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Page updated February 1, 2025. This is a highly abridged version of all the things that happened to and around The Who in February. Click for access to the full history.


February 1962

New music releases: "Good Luck Charm" - Elvis Presley; "Mashed Potato Time" - Dee Dee Sharp; "Wonderful Land" - The Shadows; "Johnny Angel" - Shelley Fabares

On the 2nd, the BBC tunrs down Roger Daltrey's application for The Detours citing "insufficient experience". Around this time, The Detours make some adjustments in their line-up. Pete Townshend comes in as one of the group's rhythm guitarists. Peter James leaves, followed by Roger's friend Reg Bowen who had been supplying a radiogram the group was using for amplification. Pete suggests they get amps on hire purchase and Roger builds cabinets for them to make them look larger and more powerful than they actually are.


February 1963

New records: The Barbra Streisand Album - Barbra Streisand; How The West Was Won - Alfred Newman; "In Dreams" - Roy Orbison; "Our Day Will Come" - Ruby & the Romantics
Archival photo of Oldfield Hotel

On the 17th, The Detours start regular Sunday bookings, afternoons at the Douglas House in Bayswater. The other dates for the month are The White Hart Hotel (17th [evening],18th, 24th [evening] and 25th), The Oldfield Hotel in Greenford (21st, 23rd, 28th), the Grand Ballroom in Broadstairs (22nd), and the Douglas House on the afternoon of the 24th.


February 1964

New music releases: "Kissin' Cousins" - Elvis Presley; Hello, Dolly! - Carol Channing and Various Artists; The Third Album - Barbara Streisand; "A World Without Love" - Peter and Gordon
A sunny day on Sunnyside Row
Photo 1998: Brian Cady

On the 7th, after the Goldhawk Social Club show, Roger drives the band's van to the art school flat on Sunnyside Road Pete shares with friend and fellow student Richard Barnes. Roger, Pete, John and drummer Doug Sandom discuss band names in the van for a long time before they all go into the flat. Barnes, who is also present, later recalls: "The first two names that I thought of were 'the Group' and 'the Name.' Pete came up with 'The Hair.' Another contender was 'No-One,' or 'Ladies and Gentlemen, the next group is called "The Group."' But I finally thought 'The Who' worked best for many reasons. It made people think twice when they saw it and it worked well on posters because it was so short and therefore would print up so big...it narrowed down to a choice between either 'The Who' or 'The Hair.' Pete suggested 'The Hair and The Who' and seemed really keen on it, but it sounded too much like the name of a pub...The indecision was resolved by Roger who came around to the flat the next morning to pick Pete up...'It's The Who, innit?' So that was that and a new name had been born."


February 1965

New music releases: "Stop! In The Name Of Love" - The Supremes; "Eight Days a Week" - The Beatles; Introducing Herman's Hermits - Herman's Hermits; The Rolling Stones, Now! - The Rolling Stones
65-02-16 ad

On the 16th, The Who London 1965 perform at the Marquee Club where they are filmed for French television performing "Heatwave", "Tell Me More", "Shout and Shimmy" and "Smokestack Lightning". The footage is later broadcast on the ORTF TV 2 program Seize Millions De Jeunes March 18. Pete and manager Kit Lambert are both interviewed, the latter in French. Sticking to English, Pete expresses his doubts about marriage and mocks religious belief.















65-02 Who Thanks

On the 19th, "I Can't Explain" makes its first appearance on a British chart, popping up at #45 in Record Mirror. Four days later "I Can't Explain" shows up as well on the New Musical Express charts at #28. The single has been in stores for over a month.


February 1966

New music releases: If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mama's & The Papa's; "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" - The Righteous Brothers; "Nowhere Man" - The Beatles; Ballads of the Green Berets - SSgt. Barry Sadler
Melody Maker 12 Feb 1966

On the 12th, Melody Maker reports that "Circles" is not working out as the next Who single. Little does anyone outside The Who and their immediate circle know exactly how much it isn't working out. In fact, on this day, The Who sneak into Olympic Sound Studios on Carton Street and record their new single "Substitute" and a new version of "Circles." Pete takes the job of producer with Terry Brown as engineer. John turns the single into one of his most prominent performances by turning up his amps when no one is looking. Keith later calls Pete when he hears the single demanding to know who they got to drum on it. He has no memory of being at the session despite his noisy yell on the record.

