The Who This Month!

UK#1 songs - "DARE" - Gorillaz ft. Shaun Ryder; "Don't Cha" - The Pussycat Dolls ft. Busta Rhymes
US #1 songs - "We Belong Together" - Mariah Carey; "Gold Digger" - Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx

On the 4th, Roger Daltrey records a cover of "My Generation" with the British boy band McFly. The song is used to promote the new HMV Digital online service.

Also on the 4th, Rachel Fuller posts a new song on her blog, "Just Breathe," co-written with her boyfriend Pete Townshend and dedicated to the city of New Orleans.

On the 7th, Pete announces he is starting his own blog to serialize his unpublished novella The Boy Who Heard Music.

On the 24th, Pete publishes "Chapter 1: Prologue – The Note" from The Boy Who Heard Music on his blog. Positive comments from fans in the blog will encourage Pete to begin writing more songs based on the story.

On the 25th, Pete debuts a new song "In The Ether," performing it with Rachel at The Poetry Olympics at the Royal Albert Hall, London. He sings the song in a guttural voice saying "I use funny voices…because I use funny voices." The program for the Poetry Olympics contain the lyrics for this song plus another song called "Wake Up and Hear The Music" that will later become "God Speaks of Marty Robbins".

On the 27th, Roger is interviewed on U.K. Channel 5 by comedian Steve Coogan playing his character Alan Partridge.

On the 30th, Variety reports that Spitfire Pictures has brought on Mike Myers to star in Roger's long-discussed Keith Moon bio-movie. Although Myers still expresses interest as recently as 2010, production on the film has not begun and seems unlikely with Myers in the lead.

September 2000 (10 Years Ago)

UK#1 songs - "Take On Me" - A1; "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" - Modjo; "Against All Odds" - Mariah Carey ft. Westlife
US #1 songs - "Doesn't Really Matter" - Janet Jackson; "Music" - Madonna

On the 1st, a news report claims The Who were horrified after having been drawn as they currently look for the forthcoming U.S. cartoon show The Simpsons. They ask to be redrawn as they appeared in the mid 1970's.

On the 5th, John Entwistle tapes a guest appearance on the U.K. TV comedy-game show programme Never Mind The Buzzcocks. The episode airs on the 15th.

On the 13th, Who fan Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical movie Almost Famous premieres. It features a scene where the hero discovers rock music when he listens to "Sparks" from the Tommy album. The song is featured on the movie's soundtrack CD.

On the 17th, the Showtime cable channel premieres the biopic Hendrix. Mark Holmes plays Pete Townshend and Nigel Graham plays Roger Daltrey.

On the 18th, Eelpie.com begins selling Pete’s live CD’s Live > The Empire 1998 and Live > Sadler’s Wells 2000.

On the 19th, Roger attends the 2000 PETA Awards in Los Angeles.

Photo: Steve Granitz

On the 23rd, Gary Hall, U.S. swimming relay team member, wins the Gold at the Summer Olympics in Sydney. He tells NBC-TV that listening to Pete and The Who before the race pumps him up.

On the 24th, after a week in the sun in Florida, Pete begins writing a radio play called The Boy Who Heard Music. The story climaxes at a benefit rock concert for a New York City still reeling from a terrorist attack.

On the 24th, The Who begin the third leg of their North American tour at Mars Music Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is followed by the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida (26th), the Philips Arena in Atlanta (28th) and the Gund Arena in Cleveland (30th).

"The Relay" - West Palm Beach 2000

On the 27th, Pete writes a long diary entry called "Dampa Tampa." Towards the end he levels a stinging attack on music writers in magazines and newspapers who criticize The Who for one comeback tour after another: "Between 1982 when I left The Who (with Roger's uneasy blessing) and last year, there have been two reunions. Count them. Two. That is, one every nine years. Hardly a cynical exercise in comebacks whenever we needed to make money."

Photo: P. Williams

At the Atlanta show, Pete, while banging on his guitar, upsets the metal plate in his wrist from his 1991 bicycle accident. He sees a specialist in Atlanta the next day before heading to Cleveland.

