Page updated June 1, 2023. This is a highly abridged version of all the things that happened to and around The Who in May. Click for access to the full history.
June 1944
New music releases: "You Always Hurt the One You Love" / "Till Then" - The Mills Brothers; "I'll Walk Alone" - Dinah Shore; "I'll Walk Alone" - Martha Tilton
Two-months old Roger Daltrey and his mother are evacuated to a farm in Stranraer, Scotland. They remain there for the duration of the war. Roger later wonders whether his lack of height came from malnourishment during this period.
June 1958
New music releases: "Hard Headed Woman" - Elvis Presley; The Kingston Trio - The Kingston Trio; Sing Along with Mitch - Mitch Miller & The Gang; "Stupid Cupid" - Connie Francis
On the 27th, Roger, as "D. Altrey" appears in the Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush Gazette with his skiffle band The Sulgrave Rebels. They had just won a talent competition held at Wormholt Park School in Shepherd's Bush. It is their only performance although some members of the band will follow Roger into The Detours.
June 1962
New music releases: I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett; "Sheila" - Tommy Roe; "Do You Love Me" - The Contours; The Stripper & Other Fun Songs for the Family - David Rose & His Orchestra
On the 25th, Keith Moon attends a show by Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages. Afterwards he approaches the band's drummer, Carlo Little, and asks him to teach him his "wildman" drumming style. Carlo agrees. Two days later, Keith gets his first lesson from Little. Little later describes the 15 year-old Keith as "a lad fumbling, trying to play."
June 1964
New music releases: A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles; "The House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals; "Everybody Loves Somebody" - Dean Martin; "Rag Doll" - The Four Seasons
On the 4th, The Who are back at I.B.C. Studios, London to record Pete Townshend's art school composition "It Was You", previously recorded when the band was called The Detours. This performance also exists as an acetate but has not yet been released.
The Who do take three trips out of town, playing the Florida Rooms in Brighton on the 7th and 28th, and the Regency Ballroom in Bath on the 20th. At the bill on the 28th, The Who are billed as "The High Numbers".
During the month, The Who go to Philips Studios in London for their first studio session released to date. "I'm The Face", "Zoot Suit" and a cover of Bo Diddley's "Here 'Tis" are put to tape. Jack Bavistock produces. Manager Helmut Gorden and Pete's childhood friend Jack the barber provide handclaps, Pete's friend Richard Barnes plays maracas on "Here 'Tis" and all and sundry sing the backing vocals.
Also during the month, Peter Meaden kits out The Who in the latest mod fashion for a series of photo shoots. One sequence shows them dancing at The Scene Club.
On the 30th, The Who play their first show at the Bluesday Club at the Railway Hotel in Harrow/Wealdstone. Although they had played at the hotel twice before in 1963 as The Detours, this date is the first of a series of dates at the hotel that will provide the nucleus of The Who's Mod following and be immortalized on the inner gatefold jacket of Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy.
June 1965
New music releases: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - The Rolling Stones; "Feeling Good" - Nina Simone; Beatles VI - The Beatles; "I'm Henry The Eighth, I Am" - Herman's Hermits
On the 2nd, The Who have their first concert outside the United Kingdom at the Club au Golf Drouot in Paris. While there they make television and radio appearances. At the same time their first French EP is released featuring an alternate vocal to "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" that is not released anywhere else officially until 2002. The Who may also have performed at the Olympia Theatre in Paris during this trip but no one has been able to find any documentation that this show actually occurred.
In Beat Instrumental, John Emery reviews an acetate of nine new Who tracks played for him by producer Shel Talmy. The songs are intended for The Who's first album slated for release in the U.S. and France that autumn. Emery gives the titles to eight of the tracks, "I'm A Man," "Heatwave," I Don't Mind," "Lubie," "You're Gonna Know Me," "Please Please Please," "Leaving Here," and "Motoring." Only one, "You're Gonna Know Me," is a band original which leads Emery to remark, "one thing hit me slap in the face just looking at the titles -- the lack of originality in choice of material." Reacting quickly, Who manager Kit Lambert announces in Melody Maker on the 17th that "The Who are having serious doubts about the state of R&B. Now the LP will consist of hard pop. They've finished with 'Smokestack Lightnin'." He says The Who will record a new album of all Pete and Roger originals for release in early September.
On the 16th, Who manager Chris Stamp goes on his first trip to see Decca Records management in New York. The only way he can make the flight is to have his brother, the actor Terence Stamp, downgrade his first-class ticket to two coach tickets as he flies to America to promote his movie The Collector.