On the 18th, the news breaks in New Musical Express that The Who are leaving Brunswick and U.S. Decca for the new Reaction label in Europe and Atco in the U.S. Former producer Shel Talmy threatens the group with payback that he soon delivers, launching a lawsuit against the band and its managers.

On the 26th, Billboard gives some more details about The Who's migration to Reaction records. It is apparently a notable part of a new deal to have the U.S. label Atlantic move their output in the U.K. from British Decca to Polydor. The article also lists Robert Stigwood, who runs Polydor's new Reaction label that has gotten The Who, as "the group's agent". The article mentions that Shel Talmy has threatened legal action, that Atlantic will now issue The Who's records in the States, and that they will soon rush-release "Substitute".


February 1967

New music releases: "Happy Together" - The Turtles; How Great Thou Art - Elvis Presley; "Penny Lane" - The Beatles; Surrealistic Pillow - Jefferson Airplane
Townshend's Opera Not For Public!

Pete tells Beat Instrumental he is working on a full-length rock opera. Pete: "It takes place in the year 1999, when China is breaking out and is about to take over the world. The hero loses his wife and decides to go and live in this tiny country, which is about to be overrun by the Chinese. The hero goes through hundreds of situations, and there is music for each. He goes out in a boat and gets shipwrecked, he has a bad nightmare, and so on." Pete never finishes the work and part of it is subsequently released as "Rael" on The Who Sell Out but the publication of this article fires the pistol in the race for someone to be the first to actually put out a full-length "rock opera".


February 1968

New music releases: "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" - Hugo Montenegro; "Honey" - Bobby Goldsboro; "Cry Like a Baby" - The Box Tops; "The Horse" - Cliff Nobles and Company

Rolling Stone magazine votes The Who the Rock and Roll Group of the Year, applauding "their totally original sound, their refreshing attitude, their fine instrumental work, and excellent song writing."

The Truth 6 Feb 1968

On the 6th, Paul Rodgers sends The Who off with boos in the New Zealand newspaper The Truth. He says he is "ashamed to have come from the same country as these unwashed, foul-mouthed, booze swilling no-hopers."

Pete Townshend on set of Call Me Lightning video shoot
Photo: Tom Wright

On probably the 27th, The Who are taken to an abandoned warehouse in Hollywood by director Austin John Marshall who shoots a Monkees-style promo film for "Call Me Lightning" featuring a mechanical Keith being pursued by the other band members. It is later featured in the movie The Kids Are Alright with "Cobwebs and Strange" placed on the soundtrack.















February 1969

New music releases: Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield; "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers; "Time is Tight" - Booker T & The MG's; "Soulful Strut" - Young-Holt Unlimited
Arfur, Keith Moon, John Entwistle

On the 4th, manager Kit Lambert brings in the Guardian's rock critic Nik Cohn to listen to rehearsals of the song "Pinball Wizard" inspired by his love for the table-top game. Accompanying him is the young woman who is the subject of his book Arfur: Teenage Pinball Queen.

On the 7th, The Who record the final studio version of "Pinball Wizard" at Morgan Studios in London.


February 1970

New music releases: Sweet Baby James - James Taylor; Hey Jude - The Beatles; "ABC" - The Jackson 5; Morrison Hotel - The Doors
70-02-14 Leeds
Photo: Chris McCourt

Having given up pouring through all the concert tapes recorded during the 1969 North America tour to create a live LP, Pete has two concerts booked for The Who at the Universities of Leeds and Hull. Leeds is held first on Valentine's Day at a student refectory that seats only 2000. The entire concert is recorded although a loose cable creates a "crackling" noise. The Who are in top form, however, giving a particularly great performance. A small bit of the concert is shot on 16mm by a student. In 2007, the film is linked up with the audio and some of it is released on the Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who DVD.

70-02-25 Happy Birthday LP

On the 25th, The Universal Spiritual League releases an album dedicated to Meher Baba called Happy Birthday. It is produced by Pete and features six Pete solo tracks including the demo for "The Seeker."


February 1971

New music releases: Tapestry - Carole King; "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" - Raiders; The Yes Album - Yes; Glen Campbell's Greatest Hits - Glen Campbell
Keith Moon 200 Motels set

On the 1st, the videotaping of Frank Zappa's bizarre movie 200 Motels begins at Studio A at Pinewood Studios, concluding on the 7th. Keith plays a randy nun/groupie cavorting with other groupies before dying and ascending to heaven. Backstage, Keith meets and begins an affair with fellow actor and groupie Pamela Miller a/k/a Pamela Des Barres who will later write about their relationship in her book I'm With The Band: Confessions Of A Groupie.