On the 30th, Music365 reports that Roger will star in an upcoming film called Chemical Wedding based on an album by Iron Maiden front man Bruce Dickinson and produced by Terry Jones of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Simon Callow takes Roger's role by the time the film is finally made and released in 2008.

September 1995 (15 Years Ago)

UK#1 songs - "You Are Not Alone" - Michael Jackson; "Boombastic" - Shaggy; "Fairground" - Simply Red
US #1 songs - "You Are Not Alone" - Michael Jackson; "Gangsta's Paradise" - Coolio ft. L.V.; "Fantasy" - Mariah Carey

In an article in Studio Sound Magazine, Andy Macpherson reveals that the re-issue of the Who's Next album was hampered because only half the multi-track masters could be located. Some are later found and used for the 2003 re-issue but one reel (containing "Bargain" and some other tracks) remain missing to date.

On the 10th, Pete does a fifty-minute set playing acoustic guitar and piano at the Paramount in New York as the opening act for Paul Simon & Friends. although the full band including Simon comes out for the opening song "The Kids Are Alright." Pete plays acoustic guitar and a long set at the piano. After Paul's set, Pete returns to play and even sing some lines of Paul's "You Can Call Me Al". The experience is so enjoyable for Pete that he begins to think about touring again.

Photo: Ebet Roberts

On the 16th, Roger, John Entwistle, Simon Townshend, Zak Starkey and other members of the extended Who perform 21 Who songs at a Who fan convention at the Bottom Line in London. This almost-Who was to tour Europe and Australia later in the year but on the 22nd, it is announced that those shows have been cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

On the 26th, the soundtrack to National Lampoon’s Senior Trip is released. It features Ian Moore performing a cover of "Magic Bus."

September 1990 (20 Years Ago)

UK#1 singles - "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" - Bombalurina; "The Joker" - The Steve Miller Band; "Show Me Heaven" - Maria McKee
US#1 singles - "If Wishes Came True" - Sweet Sensation; "Blaze of Glory" - Jon Bon Jovi; "Release Me" - Wilson Phillips; "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" - Nelson

John heads off to Japan to play bass as part of a group called "The Best." The rest of the group is Keith Emerson on keyboards, Joe Walsh and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitars and Simon Phillips on drums. One of John's contributions to the song line-up is a medley of "Boris The Spider" and "Theme from Jaws." They perform at Yoyogi No.1 Gymnasium in Tokyo on the 23rd, Yokohama Arena on the 26th and Koshien Stadium on the 30th. The Yokohama show is broadcast on local television. This is the first time any member of The Who performs in Japan. The group plays a few dates the next month in Hawaii before calling it quits.

The Best - Too Late The Hero 1990
Uploaded by IvorTheEngineDriver. - See the latest featured music videos.

September 1985 (25 Years Ago)

UK#1 single - "Dancing in the Street" - David Bowie and Mick Jagger
US#1 singles - "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" - John Parr; "Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits

Roger travels to the U.S. to promote his new solo album Under a Raging Moon being interviewed on New York City's 92 K-Rock on the 3rd and making a appearance on MTV on the 9th. He also shows up on David Brenner's radio show.

On the 11th, Roger picks up a lifetime achievement award for The Who at a reception held before Record Bar's annual convention in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Meanwhile the Cinemax cable channel airs a special on Pete's new solo album and accompanying film White City. Pete is interviewed and videos and clips from the short movie are shown.

On the 18th, Roger is back in the U.K. promoting his album on TV-AM, a morning television show, on the 18th followed by a short interview on BBC Radio One's News Beat. On the 21st, he appears on the children's programme The Saturday Show.

On the 21st, Under a Raging Moon, the LP is released in the U.K. The promotion helps the album reach the U.K. charts unlike his previous solo album. It peaks at #52.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

On the 25th, the first single from the album hits the charts in the U.S. The A-side, "After the Fire" is written by Pete who offers it to Roger after The Who fail to perform it at Live Aid. The B-side is "It Don't Satisfy Me" while the 12" version adds "Love Me Like You Do." The single peaks at #48 in Billboard and #59 in Cash Box.

