The Who

I’m not sure I know how to describe what this band’s style was. It was certainly revolutionary and diverse. They created what is probably the first rock opera, which is a major feat in my mind. Although they developed a sound that was distinctively them, the category of this sound spans from the typical British invasion sound to mod, hard and possibly even an almost punk rock. Pete Townsend’s amazing songwriting ability paired with the ostentatious vocals of Roger Daltrey made for an astounding collection of music. When you added that to the wild drumming of Keith Moon and the steady bass of John Entwistle the result was just beyond what anyone though four members of a band could do. 
Both the Who’s stage presence and album production is absolutely mind-boggling. They were energetic and creative and it looked like they were having the time of their lives and that feeling rubbed off on the audience. They were very well known for smashing their instruments on stage after a show, which just brought forth even more energy and hype from the crowd. Moon once even rigged his drum kit with explosives so that they could end their show as no one else ever had. On the studio side of things, they were known for using new developments in their recordings, such as the synthesizer. They created Tommy, which was a completely new thing at the time as it wasn’t just a collection of the band’s songs. Tommy told a story, through music, of the struggles of a boy who tried to express himself.
The band formed in the early-1960s with a rather rough beginning. Their original manager tried to make them more respectable by changing their look and name. However, the respectable version of the band was not met with much popularity and so the band members decided find a new manager who helped form them into what we all know. Since the mid-1960s the Who have played together straight through to the early 1980s when the members took a break to pursue other interests before officially declaring a breakup in 1982. Even with the clashing egos and other problems between Daltrey and Townsend, they continue to perform to this day albeit without their original band mates Moon, who passed in 1978 and was subsequently replaced by Kenny Jones, and Entwistle who passed in 2002. Over the years, there have been numerous reunions and an official reformation in 1996 with Zak Starkey on drums, though he is not credited with being a certified member of the Who. 
Listening Recommendations:
• Pinball Wizard
• Pictures of Lily
• My Generation