February 1972

New album releases: "Tiny Dancer" - Elton John; Harvest - Neil Young; Greatest Hits - Blood, Sweat & Tears; "Vincent" - Don McLean
Sunday Observer 19 Mar 1972

On the 10th, The Who assemble at a studio in Blackfairs for Tony McGrath to shoot a recreation of their 1966 photo for a new cover article in The Observer. Keith is late in arriving from a Disc and Music Echo party at Hatchett's Club in Piccadilly where he and John accepted The Who's award for Best Live Band. John can be seen restraining Keith who has tried to attack the hapless photographer. The issue is released 19 March.


February 1973

New records: Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite - Elvis Presley; Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper; 16 Greatest Hits - Steppenwolf; "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" - Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
Melody Maker 10 Feb 1973

On the 10th, Pete tells Melody Maker he is suffering from writer's block that is keeping him from finishing the Quadrophenia project. He also says that to record it properly, The Who may have to build its own studio; In addition, Pete says he does not think highly of Who's Next and admits that the plots in his musical stories are often weak.


February 1974

New music releases: "Bennie and The Jets" - Elton John; Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of the Grateful Dead - Grateful Dead; What Once Were Vices Are Now Habits - The Doobie Brothers; "Hooked on a Feeling" - Blue Swede
John Entwistle carries Keith Moon Paris 1974

On the 9th, The Who take Quadrophenia to Europe beginning at the Palais des Grottes in Cambrai, France supported by the Dutch band Alquin. By now Quadrophenia has been cut down to "The Real Me," "The Punk And The Godfather," "I'm One," "5:15," "Sea And Sand," "Drowned," "Bell Boy," "Dr. Jimmy" and "Love Reign O'er Me." The Parc Des Expositions in Paris show is on the 10th. The venue doors are opened eight hours before the show because of the crushing pressure of the crowd on the glass doors. The venue proves inadequate in another way. Three songs in, The Who blow the electrical transformer. Fifteen minutes pass before power can be restored.












February 1975

New music releases: Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin; An Evening With John Denver - John Denver; "Philadelphia Freedom" - Elton John; "Get Down Tonight" - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Lisztomania Siegfried Wagner

On the 3rd, Ken Russell's bizarre re-imagining of the life of Franz Liszt, Lisztomania, begins a four-month shoot ending May 23. Roger, star of Russell's soon-to-be-released film, Tommy: The Movie, plays Liszt with Paul Nicholas (Cousin Kevin) as Richard Wagner, Ringo Starr as The Pope and Rick Wakeman, who is also supplying the soundtrack, as Wagner's creation Siegfried.

75-02-14 John Ox Whistle Test

On the 14th, John and his band pre-tape performances of "Mad Dog" and "Cell Number 7" for later airing on BBC2's The Old Grey Whistle Test.















75-02 Ox Losing Money

On the 21st, John and Ox begin a U.S. tour occasionally opening for the J. Geils Band. The tour stops at the Civic Auditorium in Sacramento (21st), the Winterland in San Francisco (22nd and 23rd), and Long Beach Arena (26th). The night of Long Beach, MCA holds a promotional party for the release of the Mad Dog album. Both Pete, in town to promote Tommy: The Movie, and Los Angeles-native Keith attend.

75-02-22 Tommy Soundtrack US LP

On the 22nd, the soundtrack to Tommy: The Movie is released for the U.S. market a month ahead of the movie. It contains five new Townshend compositions and surpasses the chart position of the original album, reaching #2 despite widespread negative reviews in the rock press.






75-02-28 Mad Dog US LP

On the 28th, John's fourth solo album, Mad Dog, is released. With only one or two exceptions, the album is roundly panned by the rock press and sells less than John's previous efforts. It does not chart in the U.K. and reaches only #192 in its one week on the Billboard charts.


February 1976

New music releases: Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 - The Eagles; Silk Degrees - Boz Scaggs; Run with the Pack - Bad Company; A Trick of the Tail - Genesis

Hearing that Keith cannot control his ingestion of drugs and alcohol, The Who call him back to London ahead of the upcoming tour and demand that he see Meg Patterson, the acupuncturist who aided Eric Clapton in his addiction. Keith tells her and her husband that he is possessed by demons named Mr. and Mrs. Singh.