Rolling Stone reports that Pete will be one of the artists participating in the new anti-apartheid anthem "Sun City."

On the 30th, Pete appears on NBC's Today show promoting his new album, film and book Horse's Neck.

September 1980 (30 Years Ago)

UK#1 45's - "Start!" - The Jam; "Feels Like I'm in Love" - Kelly Marie; "Don't Stand So Close to Me" - The Police
US#1 45 - "Upside Down" - Diana Ross

On the 3rd and 4th The Who and Bill Curbishley quietly return to Cincinnati to give their depositions in a $1.2 million lawsuit brought by Todd Volkman, a survivor of the crush outside Riverfront Coliseum before The Who's 1979 concert. The depositions are held at the Cincinnati Club. The proceedings get very emotional with John reduced to tears at one point. Pete later says he found it odd that Volkman's attorney questions him as if he were some stereotypically moronic rock star.

Another oddity is that just as the band are giving their testimony a group of women in a building across the street, visible only to those sitting in the chair to be questioned, begin parading around naked! The next day Volkman's attorney is interviewed in The Cincinnati Enquirer. He says that the 14 lawsuits against the Coliseum, the promoters and The Who could total "substantially over $100 million."

On the 6th, Melody Maker prints an angry rebuttal to their panning review of Roger's movie McVicar. The letter comes from John McVicar himself. He praises Roger for gambling on a risky subject.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

On the 20th, Roger's second single from his McVicar LP hits the U.S. charts. The gentle ballad "Without Your Love," a cover of a Billy Nicholls' song from Pete's Meher Baba tribute LP With Love, becomes Roger's biggest solo hit in the U.S. peaking at #20 in Billboard and #23 in Cash Box. The flip side is "Escape Part 2."

On the 27th, David Bowie's LP Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) hits the British charts. It features Pete playing guitar on the song "Because You're Young."

Us magazine does an interview with Roger on the 30th. He complains about the effect of touring on his nerves: "I'm edgy after I finish a tour. After weeks of being exposed to the din of loud music, all sounds play on my sensitivity. I can't bear bells, shouting, even the hum of an electric razor. It takes about a month to adjust."

September 1975 (35 Years Ago)

UK#1 45 - "Sailing" - Rod Stewart
US#1 45's - "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Glen Campbell; "Fame" - David Bowie; "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso" - John Denver

On the 3rd, Keith Moon's appearance on the Merv Griffin Show is broadcast.

On the 8th, Keith arranges a singing session for comedian Peter Cook at Clover Recorders, Hollywood. Members of The Band and Ricky Nelson perform back up. Keith is then in the midst of recording his second, never-to-be-completed, solo album.

Photo: Peter Butler

Photo: Terry O'Neill

That evening, Keith attends Peter Sellers' 50th birthday party at Peter's home in Beverly Hills. While there Keith jams with an impromptu band consisting of David Bowie, Bill Wyman, Ron Wood, Joe Cocker, Jesse Ed Davis, Danny Kortchmar, Bobby Keyes and Nigel Olsson.

On the 13th, a single from Roger's solo LP Ride a Rock Horse hits the U.S. charts. "Come And Get Your Love" backed with "Hearts a-Right" peaks at #68 in Billboard and #63 in Cash Box.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

On the 16th the new Who album, originally to be entitled "Car Tunes" but with the title changed to The Who By Numbers, receives its final mastering at IBC Studios, London. John, referring to the album's generally downbeat tone, later says the title was changed because "basically the songs weren't the kind you'd play in the car unless you wanted to drive off a bridge."

On the 20th, Pete returns from Northern California, Keith from Los Angeles and The Who begin rehearsals for their upcoming tour on the D Stage at Shepperton Studios.

Also on the 20th, Tina Turner's album Acid Queen hits the U.S. charts. It contains Ike Turner-arranged covers of "The Acid Queen" and "I Can See For Miles" and reaches #155 in the U.S. charts.

