Dale Raynes

The Who Trivia Book Dale Raynes

Ever since they burst onto the rock scene in the mid- 1960s, there has been something utterly unique about The Who. Others sang about rebellion, but this band was rebellion. Roger Daltrey yelled, "I hope I die before I get old." Pete Townshend bashed his guitar into the floor, and Keith Moon literally blew up his drums on more than one occasion. Meanwhile, John Entwistle was the real rocker in the band. Don't believe me? He died in Vegas at 57, with a groupie in his bed and cocaine on the bedstand.

Yet somehow, The Who was not a parody of rock chaos and debauchery. They grew into the most sophisticated and articulate band of their time. Pete wrote more than one award-winning rock opera and produced poignant and insightful songs on growing old and social issues. Through it all, The Who rocked. Only this remarkable band could invent the concept album, pioneer heavy metal, and still maintain the respect of punk rockers through their brute nihilism and dedication to aggressive music and self-destructive behavior.

Just listen to a masterwork like "Won't Get Fooled Again." No other band could combine a nuanced analysis of the political blowback that historically accompanies political revolutions with the hardest rocking riffage imaginable. Some died before they got old, and others didn't. There will never be another band like them.

The Who have a legacy worth exploring. Let's see how well you know these four lads from London who changed rock forever.