June 1966
New music releases: Yesterday and Today - The Beatles; "Sunny Afternoon" - The Kinks; "Sunny" - Bobby Hebb; "Lil' Red Riding Hood" - Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs
On the afternoon of the 3rd, The Who arrive at a TV studio in Stockholm to appear on the Popside program for Sverige Television. Coming onstage busting through a Union Jack paper hoop, they mime performances of "Daddy Rolling Stone," "It's Not True," "Bald Headed Woman," "The Kids Are Alright," "Substitute" and "My Generation" while standing on a ramp. The show is directed by Peter Goldmann, later to direct the promotional films for The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane." It airs on Swedish television on the 5th.
At the show in Orebro, Sweden on the 5th the police panic and pull the plug on The Who when the audience rushes the stage. Pete threatens the police and stagehands to get the power back on but after a part of the set the police cut The Who's power off permanently. John Entwistle has a rare display of temper and rams his bass guitar through his amp so hard it takes two roadies to get it out.
Clint Warwick, bassist for The Moody Blues, leaves the group retiring from show business. John applies for but fails to get the open spot that goes to Rod Clarke from Les Garcons.
On the 14th, The Who record preliminary versions of two new Pete compositions "Disguises" and a song from Pete's first rock opera Quads, "I'm A Boy." "Disguises" is rush mixed to be used the next day on the last episode of BBC-TV's A Whole Scene Going. Pete wears a handlebar mustache and John plays a tuba named "Gladys."
On the 27th, Pete and co-manager Chris Stamp fly to New York City to attend a meeting with attorney Allen Klein on a yacht in the Hudson River. Klein is then partnered with Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of The Rolling Stones, who is also on the yacht during the meeting, but remains on the other side of the craft, feigning disinterest. Klein wants to propose a scheme to get The Who out of the interim injunction brought by their ex-producer Shel Talmy that has blocked The Who from releasing new records. Klein leads Pete to understand that the Talmy troubles will end only if he fires Lambert and Stamp and lets Klein and Loog-Oldham run The Who. Pete instead gives Stamp authority to represent him in the negotiations and leaves to make a gig on the 29th at the University of Sheffield. Klein pays for Pete's first class ticket back home.
While in New York, Stamp, with the help of Klein, makes a deal that gets them around the Talmy injunction by having Decca Records cancel its contract with Talmy in exchange for signing The Who to U.S. Decca via their managers Lambert and Stamp. By so doing, Talmy now has no hold over The Who except for his contract to be their producer and The Who are free to release new music. The Who get a £17,000 advance, 10% royalties from their U.S. releases and the ability to act as free agents in the rest of the world. Klein's price: a piece of Pete's song publishing rights, a fact Pete doesn't discover until eleven years later.
June 1967
New music releases: "Brown Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison; Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 - Johnny Cash; "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane; "Come Back When You Grow Up" - Bobby Vee and The Strangers
On the 5th, Kit Lambert creates mono mixes of "I Can't Reach You", "Relax", "Glittering Girl" "Instrumental - No Title" a/k/a "Soddin' About", and the backing tracks of the earliest version of "Rael" and probably "Our Love Was".
On the 7th, two other tracks destined for long shelf lives are mixed in 4-track by Kit Lambert at CBS Studios, London. Cy Langston's "Early Morning Cold Taxi" and Keith's "Girl's Eyes" will not be officially released for twenty-seven more years although, along with "Soddin' About", they will supplement many a Who bootleg.
On the 14th, The Who play their first headlining show in the U.S. at the Fifth Dimension Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Prior to the show, the promoter is sent out to score crystal meth for the band.
On the 16th, The Who make it to the West Coast playing the Fillmore in San Francisco. After years of abuse from promoters, Pete is stunned when the Fillmore's Bill Graham treats The Who as serious artists deserving of respect, an approach that earns him The Who's lifelong friendship and loyalty. What also throws The Who is that they are expected to put on concert-length shows when they only have 20-25 minutes prepared. They rehearse in their hotel rooms trying to come up with more songs for their set.
On the 18th, The Who perform at The Monterey International Pop Festival in Monterey, California. Pete confronts Jimi Hendrix before the show and demands The Who hit the stage before he does since Hendrix will also smash his guitar. If they follow him the crowd will think The Who are stealing Hendrix's act even though they were the ones who originated it. Hendrix plays his guitar and coolly ignores Pete. John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas finally decides it with a coin toss.
The Who will play first but despite this, The Who face another disadvantage Hendrix does not. Their penny-pinching managers have sent them to the festival with rented equipment and amplifiers incapable of conveying the power of their act. Their performance is spotty but no one forgets the ending of "My Generation" with Pete and Keith engaging in a riotous instrument bust-up captured by D.A. Pennebaker's cameras and later featured in the movies Monterey Pop and The Kids Are Alright.