September 1970 (40 Years Ago)

UK#1 45's - "The Wonder of You" - Elvis Presley; "The Tears of a Clown" - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; "Band of Gold" - Freda Payne
US#1 45's - "War" - Edwin Starr; "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Diana Ross

On the 12th, Record Mirror reports that 1.3 million copies of Tommy have been sold in 8-track format.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

Also on the 12th, The Who launch a tour of the Continent beginning at the Münsterland Halle in Muenster, West Germany. On the 13th, they are at the Oberrheinhalle in Offenbach. At the show Pete announces the title of The Who's soon-to-be-released album as "6 ft. Wide Garage, 7 ft. Wide Car." It's a reference to the use of Pete's garage studio Eel Pie for the recording of the songs. The album is never released.

The Who stay in a hotel in Frankfurt where Pete picks up hotel stationary on which he writes the original draft of the song "Love Ain't For Keeping." He also writes "Pure and Easy" around this time, called "The Note" at this early stage.

On the 15th, "Summertime Blues" reaches its peak at #19 on the German singles chart.

Photo: Jorgen Angel

The tour continues to The Netherlands with shows at De Doelen Halle in Rotterdam (16th) then a return engagement at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (17th) and finishes with two dates in Denmark, at the Falkoner Centret Teatret in Copenhagen (20th) and the Vejlby Risskov Hallen in Aarhus (21st).

Hit Parader has an interview with Pete in which he calls "Dogs" and "Magic Bus" corny and says Tommy is overrated. The magazine also contains an article on The Who's roadies.

On the 19th, Melody Maker carries an article entitled "Doctor Who" about Keith sneaking into a hospital after hours to visit Who publicist Brian Sommerville. The issue also contains the 2nd "The Pete Townshend Page" called "Another fight in the playground." Pete discusses the negative coverage of the 1970 Isle of Wight festival and also the idea of the "Universal Chord" that will be at the center of the Lifehouse plot.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

Also on the 19th, Cash Box in the U.S. carries an ad from Decca Records offering a free Who poster to record dealers to encourage them to stock The Who's back catalog.

Sometime after The Who's return from Europe is the probable time that Pete enters his home studio and begins recording the demos for the forthcoming Lifehouse project. Some of the demos feature repeated phrases played on organ and synthesizer in imitation of American minimalist composer Terry Riley.

Meanwhile Keith Moon and his friend Viv Stanshall drop by the Track Records offices to take promotional pictures for the release of Stanshall's new single "Suspicion" which features Keith on drums and John on bass. For no particular reason, they dress up as Nazis and stay in uniform for a week, visiting a German beer cellar in London then renting a German car and traveling through London's Jewish district with Keith seig heiling out the sunroof.

Photo: Barry Wentzell

Later in the month Roger and his girlfriend Heather Taylor hold a party at their new country home in Burwash. Keith shows up in a Rolls Royce packed tight with children's toys.

On the 24th, Dick Fontaine premieres his film Double Pisces, Scorpio Rising at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. The soundtrack features Pete's demo of "I Don't Even Know Myself" as well as the otherwise unreleased instrumental "Piledriver." The film is part of a screening of movies by the Tattooist group that also includes Richard Stanley's music video for "The Seeker."

On the 26th, "See Me Feel Me" backed with "Overture From Tommy" hits the U.S. charts. The 16-month old A-side is released to cash in on the popularity of the movie Woodstock and becomes one of The Who's biggest U.S. hits reaching #12 in Billboard and #8 in Cash Box.

On the 28th, in Senior Scholastic magazine, Vic Rauseo argues that Tommy is not trying to replace opera but it simply a new musical form.

September 1965 (45 Years Ago)

UK#1 45's - "I Got You Babe" - Sonny & Cher; "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - The Rolling Stones; "Make It Easy on Yourself" - The Walker Brothers; "Tears" - Ken Dodd
US#1 45's - "Help!" - The Beatles; "Eve of Destruction" - Barry McGuire

The Who start off the month on the 1st playing the Top Rank Suite in Hanley.

On the 2nd, while trying to buy a guard dog for their van at the Battersea Dogs' Home, the Who's van is stolen from the parking lot. The van is soon recovered but with a door and £5,000 of equipment missing.

