The Who is without a doubt one of the most influential English rock bands of the 20th
century.
They formed in London, England, in 1964.
Their initial line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, singer-songwriter and guitarist
Pete Townshend, bassist and backing vocalist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon.
The Who have sold over 100 million albums worldwide and are renowned for being master
storytellers.
A few of their many claims to fame include putting out the first rock opera, participating
in the development of the Marshall Stack, and their artful use of the synthesizer.
Townshend's signature feedback and power chord techniques coupled with Entwistle and Moon's
hugely influential playing styles gave The Who a signature sound that is often imitated
but rarely ever duplicated.
The band is often cited as being an influence by many punk rock, mod, and hard rock bands,
and their songs and albums are still regularly played.
Their first single was 1965s I Can't Explain, which reached the top ten on the UK charts.
This was followed up by a string of hits, including My Generations, Happy Jack, and
Substitute.
In 1967, they played at the Monterrey Pop Festival and released their only US top ten
single, I Can See For Miles.
In 1969, they put out their concept album Tommy which included the classic single Pinball
Wizard.
The record was considered both a critical and commercial success and even inspired a
film of the same name.
As of 2022, The Who is still touring and releasing music.
Their most recent album, Who, was released in 2019.
Despite still being a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, the band's line-up
has changed substantially over the last 50 or so years.
Join Facts Verse as we take the time to discuss the band members of The Who who sadly are
no longer with us.
We'll also check in with the two surviving original band members to see what they are
up to these days.
John Entwistle
The bass player from The Who died in a way that pretty much any self-respecting rock
and roll legend would probably be proud of.
John Entwistle died from a heart condition that was brought on by taking copious amounts
of cocaine during an evening of partying with a Las Vegas stripper.
The musician was found dead on June 27, 2002, in his suite at the Hard Rock Hotel.
According to the coroner's report, Entwistle had apparently taken a hefty dose of the drug
three to four hours before his death.
That evening, the 57-year-old musician spent some time at the hotel's bar with fellow band
members Townshend and Daltrey.
The three bandmates, who were notorious for partying hard and living life to excess during
their prime in the late 60s and early 70s, were celebrating the start of their US tour.
After having one last drink, Entwistle, who earned the nickname 'the ox' because of his
tendency to stand completely still while on stage, retired to his room with his female
companion sometime around 3 am.
The woman had reported hearing him snoring during the night but noted that he had rolled
over at around 6 am.
When she woke up in the morning around 10 am, he was reportedly cold to the touch and
unresponsive.
She attempted CPR and called the paramedics, but no one was able to resuscitate him.
Entwistle was renowned for his musical abilities.
His use of pentatonic lead lines and a treble-rich sound was groundbreaking at the time.
In 2011, Rolling Stone's readers poll rated him the greatest bass player of all time.
Bass Player magazine likewise named him number seven on their list of the 100 Greatest Bass
Players in 2017.
Doug Sandom
Doug was the Who's original drummer.
During the infancy of the band's career, while they were still playing under the name The
Detours, Sandom, who previously worked as a bricklayer, joined the group as drummer.
While the other band members were in their late teens, Sandom was already in his early
thirties.
Eventually, this age difference proved to be quite problematic with the other band members.
Sandom's wife also was opposed to him staying out late.
After discovering in February of 1964 that there was already a band called The Detours,
the band changed their name to the Who on Valentine's Day.
In early 1964, the Who secured an audition with Fontana Records.
The label, however, wasn't impressed with what they heard, and producer Chris Parmeinter
particularly didn't like Sandom's drumming.
The band's manager at the time, Helmut Gordon, along with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey,
and John Entwistle, agreed that Sandom should leave the band.
He was given a month's notice and subsequently left the group in April.
A month after his departure, Keith Moon was hired after he approached the band after one
of their shows and told them that he could play better than the stand-in drummer that
they had hired to fill in for Sandom.
No recordings with Sandom playing have ever been leaked or released.
In 2014, Sandom published a memoir entitled The Who Before the Who.
Five years late on February 27, 2019, Sandom died the day after celebrating his 89th birthday.
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Keith Moon
Rock music lost one of its most talented drummers, and one of its most hell-raising characters
on the evening of September 7, 1978.
That was the night that the Who's legendary drummer died.