On the 20th, The Who begin their long flight back to London. As Keith is going to swallow a new drug, STP, he was given at the festival, Pete doses himself as well. The result is a long and terrifying trip. It takes almost a week for the drug to completely wear off, leading Pete to permanently swear off psychedelic drugs.
On the 23rd, John marries his childhood sweetheart Alison Wise, the future inspiration for "My Wife," at Acton Congregational Church. This makes him the third member of The Who to get married, but the first of which the public is made aware. Roger and Keith's marriages are still kept secret. Afterwards John and Alison sail off for a honeymoon on the Queen Elizabeth.
On the evening of the 24th, NEMS employees are sent out to scour the local celebrity hangouts for extras to participate in the next day's live broadcast of The Beatles performing "All You Need Is Love" on a worldwide television show called Our World. Tony Bramwell finds Keith in The Speakeasy amusing himself by tossing peanuts at the other patrons. He tells Keith to be at Abbey Road's Studio One at 2pm the next day. On the 25th, Keith joins The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Marianne Faithfull, Graham Nash and other pop stars. He sits to Ringo's left and only appears in the broadcast as a pair of hands playing drum brushes.
In the last week of the month Crawdaddy, a new U.S. publication dedicated to discussing the art of rock music, puts out its August issue featuring a long rave of The Who's Happy Jack album written by young rock critic Jon Landau. "Their music is them, and they don't have to defend it by coming on too arrogantly, or freaky, within the context of the music itself. They say what they have to say in a manner that is perfectly natural for them, and therein lies their magic and their charm. We would all do well to listen, and to learn."
Meanwhile The Rolling Stones are in crisis as on the 28th, Mick Jagger is found guilty of possession of four Benzedrine tablets he brought from Italy. They had been discovered in a police raid the previous February. He is remanded to jail for sentencing. Late that evening, Pete, Roger and Keith assemble at De Lane Lea Studios in London to record covers of "The Last Time" and "Under My Thumb." Pete plays both fuzz-laden lead guitar and bass for the absent John. Manager Chris Stamp films them recording the songs for use as a video. The video has yet to surface.
After the session, at 3am on the 29th, John receives a phone call aboard the Queen Elizabeth. Hearing the call is from London, he expects dire news about his family. Instead it is someone from Kit Lambert's office asking if The Who have his permission to record an emergency single without him. An angry John says The Who have his permission to put drugs in London's water supply if they want to and hangs up.
Later that day Keith and his wife Kim join a protest outside the News Of The World offices. The paper is well known to have been behind the Stones' drug bust in order to counter a threatened lawsuit for libel by Jagger. On the same day Keith Richard is found guilty for allowing his house to be used for the smoking of cannabis. Sentencing for both Jagger and Richard is held later that day. Jagger gets three months and Richard a year in jail.
On the 30th, Track Records rushes the double A-sided single "The Last Time" and "Under My Thumb" by The Who into record shops. Accompanying the single is this press release: "SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Who consider Mick Jagger & Keith Richard have been treated as scapegoats for the drug problem and as a protest against savage sentences imposed upon them at Chichester yesterday, The Who are issuing today the first of a series of Jagger/Richard songs to keep their work before the public until they are again free to record themselves."
Before the day is over both Jagger and Richard are released on bail during appeal. Widespread opposition to the severity of the sentences leads to the rescinding of both Jagger and Richard's jail terms. There are no other Stones-cover singles by The Who. This one peaks at #44 in the charts and is subsequently released in Europe and Japan. The U.S. release does not come until both tracks appear on Two's Missing 20 years later. Pete later says Jagger acknowledged The Who single by calling Pete "a real gentleman" with his usual sarcastic tone.
June 1968
New music releases: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly; "Stoned Soul Picnic" - The 5th Dimension; "Susie Q" - Creedence Clearwater Revival; "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" - Jackie Wilson
On the 14th, "Dogs" and "Call Me Lightning" are released as a "Double A" side single in Britain. Melody Maker calls it "another Pete Townshend original with tremendous instant appeal" while Record Mirror says it "displays Pete's versatility as a writer." Any hopes it would prove more to the British public's liking than "I Can See For Miles" are dashed when it stalls at #25.
At least one Track Records artist has a good day. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown releases their single "Fire" backed with "Rest Cure." Pete is given associate producer credit and plays rhythm guitar on the B-side. "Fire" goes all the way to the U.K. #1. The Who will release their own cover version in 1989.