On the 3rd, The Who appear on Ready, Steady, GO! performing "Dancing In The Street" and "My Generation." Earlier in the day, roadie Dave "Cyrano" Langston rents new equipment for the band's performance from the VOX factory. That night they perform at the California Ballroom in Dunstable. The opening act is Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders featuring Roy Wood.

The next night the band take their hired equipment to the Spa Royal Hall in Bridlington (4th), followed by the Town Hall in Farnborough (8th), Borough Assembly Hall in Aylesbury (10th), the Imperial Ballroom in Nelson (11th) and the Oasis Club in Manchester (12th).

On the 13th, future Who drummer Zak Starkey is born to Maureen and Richard Starkey.

On the 15th, half the equipment stolen from The Who's van on the 2nd is recovered during a police raid on a Morden, Surrey flat but The Who still can't get it back as it is held for evidence.

The Everly Brothers release their LP Beat & Soul. The Who will later record two versions of "Man With Money" that comes from this album. That song along with the arrangements of "Love Is Strange," "Hi Heel Sneakers" and "C. C. Rider" also featured on the album will soon enter The Who's live act.

A few more dates before The Who head to the Continent: the Gaiety Ballroom in Grimsby (17th), Drill Hall in Grantham (18th) and the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea (19th).

On the 18th, Keith is interviewed by Melody Maker. He calls John "just as extrovert in playing as I am." The article reports Keith's kit is about to be changed to two 14x9 tom toms, two 16x20 tom toms, a metal shell 14x5 ½ snare drum, a 22x15 bass drum, 20 and 18-inch cymbals and a pair of 15-inch hi-hat cymbals.

On the 20th The Who fly to Amsterdam to perform live for Dutch TV (AVRO Broadcast Association) at Studio Bellevue. The technicians can't get The Who's loud sound balanced and refuse to give Roger whisky to soothe his throat (he'd caught a cold on the boat over) telling him, "you sing or you leave the studio." The first half of the show is broadcast the next evening on Nederland 2.

Photo: Bent Rej

On the 21st, The Who play for 450 people at a restaurant next to a roller skating rink in The Hague. Having brought no amplifiers, they have to borrow equipment from the group The Hajues but eight songs later The Who have damaged their loaners too badly to continue. The promoters somehow manage to talk two other groups, The Golden Earrings and The Empty Hearts to loan some of their equipment so the show can be finished. The Dutch magazine Boulevard reports that throughout the evening The Who are "in discussion with female fans" in the nearby bushes!

On the 25th, The Who arrive in Denmark to begin their first Danish tour with a 9pm show at the Folkets Hus in Elsinore then rush 20 miles to Copenhagen to play the KB Hallen at Midnight, this set with loaner equipment from the Swedish band The Lee Kings. According to a member of The Namelosers, a Swedish pop band, Roger bursts into the dressing room after the second show and headbutts Keith in the nose because Keith had been playing too loud.

Back in the U.K. on the 25th, a Pete interview appears in Melody Maker. Pete says the guitarists he mostly listens to are Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery although "I can't use anything they do."

Photo: Erik Petersen

The next night The Who play an 8pm show at the Aarhus Hallen in Aarhus…or rather they attempt to. The audience pelts the opening acts with bottles and trash and turns into a rioting mob by the time The Who take the stage. The band makes it through half of one song before fleeing for their lives as the audience storms the stage and smashes the instruments. Pete later calls it "the best concert we ever played in Denmark."

Backstage Roger angrily blames the others for the group's problems calling them "pillheads," at the time an accurate description. Roger grabs Keith's supply of speed tablets and flushes them down the toilet. Keith goes for Roger's throat. Security has to be called in to remove the singer's pummeling fists from the drummer. Nevertheless they all rush to Aalborg, taking the Fredrikstorv stage to play a 9:30pm show.

A sullen Who travel back to the U.K. where Pete, John and Keith demand that Roger be kicked out of the Who. The managers talk them into allowing Roger to continue for now while they look for another singer.

Roadie "Cy" Langston meanwhile, does leave the Who's employ to join Gary Farr and the T-Bones. He is replaced by Richard Cole and former Merseybeats manager Neville Chesters.