February 1977

New album releases: Rumours - Fleetwood Mac; "Hotel California" - The Eagles; "The Chain" - Fleetwood Mac; Love at The Greek - Neil Diamond
Tony Klinger 1977

Tony Klinger, director of videos for Roger's new solo album One Of The Boys, presents Who manager Bill Curbishley with a proposal for a film about the Who called "Kids Are Alright." Curbishley says he will present it to the band. He does tell Klinger that a young Who fan named Jeff Stein has been searching for old film and video of The Who but fails to mention that Stein has already received Pete's permission to make a documentary about The Who almost exactly the same as Klinger's and has already shown the band a ten-minute test reel.


February 1978

New records: Van Halen - Van Halen; Even Now - Barry Manilow; "Night Fever" - The Bee Gees; "Is This Love" - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Pete expresses his displeasure over a violent argument between his parents by putting his hand through a glass window. The injury further delays recording on Who Are You.


February 1979

New music releases: Spirits Having Flown - The Bee Gees; "Tragedy" - The Bee Gees; Rickie Lee Jones - Rickie Lee Jones; "Oliver's Army" - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1979 Tommy production

On the 6th, Tommy opens as a musical in London's West End. The script is based on the screenplay to the film written by Pete and Ken Russell. Allan Love stars as the afflicted hero and Paul Tomlinson and John Hole direct. The first nighters give it an enthusiastic but seated ovation. Afterwards, Pete acts as host for the after party at the Sundown disco. John also makes the party but Roger is nowhere in sight. Chris Welch in Melody Maker gives it a positive review although he finds much of the story pretentious. Variety pans the production. It closes after 118 performances.


February 1980

New music releases: Against The Wind - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band; "Any Way You Want It" - Journey; "Shining Star" - The Manhattans; "All Out of Love" - Air Supply
Theresa Russell Bad Timing

Around the 13th, Pete arrives in Los Angeles to visit director Nicholas Roeg in an effort to get him to direct a film of Life House. Roeg is not at his Los Angeles residence but his then-girlfriend, actress Theresa Russell, is. Pete, Theresa and a friend end up going that night to see Pink Floyd perform The Wall live. Before or after the show Pete uses cocaine, later saying it was the first time he had used hard drugs since becoming a Meher Baba disciple. Whether it was the influence of the drugs or the beauty of his companion, Pete becomes strongly infatuated with Ms. Russell and the next day shows up at Theresa's doorstep to make a plea for her affection. She turns down the smitten Townshend. This incident and financial woes brought on by The Who's film company investment, bring the second attempt to film Life House to a failed conclusion.


February 1981

New music releases: Face Value - Phil Collins; Moving Pictures - Rush; Feels So Right - Alabama; "Jessie's Girl" - Rick Springfield
Pete Townshend Rainbox 1981
Photo: Ross Halfin

Starting on the 3rd, The Who play two nights at the Rainbow Theatre in London. The two hastily scheduled shows are a benefit for Erin Pizzey's Chiswick Family Rescue Organization and were requested by Pete's wife Karen. At the first show, Pete drinks four bottles of brandy on stage, improvises songs and long guitar solos without informing the other band members and stops the show to harangue the crowd.














You Better You Bet picture sleeve

On the 27th, the first Who single recorded after Keith Moon's death, "You Better You Bet," is released in the U.K. The b-side is John's song "The Quiet One." It reaches #9 on the charts.
















February 1982

New album releases: Mountain Music - Alabama; Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson; The Concert In Central Park - Simon & Garfunkel; "Edge of Seventeen" - Stevie Nicks

On Valentine's Day, having beaten back his addiction to alcohol and drugs, Pete checks himself out of Meg Patterson's clinic and returns to London. Shortly afterwards Pete meets with Roger, John and Kenney who are already preparing to record a new album, rehearsing twice a week at producer Glyn Johns' home and using Andy Fairweather-Low as a stand-in for their absent guitarist. Pete is impressed with how good they sound but admits he only has two songs ready (probably "Theresa" now called "Athena" and "Popular" re-written as "It's Hard"). Hesitant to write more after The Who's lukewarm reaction to his Face Dances demos, Pete tries to find a common topic in which his bandmates are interested to make the basis of a new batch of songs. Not surprisingly, they find they have little in common except for a vague concern about the Reagan administration's escalation of the nuclear arms race and Margaret Thatcher's promotion of it. Pete sets off to write a politically-themed album addressing nuclear conflict, decreased spending on social services and other topical concerns.