On the 28th, The Who headline at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles with Fleetwood Mac and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown supporting. "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" and "Silas Stingy" get rare live performances. On the same day Life magazine does a cover story on "New Rock" with a two-page spread of The Who asleep under a Union Jack flag.
On the 29th, is another performance at The Shrine Auditorium. The Steve Miller Band substitutes for The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown during the second show after Arthur breaks his toe during the first set. 8mm audience-shot footage later appears in VH1's 1997 special Legends: The Who.
After these two shows, The Who spend a week in Los Angeles. Monkee Peter Tork holds a party for The Who at his Hollywood home. Pete has meetings with Mick Jagger where they discuss a joint Rolling Stones/Who tour in the form of a traveling circus. Kit Lambert takes the tapes of "Magic Bus" to Gold Star Studios to prepare the final mix.
June 1969
New music releases: Johnny Cash At San Quentin - Johnny Cash; First Take - Roberta Flack; "Put a Little Love In Your Heart" - Jackie DeShannon; "Clean Up Your Own Backyard" - Elvis Presley
On the 7th, New Musical Express reports that Tommy has become The Who's first album to be certified gold in the U.S. by the RIAA. The award came only three weeks after the album's release making it the fastest selling double-album to date, besting even The Beatles' "White Album".
On the 9th, The Who and entourage fly to Los Angeles for some r'n'r before their Hollywood concert on the 13th. Everyone stays at the Continental Hyatt House (known to bands as the "Riot" House), all except for Pete who stays with a friend. During the stay manager Kit Lambert and possibly Pete meet with executives from Universal Studios who offer a two-picture deal consisting of a Tommy movie budgeted at $2 million and a concert movie.
On the 11th, Thunderclap Newman's "Something In The Air," produced by Pete and with him on bass guitar, hits the British charts. The single will ultimately make #1 there.
On the 13th, The Who stage the Hollywood premiere of Tommy, performing the rock opera at the Hollywood Palladium as part of the "Magic Circus" with fellow acts Poco and the Bonzo Dog Band. Attending the show are Janis Joplin, Spirit, Mama Cass Elliot, David Crosby, Peter Tork and The Turtles. It is the first known time that Pete performs onstage wearing a boiler suit, clothing then only associated with workmen. Pete adopts it both as a rejection of the outlandish fashions of the psychedelic era and to claim he isn't a "rock star" but rather a worker like any other doing his job. Within two months he will trade his white trainers for black Doc Marten boots. The look will have a strong influence on the costumes in Stanley Kubrick's upcoming movie A Clockwork Orange (1971) and will make the utilitarian Doc Marten boots fashionable.
On the 26th, Pete is trapped in tour booker Frank Barselona's apartment while Barselona attempts to talk Pete into having The Who return to the U.S. in two months for a one-off show. Pete is in no mood to give in. After an all-night argument, Pete finally acquiesces, allowing The Who to appear with the cream of Barselona's acts at an outdoor festival named after the town in New York where it is then scheduled to be held, Woodstock.
June 1970
New music releases: Closer To Home - Grand Funk Railroad; "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" - Stevie Wonder; On Stage - Elvis Presley; Workingman's Dead - Grateful Dead
The hippies meet the highbrows. On the 7th, The Who perform Tommy at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House. The usual members of New York's upper crust are joined by hippies and Who fans who are treated to two two-hour concerts. Despite the unusual mix for a Who concert, there are no walkouts. The Who refuse to perform an encore for the second show and in order to get the crowd to disperse, Pete comes onstage and is booed. "After two f***ing hours, boo to you too," he replies and walks off. CBS News later shows The Who performing "Amazing Journey," "Sparks" and "We're Not Gonna Take It" from the earlier show.
The Met performances receive rave reviews from Billboard, Circus and Melody Maker (where reviewer Vicki Wickham gives high marks for Roger's bare-chested performance) and from Albert Goldman in Life magazine who calls the shows Rock's "all-time peak." Donal Henahan, the New York Times' classical reviewer, calls the shows "innocent fun" but proclaims Tommy isn't an opera, but rather, an extended ballad. Both Rolling Stone and Crawdaddy carry negative reviews of the show. Alfred Aronowitz in Rolling Stone says the show convinced him that The Who's music doesn't stand on its own and their success is due more to hype than talent. Ralph Gleason refutes this in an article in the next Rolling Stone called "Theatre dead, Tommy lives." On the 10th, Variety reports The Who made $55,000 from the two shows. Backstage The Who are presented with plaques from Decca Records for $5,000,000 worth of records sold in the U.S.
