THE WHO have, over an illustrious career and many instantly recognisable hit singles, spanned the gap between Hard Rock, brash Pop and hugely successful Rock operas. THE WHO rank as one of the true greats in the rock field having achieved star status in both Europe and America.

THE WHO boasted one of the classic rock voices in ROGER DALTREY, superb songwriting and onstage theatrics from Pete Townshend and the lunatic hard hitting wit of drummer Keith Moon. THE WHO also paved the way for the subsequently much imitated onstage mayhem and abandon as many shows and TV appearances climaxed in the band's gear being trashed.

Daltrey has also pursued an acting career throughout the band's history starring in such movies as 'McVicar', 'The Legacy' and Lisztomania'. The vocalist has also kept a solo musical career alive with albums such as 1973's 'Daltrey', '1975's 'Ride A Cock Horse'. 1977's 'One Of The Boys' and further efforts post THE WHO. Bassist John Entwistle, known affectionately as 'The Ox', although thought of by many as the reclusive member of the band, often expressed his desire to concentrate on a harder direction.

Founded in London as THE DETOURS, the group evolved into THE HIGH NUMBERS during 1964 with original drummer Dougie Sandon. After a solitary single the same year 'I'm The Face' on the Fontana label the band adopted the new title of THE WHO and signed to a new record label Brunswick. The band's first single 'I Can't Explain' (much later covered by German metal institution the SCORPIONS) was an instant UK hit propelling the band to stardom and on a road of constant chart recognition.

Initially part of the mod scene THE WHO nevertheless gained respect from rock fans with their tough stance and Townshend's brash guitar style.

Making a brave effort to break away from the pop tag afforded them THE WHO released the 1969 rock opera album 'Tommy'. The album proved a massive hit and was later adopted into a hit movie ion 1975 that featured amongst others TINA TURNER and ELTON JOHN.

Townshend then embarked upon a further proposed concept piece dubbed 'Lifehouse'. Envisaged as a grandiose affair in keeping with the scale of 'Tommy' the project was centred upon a sci-fi storyline of Rock n' Roll saving the world. The band tried out songs on the live front and spent months recording and re-recording but eventually the endeavour was whittled down to a regular album release, 'Who's Next'.

In 1971 Entwistle released his debut solo album 'Bang Your Head Against The Wall' swiftly followed the following year by another album 'Whistle Rhymes'. 1972 also saw Townshend's solo work come to fruition with the release of the 'Who Came First' album.

A further conceptual album 'Quadrophenia' repeated the trend in 1973 and like it's predecessor was to become a well known film. The same year Entwistle found time to work with a side project band RIGOR MORTIS. An album, 'Rigor Mortis Sets In' featuring TONY ASHTON and guitarist Alan Ross was released the same year.

1975 caught Daltrey uniting with erstwhile YES keyboard player RICK WAKEMAN to forge the 'Lisztomania' concept album. In 1977 Townshend's second solo album saw him working with erstwhile SMALL FACES singer Ronnie Lane issuing the album 'Rough mix'.

1978 was to become a black year for the band with manager Pete Meadon committing suicide and Moon's excessive lifestyle finally catching up with him. The drummer died in September 1978.

The band stuck to their guns and recruited former SMALL FACES drummer Kenny Jones in early 1979 as the band also expanded to a five piece for the first time with the addition of keyboard player John 'Rabbit' Bundrick. Townshend released further solo efforts in 1980's 'Empty Glass' and 1982's 'All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes'.

THE WHO split in 1983 following a massively publicised farewell American tour. The band would be amongst a crop of 70's era Rock giants tempted out of retirement to perform at the 1985 'Live-Aid' concerts.

Jones teamed up with ex-FREE and BAD COMPANY frontman PAUL RODGERS to form THE LAW. 1985 saw a further Townshend solo album 'White City- A Novel' and the guitarist found added exposure on mainland Europe with the chart success of two hit singles 'Face The Face' and 'Give Blood'.

Predictably THE WHO reformed towards the end of the 80's for a further batch of sold out American gigs which saw the band running through a complete workout of 'Tommy' with such esteemed guests as PHIL COLLINS, ELTON JOHN and BILLY IDOL with drums performed by session veteran Simon Phillips. These dates came to fruition with the double live album 'Join Together'.

Although Daltrey now bides his time running a trout farm in Dorset rumours of reformations persisted. By 2000 the inevitable ensued with THE WHO announcing a world tour. joining Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle were ex-FREE keyboard player John 'Rabbit' Bundrick and drummer Zak Starkey, son of RINGO STARR. The band's North American tour reaped an impressive $21 million in revenue.