February 1983

New records: "Beat It" - Michael Jackson; Frontiers - Journey; War - U2; "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler

On the 9th, the judge presiding over the Cincinnati concert case allows an appeal over the earlier decision to rule out punitive damages. He also asks the lawyers if an out-of-court settlement can be reached.


February 1984

New music releases: Into The Gap - The Thompson Twins; Out of the Cellar - Ratt; "Hello" - Lionel Richie; "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" - Phil Collins
Parting Should Be Painless

On the 18th, Roger's first solo album for WEA Records, Parting Should Be Painless, makes the Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks chart in the U.S. The U.K. release follows on March 9. The title, based on a similar song title on the album, seems to be a comment on Pete's recent departure from The Who. The contents, which show Roger going in a "new wave" direction, do little to please the critics. Pam Lambert in The Wall Street Journal describes it as "bland" while Wayne King in Record calls it disappointing and wonders how much Roger wants to have a solo career. Colin Irwin in Melody Maker says it has all the "zest of a caterpillar." It peaks at #102 in the U.S. and does not chart in the U.K.


February 1986

New music releases: Control - Janet Jackson; The Ultimate Sin - Ozzy Osbourne; "Kiss" - Prince and The Revolution; "The Final Countdown" - Europe

Rolling Stone reports that Roger has started on another solo album and that in 1987 he and Pete will collaborate on a non-Who album. Pete later says that giving Roger the song "After The Fire" satisfied the need for them to work together.


February 1988

New music releases: "Man in the Mirror" - Michael Jackson; Now and Zen - Robert Plant; The Best of OMD - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark; Tear Down These Walls - Billy Ocean
The Who 1988 PBI

On the 8th, The Who receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the British Phonographic Industry and perform during a live TV broadcast from Royal Albert Hall in London. No one probably knows it at the time, but it is Kenney Jones' last performance with The Who until 2014. The Who are faded out right after they start "Substitute" when the program overruns. Just before the show, Pete is told his daughter Aminta has been taken to the hospital with pneumonia. Pete comes within a hair of leaving and later says he regrets he didn't.















February 1990

New music releases: Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - MC Hammer; Shake Your Money Maker - The Black Crowes; Damn Yankees - Damn Yankees; Here in the Real World - Alan Jackson

Rolling Stone magazine publishes their year-end readers' survey. The Who's 1989 tour places #2 for both Best Tour and Worst Tour, #3 for Comeback of the Year and #2 for Most Unwelcome Comeback. John is #2 for Best Bass Player.


February 1991

New music releases: "Losing My Religion" - R.E.M.; "Fancy" - Reba McEntire; Auberge - Chris Rea; Innuendo - Queen
Roger Daltrey and Mother 1991
Photo: Tom Wargacki

On the 28th, Roger attends the premiere of Buddy's Song in London. The premiere is a charity showing raising money for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre and HIV/Aids charity Positively Women. Buddy's Song, starring and co-produced by Roger, is based on the Nigel Hinton novel Buddy and a 1986 TV adaptation that also starred Roger. In the movie, Roger plays a middle-aged Rocker (as opposed to Mod) raising a teenage son who wants to enter the music business. The actor playing the son, Chesney Hawkes, releases a single from the movie, "The One And Only," that goes to #1 in the U.K. charts.


February 1993

New music releases: Hard Workin' Man - Brooks & Dunn; "Should've Been a Cowboy" - Toby Keith; "I Have Nothing" - Whitney Houston; "Linger" - The Cranberries

On the 24th, Q magazine prints a letter by Chris Charlesworth decrying the sorry state of the Who's CD catalog and lack of a career-spanning boxset retrospective. The next day, Pete calls him up and gives him permission to begin a CD reissue program and the compilation of a Who CD boxset.