On the 9th and 10th, The Who perform at Denver's Mammoth Gardens. The Denver show features the first known performance of "I Don't Even Know Myself" and the last live performance of "Sally Simpson" until 1989. Pete later says he is confronted backstage by White Panthers angry about his booting Abbie Hoffman from the Woodstock stage the year before. He also says that after the show a groupie tries to seduce him and, fighting off the temptation to cheat on his wife, goes back to his hotel room alone and writes a prayer for strength that begins, "If my fist clenches, crack it open before I use it and lose my cool..." The prayer is later incorporated into the song "Behind Blue Eyes."
On the 22nd, Pete gets dragged off by the authorities because he uses the word "bomb" on a plane. He tells the authorities it is British slang and he was only saying that their new album was going over "a bomb" (i.e.; very well). Three years later John tells what really happened. The Who had not only been stuck a long time in the plane waiting to take off but also had been annoyed by a high-pitched whine coming from the cabin speakers. Having had enough, Pete finally stands up and screams, "I'll tell! I'll tell where the bomb is!" As a result Pete is arrested, delaying the concert at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium on the 22nd that starts late as The Who fly in at the last minute and rush to the stage.
June 1971
New music releases: Blue - Joni Mitchell; "Move On Up" - Curtis Mayfield; "Tired of Being Alone" - Al Green; Tarkus - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
The Who finish the recording of the Who's Next album at Olympic Studios in Barnes. Six takes of "Bargain" are recorded on the 5th, "Getting In Tune," "Time Waits For No Man" (later retitled "When I Was A Boy") and completion of the 1970 recording "Naked Eye" on the 7th, "Song Is Over" and another take of "Bargain" on the 18th, yet another take of "Bargain" on the 19th and the final mixing of "Let's See Action" on the 20th.
On the 17th, the first tracks from the recent sessions are released. "Won't Get Fooled Again" in a version edited down to 3:55 backed with "I Don't Even Know Myself" is released in the U.S. The A-side states under the song title "From the Motion Picture 'Lifehouse'." It peaks at #15 on the Billboard charts and #9 on the Cash Box charts. The European release follows on the 25th where it reaches #9 in the British charts. The B-side is retitled "Don't Know Myself." Nick Logan in Melody Maker calls the A-side "The Who at their most aggressive, riffy and it's reminiscent in parts of the Stones - particularly in the way the guitars mesh and snarl their answer to the title line. An excellent performance."
June 1972
New music releases: Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - Simon & Garfunkel; A Song For You - The Carpenters; Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden - Elvis Presley; The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie
On the 5th, The Who record "Long Live Rock" at Olympic Studios, London. The song is meant as the title track for a never-shot Who television special. On the 6th, they record "Put The Money Down" as an instrumental track with guide vocal, leaving it unfinished. By the end of the month The Who have decided to abandon their last two months' attempt to record a follow-up to the Who's Next album. "Long Live Rock" and "Put The Money Down" will remain unreleased for over two years.
On the 16th, "Join Together" backed with a live recording of "Baby Don't You Do It" is released in Britain. Chris Welch in Melody Maker calls it rather bland but Roy Carr in New Musical Express calls both sides of the single "10 minutes and 39 seconds of the best music available." The fans agree with Roy, sending it to #9 in the charts.
On the same day Pete tells Sounds magazine that widespread bootlegging of the Meher Baba devotional albums that have featured his work will lead to him releasing a collection of them through his legitimate record label. It will be called Who Came First. Pete will later discover that MCA mistook the actual releases of the Baba albums for bootlegs.
On the 25th, The Who gather together a select audience of fans at the London Weekend TV studios in Wembley to shoot the promotional film for their new single "Join Together." Michael Lindsay-Hogg directs. The start time is 1pm and refreshments are served. During the early part of filming, Pete slices his right hand open during a windmill and has to be carted off for stitches and bandages. Shooting resumes after his return. Afterwards, Pete is interviewed on camera by the makers of the movie Jimi Hendrix recounting their backstage battle at Monterey five years before.
June 1973
New music releases: Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits - Janis Joplin; "Dream On" - Aerosmith; "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye; Chicago VI - Chicago
On the 1st, primary recording for the Quadrophenia album begins at The Kitchen (later Ramport Studios) in Battersea using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. The first song laid to tape is "Bell Boy."
On the 8th, the recording of "Love, Reign O'er Me" is finished after having been left incomplete during the May 1972 sessions. Also recorded this month is "Drowned" for which director Ken Russell is present. Both he and Pete later recall that during the recording of this song, a massive rainstorm led to the flooding of the studio. Guest pianist Chris Stainton was in a glass booth performing while the booth gradually filled with water. At the end of the session, the booth was opened and the water came flooding out. Russell was present to confer with Pete on the script he was then writing for the Tommy movie.
