He also has had a fairly successful solo career, but admits that The Who is his first love and is only truly happy on stage with Pete and John. It has been with his time as lead singer with The Who that Roger has received critical acclaim for his acting skills. He has taken on the lead role in Tommy and McVicar, often surprising music and film critics. He has also starred in Litstomania, Buddy and had a few television roles. It was during the seventies that Roger had developed his 'rough' singing voice, with music critics acknowledging his work on the Live album The Who-Live At Leeds. With Roger twirling his mike on stage, Pete smashing guitars, Keith smashing his drums and John........just standing there, The Who are THE live act of all time. |
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John Entwistle, the quiet one. John was encouraged from an early age to take an interest in music and is the only band member to have any sort of formal music training.John gave up his job in the tax office to concentrate on The Who as they steadily became more famous. During the seventies John's stage clothes became more outrageous, a famous stage suit being the Skeleton suit. Once The Who split, John went on to form Led Zepplin. It has been said that John Entwistle is the glue that kept all the mayhem of The Who together. This may be so, but wouldn't it be nice if he would plant his guitar in an amp? Just once? please! Alas on the eve of the who's return to stage John died in his hotel room. John will be sadly missed by everyone.... |
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What can I say about Keith Moon? Mad? Generous? Eccentric? Lovable? A Clown? A Big Kid? A Genius?. Keiths style of playing was like no other. At one gig he took some rope with him, Pete asked what it was for as Keith lashed his drum kit down to the stage. Even tho' the drum kit was secured, it still rocked to and fro as Keith played it to death. He was able to produce the same sound as 'normal' drummers with one hand behind his back, and was never afraid to ad his own personal solo to a number when time permitted. Although Keith is well know for his amazing drumming,
respected the world over, he will doubtless be remembered for his
off-stage antics. Wrecking hotel rooms, driving Rolls Royce cars into
pools, dressing up as Hitler whilst touring the beer kellers of Germany,
staging interviews in leather lingerie.....Keith Moon died on the 7th of
September 1978. After years of abusing his body with drugs and drink, he
accidentally overdosed on the drugs he was taking to combat his
alcoholism. |