February 1994

New music releases: Dookie - Green Day; "Streets of Philadelphia" - Bruce Springsteen; Reality Bites (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Various Artists; Pronounced Jah-Nay - Zhané
Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend Carnegie Hall
Photo: Ebet Roberts

On the 23rd and 24th, Pete, Roger and John Entwistle are reunited, somewhat, at Carnegie Hall as part of Daltrey Sings Townshend: A Celebration, an all-star-assisted Roger performance of Pete's songs with an orchestra led by Michael Kamen. Although Roger and John perform together, Pete performs his two numbers, "And I Moved" and "Who Are You," without either of his former bandmates. The three do not appear together on stage until the finale, a performance of "Join Together," where Roger and all the guest stars group on stage.











February 1995

New music releases: The Woman in Me - Shania Twain; Pieces of You - Jewel; Greatest Hits - Bruce Springsteen; "This Is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan
95-02-27 Star Crossed

On the 27th, Roger's character, the immortal Hugh Fitzcairn, is beheaded on the episode "Star-Crossed" of Highlander: The Series. He proves he is immortal by coming back for several more episodes over the show's run.


February 1996

New music releases: The Score - The Fugees; All Eyez on Me - 2Pac; "Always be My Baby" - Mariah Carey; "Don't Look Back in Anger" - Oasis

On the 11th, BBC Radio One airs an hour long special called Lifehouse: The One That Got Away. Excerpts from Pete's original 1970 script are performed by actors and Pete, Chris Stamp and Andy Johns discuss the failure of the Life House idea to get rolling. Pete expresses great bitterness about it and his frustration at trying to get across to the other members of The Who what seemed to him a very simple idea.


February 1997

New music releases: White on Blonde - Texas; "Semi-Charmed Life" - Third Eye Blind; Baduizm - Erykah Badu; Secret Samhadi - Live
Pete Townshend at LA 2 1997

On the 2nd, Pete holds a party at "LA 2" in London to celebrate the London staging of the musical Tommy getting 8 Olivier Award nominations. Pete plays a 75-minute set. John is also there but doesn't perform. Roger is then in Los Angeles working on the Showtime sitcom Rude Awakenings.


February 2000

New music releases: The Better Life - 3 Doors Down; "Dancing in the Moonlight" - Toploader; "Pure Shores" - All Saints; Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants - Oasis
00-02-15 Live At The BBC

On the 15th, BBC Sessions, the collection of live and studio Who tracks recorded for the BBC from 1965 to 1970, is released in the U.S. and Europe. European purchasers get the extra tracks "Man With Money" and the complete "Shakin' All Over/Spoonful" unavailable on the U.S. CD. However, U.S. purchasers have the option of getting a seven-track bonus disc unavailable in Europe if they buy BBC Sessions at Best Buy department stores. The CD peaks at #101 in the U.S., #24 in the U.K. and #50 in Japan. Arion Berger in Rolling Stone says it "highlights how mad, bad and dangerous the Who were in 1965." Billboard says "it's as good of an entry way as any into the Who's immense catalog." Gavin Martin in New Musical Express says "the contrasts they thrived on ensures freshness and excitement still springs with shocking directness from these recordings."




February 2001

New music releases: Everyday - The Dave Matthews Band; "Ride wit Me" - Nelly; Brushfire Fairytales - Jack Johnson; "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You" - Brooks & Dunn
Mojo March 2001

On the 16th, Pete publishes a letter he wrote to Mojo magazine in response to his mentioning that Kit Lambert, Brian Epstein and Robert Stigwood were gay in an article he had written the previous month about a 1967 meeting with John Lennon. In the letter he says that Who manager Kit Lambert never approached him sexually even when they were sharing a flat but that Robert Stigwood did. He also admits that, before his involvement with his future wife Karen Astley, he had doubts about his own sexual preferences.


February 2002

New music releases: Come Away With Me - Norah Jones; O - Damien Rice; The Essential Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash; "Anything Is Possible"/"Evergreen" - Will Young
Pete Townshend falls off stage 2002

On the 7th, The Who plus guests perform for the Teenage Cancer Trust at Royal Albert Hall with supporting act The Electric Soft Parade. Pete puts in a lackluster performance telling the audience several times that he's bored. The following night at the same venue Pete is a bit more alert but a trifle unsteady. At one point he falls offstage. This show will be the last in John Entwistle's 37-year career with The Who.
