Pete's comic song "We Close Tonight" is recorded on the 20th. It is dropped from Quadrophenia and does not surface until the 1998 re-issue of Odds And Sods. On the 27th, "5:15" is recorded.
A rough stereo mix of at least part of Quadrophenia is assembled on the 28th. The album tracks are "Can You See The Real Me?", "Punk In The Gutter", "Drowned", "Dirty Jobs", "We Close Tonight", "Quadrophenia" (a/k/a "Four Faces"), "5:15", "Dr. Jimmy & Mr. Jim", "Russian Dance", "Is It In My Head".
June 1974
New music releases: Bad Company - Bad Company; Back Home Again - John Denver; Endless Summer - The Beach Boys; "Sweet Home Alabama" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
On the 3rd, five days of filming the end of Tommy: The Movie begins at Portsmouth. Roger has all the hair singed off one arm by gas jet flames.
On the 10th, The Who play the first of four nights at Madison Square Garden. The support band this night and the next is Golden Earring. The first night's show is the only one where The Who performs a live rendition of Keith Moon's "Waspman". Otherwise the band counts it as a disaster with Roger later describing the show as "fucking horrible". Pete will later claim that New York Who fans were yelling for him to "jump, jump, jump!" faking an enthusiasm he no longer felt although front-rowers at these concerts have said it was an unknown person behind them.
Backstage The Who get into a vicious screaming match arguing about the poor quality of the show. The Who's former manager Kit Lambert, like most everyone else around except Roger quite drunk, starts demanding he be allowed to mix the live P.A. for the rest of the shows. The Who have him taken to his hotel. Pete meanwhile has to stay at the Hotel Pierre that night because Who fans have taken all the extra rooms at the Navarro where The Who are staying.
The 11th, 13th and 14th give The Who three more nights to get it right. Pete smashes a Les Paul on the 11th but perhaps he should have saved the aggression for the 13th. On that night Roger's mic malfunctions and he storms off. Pete tries to carry on singing all the parts but eventually gives up and leaves along with John and Keith. The audience gets rowdy and showers the stage with cherry bombs and bottles. Maggie Bell opens that night and Montrose opens the final night as Pete caps off the spotty week by smashing three guitars followed by Keith smashing a fourth.
On the 13th, Pete is interviewed in The New York Times. He expresses his dissatisfaction in writing solely for The Who.
Pete and Roger return from New York to immediate work on the Tommy movie. On the 16th, Tina Turner is in The Who's Ramport Studios to overdub her vocals for "The Acid Queen."
On the 17th, Roger, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and Jack Nicholson report to Harefield Grove to shoot the "Go to the Mirror" sequence.
Shooting for the "Champagne" and "Smash The Mirror" sequences are held on the 21st, 22nd, 24th, 25th and 26th. Ann-Margret's scene wallowing in foam, chocolate and baked beans has to be postponed at one point after she cuts her hand on shards of the broken television from which the conglomeration emerges.
June 1976
New music releases: A Night On The Town - Rod Stewart; "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" - Elton John & Kiki Dee; "You're My Best Friend" - Queen; Chicago X - Chicago
On the 5th, The Who continue their "Who Put The Boot In Tour" performing at the Celtic Football Ground in Glasgow, Scotland. 35,000 attend and over £100,000 are donated to charity.
That afternoon in the backstage area of the parking lot, Keith fulfills the request of the 11-year old who won the organ from the Tommy film by smashing it with a sledgehammer.
A week later on the 12th, The Who hold their final concert of this U.K. mini-tour at the Swansea Football Ground in Swansea, Wales. The concert is officially recorded by producer Glyn Johns but left unreleased until 1994 with "Dreaming From The Waist" on the 30 Years of Maximum R&B boxset. Additional tracks, but not the entire concert, have since been released on various Who compilations. This is Keith's last concert before a paying audience in the United Kingdom. After the show, he flies back to his Los Angeles home.
The Who are named as the first recipients of the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Centre Silver Clef Award for their charity donations.
June 1977
New music releases: CSN - Crosby, Stills & Nash; JT - James Taylor; Superman - Barbra Streisand; "Way Down" - Elvis Presley
Pete records his demo of the song "Who Are You" at his Goring Studio.
On the 23rd, Keith Moon comes out of seclusion to join Led Zeppelin during an encore at the Los Angeles Forum. While John Bonham drums to "Moby Dick", Keith plays tympani and tambourine. It will be his last musical performance in front of an audience in North America.