Not only was he one of a kind when he was behind a drum kit, but there was also no one
quite him when it came to his over-the-top lifestyle and irreverent attitude.
Moon was born on the 23rd of August, 1946.
When he was in his teens, he already demonstrated that he was a very gifted drummer.
When he joined the Who, it was nothing short of a match made in heaven.
He added a crucial element to the band that had previously been lacking.
Not only did his percussion work give the group's music a chaotic edge, but Moon served
as this comic foil of sorts to the ever-serious Pete Townshend.
Moon's life was cut short after a night of heavy partying.
His death was caused by an overdose of pills that he had taken to combat his alcoholism.
That drug, Heminevrin, was a powerful sedative.
So, it would have only taken a handful of them to bring about his death.
According to his autopsy report, Moon had taken almost a third of his 100-pill prescription.
The drug disabled his esophagus, preventing him from vomiting, and ultimately suffocated
him.
The Who's manager Bill Curbishley said that while Moon never touched harder drugs, he
was never someone who was destined to grow old gracefully.
He went on to say that Moon wasn't ever going to 'make old bones' and that he was 'designed
in such a way to be remembered as he was'.
Sadly, at the time of his death, the band had just embarked on a new chapter of their
journey together with the release of their album Who Are You just weeks prior.
Eerily on that album's cover, Moon is seen sitting on a chair with the words "Not to
be taken away" written on it.
Read into that as much or as little as you'd like.
Pete Townshend
At 77, the Who's co-founder, leader, guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter, Pete Townshend,
is still alive and well.
But as much as you might think that he would lament the deaths of his fallen bandmates,
Townshend was quoted by Rolling Stone in 2019 as saying 'thank god' that Keith Moon and
John Entwistle are dead.
After Keith Moon died in 1978, the group recruited Kenney Jones to take his place.
His tenure with the band, however, would prove to be short-lived as the group split up in
1983.
They did make a handful of reunions over the years since then, but when they got back together
full-time in 1996, drummer Zak Starkey took up a permanent position behind the drum kit
and has been there ever since.
When Rolling Stone asked Townshend about Moon and Entwistle's deaths, he was quick to deny
feeling any sort of nostalgia for the 'good old days' when everyone was still alive.
He went on to say that while he might be upsetting some of the band's friends, he's somewhat
happy that they are gone because, quote, "they were effing difficult to play with".
When asked to elaborate, Townshend shared that they never were able to create bands
for themselves.
He further added that it was his belief that it was his musical discipline and efficiency
as a rhythm player that held the band together.
The death that Townshend says hit him the hardest was that of his guitar tech of more
than 40 years, Alan Rogan.
Townshend is currently touring with The Who for their 2022 North American tour.
The tour, which was initially meant to promote the band's 2019 album Who, had previously
been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked if the band is currently working on a new LP or EP, he said that it was unlikely
that such a project would materialize any time soon seeing as how he currently is in
the process of planning his retirement.
Townshend also confirmed to Rolling Stone that Spitfire films is producing a Keith Moon
biopic film, although he didn't have many details to offer about the project.
He did mention that he is currently working with the production company on a few things
related to the film and noted that it was going to be more of a Who biopic than anything.
Roger Daltrey
While the days of smashing up guitars and trashing hotel rooms might be long gone, but
for The Who's Roger Daltrey, something never change.
The 78-year-old co-founder and lead singer of the iconic band might be getting up there
in years, but he can still pack a musical punch.
Daltrey is considered by many to be one of the most talented and powerful singers in
rock music.
Alongside Townshend, Daltrey is currently touring with the band for their "The Who Hits
Back' 2022 tour which kicked off with a show on April 22 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel
& Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Sharing the stage with orchestras from the US and Canada, the band will make their way
across North America through the end of May before picking things back up again in October.
While Daltrey has always been a cornerstone of The Who, he's also enjoyed a successful
solo career.
He put out his first solo album, Daltrey, in 1973, and has since released a total of
9 albums.
His most recent offering, 2018s As Long as I Have You, received positive reviews from
critics and was released on vinyl, cd, and digitally.
That about wraps up our rundown of every Who band member who has died.
Were you surprised to hear Pete Townshend say that he is thankful that Keith Moon and
John Entwistle are dead?
And do you think the Who should keep touring indefinitely, or should they all retire and
exit the music industry gracefully?
Let us know in the comments.
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