February 2003

New music releases: Get Rich or Die Tryin' - 50 Cent; "Can't Stop" - Red Hot Chili Peppers; "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes; The Definitive Collection - Lionel Richie

On the 5th, Roger Daltrey begins radio appearances in Britain discussing the upcoming Teenage Cancer Trust concerts. He makes headlines on the 9th during an interview on Virgin Radio when he describes the investigation into an alleged connection between Pete Townshend and child pornography on the Internet as a "witch hunt" and "the worst thing I have ever had to deal with in my life."


February 2005

New music releases: "Candy Shop" - 50 Cent featuring Olivia; "Lonely" - Akon; It's Time - Michael Bublé; "Dakota" - Stereophonics
05-02-09 Roger Award
Photo: Tim Clarke-Royal Rota

On the 9th, Roger Daltrey receives a "Commander of the British Empire" award from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace for his charity work with the Teenage Cancer Trust. His wife Heather, his sister Jill and his grand-daughter Lily attend. Says Roger about the Queen, "I don't think she's a rock 'n' roll fan. She'd probably fall off her podium if she heard The Who's songs."


February 2006

New music releases: "Hips Don't Lie" - Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean; "Put Your Records On" - Corinne Bailey Rae; "SOS" - Rihanna; "Better Together" - Jack Johnson

On the 28th, Pete moves into his home studio, Oceanic, to record the backing tracks for the new Who album Endless Wire. Pete plays everything himself for the most part. Pino Palladino (bass), John Bundrick (keyboards) and Peter Huntingdon (drums) are pulled in to give a Who-like rock band sound to some tracks.


February 2007

New music releases: "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" - T-Pain featuring Yung Joc; "Girlfriend" - Avril Lavigne; Life in Cartoon Motion - Mika; "Cupid Shuffle" - Cupid

On the 20th, Pete and Rachel Fuller hold an In The Attic show at the 160-seat Joe's Pub in New York's East Village. Pete plays a five-song acoustic set, but the highlight of the night has Pete duetting with Lou Reed on versions of the Velvet Underground classics "I'm Waiting For The Man," "White Light/White Heat" and "Pale Blue Eyes."


February 2008

New music releases: "I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz; "Day 'n' Nite" - Kid Cudi; "Love in This Club" - Usher featuring Young Jeezy; "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.

On the 25th, U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey speaks on Cuba's transfer of power from Fidel Castro to his brother Raul: "I used the analogy ... from a Who song, 'Meet the new boss, he's the same as the old boss.'"


February 2010

New music releases: "Ridin' Solo" - Jason Derulo; "Drop the World" - Lil Wayne featuring Eminem; "The Cave" - Mumford & Sons; "Pass Out" - Tinie Tempah
10-02-07 Super Bowl
Photo: Doug Benc

On the 7th, The Who perform a twelve-minute set during the half-time show at The Super Bowl. Roger later complains of lights that blinded him throughout the performance while Pete's underwhelmed response is "We had as much fun as we could have." The press grouses about The Who's age and complains about the lack of younger acts during the yearly sports extravaganza. Nevertheless, the next day's ratings show the Super Bowl had its biggest ever television audience with 106.5 million people watching the game and The Who.













February 2013

New music releases: "Started from the Bottom" - Drake; "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" - Fall Out Boy; "Lay Me Down" - Sam Smith; "Just Give Me a Reason" - Pink featuring Nate Ruess
The Who MSG Theater Feb 2013
Photo: Brian Cady

The North American tour wraps up at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York (21st), Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (22nd), the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire (24th) and the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island (26th). Before heading back home, The Who play a high-ticket charity show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden with opening act Elvis Costello and the Imposters. Both performances are short, greatest hits selections although Elvis finishes his set by covering "Substitute". Proceeds benefit Teenage Cancer America and Sloan-Kettering.


February 2019

New Music Releases: "Pop Out" - Polo G featuring Lil Tjay; "Talk" - Khalid; "Close Friends" - Lil Baby; "Robbery" - Juice Wrld

On the 2nd, as the recording of the new album WHO begins, Pete begins posting words and videos on Instagram under the handle @yaggerdang. On the 4th, he comments on reports that "most people only listen to the first two to five seconds of a track online before they move on." He jokes that he plans to start every track with the guitar intro from "Pinball Wizard".

Doug Sandom in the 2000's

On the 27th, The Who loses their original drummer with the death of Doug Sandom. Pete pens memories of Doug the next day, praising him for his kindness when Pete was young and regetting the clumsiness with which he removed Doug from the band in 1964.