June 1979
New music releases: Candy-O - The Cars; I Am - Earth, Wind & Fire; Live Killers - Queen; Get The Knack! - The Knack
On the 5th, The Kids Are Alright soundtrack double LP is released in the U.K. and on the next day in the U.S. Complimentary reviews come from Chris Welch in Melody Maker, Charles Shaar Murray in New Musical Express and Steve Simels in Stereo Review. Greil Marcus dubs the album "okay" in Rolling Stone, using the review as a platform to damn the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" for being "stale." David Hepworth in Sounds gives the record a thumbs-down in a review entitled "How To Flog Dead Horses." The album peaks at #26 in Britain and #8 in America.
On the 14th, the movie The Kids Are Alright has its U.S. premiere in New York. John and Kenney Jones fly over to attend the showing. The next day they are interviewed on WPIX and WPLJ radio. Pete flies over on the 16th and the three are interviewed on WLIR. The following evening Pete, John and Kenney attend a dinner party in honor of The Who at Windows on The World at the top of the World Trade Center. Roger, meanwhile, stays in England to work on his movie McVicar.
On the 30th, Pete performs as a solo act with acoustic guitar at Her Majesty's Theatre in London as part of The Secret Policeman's Ball event benefiting Amnesty International. His performances of "Pinball Wizard", "Drowned" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", the latter accompanied by classical guitarist John Williams, are later released on The Secret Policeman's Ball album and video.
June 1980
New music releases: The Game - Queen; Urban Cowboy - Various Artists; The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording - The Blues Brothers; Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones
On the 14th, Pete's solo single "Let My Love Open The Door" backed with "And I Moved" hits the U.S. charts and goes on to become Pete's biggest U.S. success as a solo artist reaching #9 in the Billboard charts and #11 in the Cash Box charts. This ties it with the highest position achieved by a Who single in the U.S., "I Can See For Miles" in 1967.
On the 21st the single hits the British charts. British fans get a different b-side with the previously unreleased tracks "Greyhound Girl" and "Classified." Apparently they don't appreciate the bonus as the single peaks at #46.
On the 18th, The Who's extensive tour of North America resumes after a six-week break. Trouble starts after the first show at the San Diego Sports Arena as Pete punches a wall and breaks several bones in his right hand. He has to wear a cast for the rest of the tour.
June 1981
New music releases: Duran Duran - Duran Duran; "Endless Love" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie; Love Songs - Cliff Richard; Breakin' Away - Al Jarreau;
Pete begins two months of work on his second solo album for Atlantic Records. During this month he goes into Oceanic Studios and records a rehearsal version of "It's In Ya" with John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Peter Hope-Evans, Tony Butler, Mark Brzezcki and Jody Linscott that is later released on Scoop 3. Around this time there is an incident with Rabbit getting violent while drunk. He is fired from The Who, missing the 1982 album and tour.
Sometime during this summer Roger sets up a professional trout farm.
June 1982
New music releases: "Africa" - Toto; Mirage - Fleetwood Mac; "Come on Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express; Lexicon of Love - ABC
On the 4th, Pete fills in Time Out magazine on his two-year drug and alcohol binge and his recent recovery. He provides the same to New Musical Express on the 12th.
The Who, meanwhile are at the Turn-Up-Down Studios located in Glyn Johns' home in Surrey recording It's Hard that will end up being their last studio album for twenty-four years. The sessions are contentious with Roger denouncing the songs as crap and begging Pete to scrap the album. According to Roger, Pete refuses saying, "Too late. It's good enough. That's how we are now."
June 1983
New music releases: Synchronicity - The Police; A Decade of Hits - The Charlie Daniels Band; The Wild Heart - Stevie Nicks; Keep It Up - Loverboy
On the 15th, The Who hold a business meeting at manager Bill Curbishley's office. Pete writes later in his diary, "I stood by my decision to leave. Bill seemed to be the only one who could see I wasn't going to change my mind." It will be the last time The Who join together until Live Aid over two years later.
June 1984
New music releases: Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen; Purple Rain - Prince & The Revolution; "Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker, Jr.; Breaking Hearts - Elton John
Roger is interviewed for Musician magazine by Chris Salewicz who remarks that Roger still does not seem reconciled to Pete's disbanding The Who: "I feel his reasons for leaving the Who don't really hold water. The real reason, I think, was not that he couldn't come up with the songs but that he just didn't want to play with us any longer. He was bored."