Entwistle found time to assemble a live band, suitably entitled THE JOHN ENTWISTLE BAND, for tour dates across America. The back to basics Hard Rock n' Roll quartet consisting of vocalist / guitarist Godfrey Townsend, keyboard player Gordon Cotton and drummer Steve Luongo.

In 2001 a star studded tribute album 'Substitute: The Songs Of The Who' emerged. Alongside THE WHO's own live version of 'Substitute', with a guesting Kelly Jones of THE STEREOPHONICS, the album included DAVID BOWIE's take on 'Pictures Of Lily', FASTBALL's 'The Real Me' and even the reclusive PEARL JAM contributing 'The Kids Are Alright'. The band played two shows at the London Royal Albert Hall on February 7th and 8th in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Sadly, on June 27th 2002- the day before THE WHO- with Zak Starkey on drums, were to embark upon a three month tour of North America, bassist and founder member John Entwistle was found dead in his Las Vegas hotel room. Apparently the bassist had died of a heart attack, it later being revealed that cocaine played a part in his demise. The band would only miss a few shows from the schedule as the esteemed session player Pino Palladino filled the bass slot. ROBERT PLANT would join the entourage for a month long run as opening act commencing on July 26th at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. With the tour underway it would be revealed that, in a somewhat unexpected partnership, Daltrey had guested on New York Thrash veterans ANTHRAX's new album 'We've Come For You All' vocalising on the track 'Taking The Music Back'.

As THE WHO tour rolled on it would be announced that several shows had been taped for a series of live albums, these new records to be made available after the tour's completion with proceeds going to charity. Talk of the impending movie on the life of Keith Moon also gathered pace, Hollywood comedian Mike Myers now in the frame to play the part of the late drummer. By the close of the year THE WHO had grossed over 30 million dollars in North American ticket receipts.

THE WHO were back in the limelight in September of 2003 as high profile Rap Metal act LIMP BIZKIT chose a cover of 'Behind Blue Eyes' from the 'Who's Next' album as the lead off single to their highly anticipated 'Results May Vary' album. TV exposure for the track was high as the band had managed to persuade star actress Halle Berry to perform in the promotional video. Meantime THE WHO themselves, comprising Daltrey, Townshend, Pino Palladino on bass and Zak Starkey on drums, announced further UK live dates for March of 2004. However, by early March rumours were in circulation that the EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and ASIA veteran GREG LAKE had taken the bass position. These gigs would include the 'Teenage Cancer Trust' benefit shows at Royal Albert Hall on 29th March and, after an absence of 34 years, a return to the Isle of Wight festival.

A 2004 compilation album 'Then & Now' proved of note for the inclusion of two brand new songs, the first recordings from the band in over twenty years. The Townshend compositions 'Real Good Looking Boy' and 'Old Red Wine' were laid down by Daltrey, Townshend, guitarist Simon Townshend, keyboard player John 'Rabbit' Bundrick, bassist GREG LAKE and drummer Zak Starkey. The latter would subsequently join OASIS.

At the age of 60, ROGER DALTREY was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to music, the entertainment industry and charity. The honour was bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony held in Buckingham Palace in February 2005. In September Daltrey revealed he had donated vocals to a cover version of seminal Punk classic 'Ever Fallen In Love', originally by THE BUZZCOCKS, as a tribute to the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel. Other contributors included LED ZEPPELIN's ROBERT PLANT, PINK FLOYD's DAVID GILMOUR, NEW ORDER's Peter Hook and JEFF BECK. Proceeds from the single went to Amnesty International.

Pete Townshend participated in a world record breaker with an act of charity later that year. In response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster Canadian Rocker BRYAN ADAMS initiated the signing of a white Fender Stratocaster guitar by a host of guitar legends and Rock stars. Amongst the fellow signees would be LED ZEPPELIN's JIMMY PAGE, Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC, BRIAN MAY of QUEEN, Ritchie Blackmore of RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE, members of DEF LEPPARD, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards from the ROLLING STONES, ERIC CLAPTON, DAVID GILMOUR, JEFF BECK, TONY IOMMI of BLACK SABBATH, Mark Knopfler, Ray Davies, Liam and Noel Gallagher of OASIS, Paul McCartney, Sting, and BRYAN ADAMS himself. Quite incredibly the instrument was auctioned in November for a staggering $1.6 million dollars, proceeds of which went to the 'Reach Out To Asia' foundation.

2007 opened with news that PEARL JAM had covered 'Love Reign O'er Me', cut for the movie soundtrack 'Reign Over Me', starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.