February 2020

New Music Releases: "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)" - CKay featuring Joeboy and Kuami Eugene; "Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)" - Powfu featuring Beabadoobee; "Heartbreak Anniversary" - Giveon; "Intentions" - Justin Bieber featuring Quavo

On the 9th, Pete posts on Instagram that fans coming for the upcoming Who shows in Kingston should check a local display of Henry Boxer's Outside Art. Boxer is the inspiration for the character of "Louis" in Pete's recent novel The Age of Anxiety.

The Who Pryzm 14 Feb 2020
Photo: bobby_media

On the 12th, and after on the 14th, The Who have an intimate show at the night club Pryzm in Kingston Upon Thames. Tickets for both events sell out in 5 seconds. Simon Townshend's song "Break the News" from the WHO album, has its live premiere although Roger has to read the lyrics off a sheet. Six tracks from these performances are released on the Deluxe Edition of the WHO album. Unbeknownst to the band or audience, these will be the last performances by the Who for twenty-seven months.















On the 15th, Pete remarks on moving his studio equipment. In addition to his ARP 2500, Pete has been given a new MOOG 35 synthesizer by MOOG Music. On the 18th, he writes about the history of his first song, "It Was You."

On the 22nd, Pete says he is currently producing Reg Meuross' song-cycle Fire and Dust about Woody Guthrie. Pete commissioned the project. The album is scheduled for release March 2025.

2020 Peter Green tribute concert ad

On the 25th, Pete performs at the Peter Green tribute concert at the London Palladium. He plays "Station Man" from Fleetwood Mac's 1970 album Kiln House.















On the 28th, the British press reports that the late Margaret Thatcher's recently released public papers show that she wanted to meet a "pop star," preferably Kate Bush or Roger Daltrey, but had to settle for Mike Batt of the Wombles.

Starting on the 29th, a collection of photos of the early Who by Colin Jones are exhibited at Aperture in London.

Getting one last live performance under the Covid-19 wire, Roger performs on the Rock Legends Cruise on the 29th.


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The Seeker musical

The Seeker by Rachel Fuller
A musical version of "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse. Includes several tracks by Pete Townshend plus his own performance as The Ferryman.


Lifehouse Who's Next

Who's Next / Life House Super Deluxe
10 CD's, Blu-ray with 5.1 mix, 89 unreleased tracks, 2 live concerts, a 100-page book and a graphic novel. Expensive but the final word on The Who's Lifehouse work.


A People's History of The Who

Richard Houghton's The Guitar Has Seconds to Live: A People's History of The Who
Hardback, published by Spenwood Books Limited.


The Who & Quadrophenia

Martin Popoff's The Who & Quadrophenia
Hardback, in folio jacket, published by Motorbooks


The Who Live at Wembley

The Who: with Orchestra Live from Wembley
#1 on the Classical Music Charts! Available now!


The Who Concert Memories Book

The Who: Concert Memories from the Classic Years, 1964 to 1976
Fans ecall the glory days of the greatest live act in rock music. By Edoardo Genzolini. Check out my entry on Page 260!


PeteTownshend.net

PeteTownshend.net
THE home for all things Townshend!


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As always, thanks to
John Atkins,
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Alan Clayson,
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Ed Hanel,
Gary Herman,
Joe Giorgianni,
Bruce Kawakami,
Matt Kent,
Max Ker-Seymer,
Karen Kimber,
Olle Lundin,
"Irish Jack" Lyons,
Dave Marsh,
Alan McKendree,
Joe McMichael,
Andrew Motion,
Andy Neill,
Paul Rees
Scott Smith,
Christian Suchatzki,
John Swenson,
George Tremlett,
Richie Unterberger,
Dave van Staveren,
Mark Ian Wilkerson,
Stephen Wolter and all
the others who did
the original research
and provided the aid
that led to this page.


A note about photographs:
None of the photographs used
on this site are by
purchase agreement with
the original photographer.
I try to credit when I can
discover the name of the
original photographer but, in
most cases, sources in
newspapers, old copies of
Creem Magazine, and even some
Who books, do not credit
photographers. If you are the
photographer or represent the
photographer and you do not
want your photograph posted,
please get in touch
and I will remove it immediately.
This is a wholly non-profit site
(if you could see my bank account,
you'd know it's quite the opposite!)
established to provide an historical
overview of The Who.