Pete attends Prince Charles' Rock Gala at Royal Albert Hall and sits in the box with the Prince and Princess Diana. That month he also attends the Prince's Trust London premiere of the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom which is also attended by the Prince and Princess. It is probably at one of these events that the Princess, on recognizing Pete in her presence again, says, "Oh, you again, you must be keen." Pete manages to supress his anger at the royal condesension.
June 1986
New record releases: Invisible Touch - Genesis; Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood; Night Songs - Cinderella; Storms of Life - Randy Travis
Bono of U2 asks Pete to perform on a tour of the United States benefitting Amnesty International. The "A Conspiracy Of Hope" tour has its first show on the 4th. Pete lands in New York for rehearsals but has to fly back to England immediately when he receives news that his father has become seriously ill. He has to cancel his participation in the tour.
On the 11th, Roger and John travel to New York to cheer Richard Branson on to victory in the Pride Of Britain Boat Race. Afterwards, they attend a Virgin Records party at the Water Club in New York.
John then travels to the North American Music Merchandisers exhibition in Chicago to promote the new "buzzard" bass he has designed. He is interviewed by MTV on the exhibition floor, saying that he is currently writing a book about mythical rock star ancestors. While attending he jams with Eddie Van Halen and also a New York-based band, Rat Race Choir. Apparently John enjoys playing with the group as they end up forming the basis of his solo touring band from this point on.
On the 29th, Pete's father Cliff Townshend dies of cancer at the age of 70.
June 1987
New music releases: Whitney - Whitney Houston; Let It Loose/Anything for You - Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine; Bad Animals - Heart; La Bamba - Los Lobos and Various Artists
On the 8th, the British press reports that The Who have turned down £16m for an eight-week tour of the U.S., Japan, Australia and three South American countries to start February 1988. Says John: "I've turned down the offers to concentrate on my new group, The Rock. It's all over for The Who. We've all got solo careers now."
On the 20th, Billboard reviews Roger's newly-released album Can't Wait to See the Movie. They call it "mature material" in a "polished album". Apparently this is not what buyers expect from him as the LP fails to make the charts. The U.K. release does not happen until 31 July.
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June 1989
New music releases: Soul Provider - Michael Bolton; The End of The Innocence - Don Henley; Cosmic Thing - The B-52's; Heart Of Stone - Cher
Musician carries a pre-tour article and interview with The Who. The cover presents a drawing of the three members over a dollar bill and the article damns them as sellouts. Inside, interviewer Charles M. Young gets in a heated exchange with Pete on the subject of the tour sponsorship by a beer company.
On the 21st, The Who play a warm up show for their tour at the Glens Falls, New York Civic Center. The tour officially begins on the 23rd and 24th at Toronto's C.N.E. Stadium. The show consists of two acts with intermission, act one being Tommy and the second a collection of Who hits, Pete solo material and some selected rarities. Pete plays only acoustic guitar through the first act, then electric in sections of the second act. For the tour Pete, Roger, John and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick are augmented by drummer Simon Phillips accompanied by percussionist Jodi Linscott, electric guitarist Steve Bolton, a horn section and backup singers led by Billy Nicholls.
From Toronto, The Who then head to New York City for a performance at Radio City Music Hall on the 27th. This is a charity performance for the benefit of the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy and is broadcast live on the Westwood One Radio Network. Afterwards, The Who attend a party in their honor at the Waldorf Astoria. Robert Plant, then scheduled to perform with The Who at the charity show in Los Angeles, also attends.
June 1990
New music releases: Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey; Step by Step - New Kids on the Block; Flesh & Blood - Poison; I'll Give All My Love to You - Keith Sweat
On the 5th, it is reported that Pete has turned down £2 million from Coca-Cola to use "My Generation" as part of their "Generation after Generation" ad campaign. The Who had previously recorded adverts for Coca-Cola in 1967.
Pete is interviewed in this month's issue of Musician. He disassociates himself from the recently released Join Together boxset: "I didn't pick the title, cover or collection of songs, and I wouldn't be hurt if a Who fan told me they weren't going to buy it." He also says he is responsible for The Who not extending their 25th Anniversary Tour to Australia and Japan and that Atlantic Records wants his next solo album to be a "formula" album: "I could create a lot of red faces by asking what the formula is."
June 1993
New music releases: Sleepless in Seattle - Various Artists; Back to Broadway - Barbra Streisand; What's Love Got to Do with It - Tina Turner; Experience the Divine: Greatest Hits - Bette Midler
On the 6th, Pete wins Tony awards for best book (musical) and best score (musical) for The Who's Tommy. Pete sets the Who gossip mill turning by showing up for the event accompanied by New York journalist Lisa Marsh instead of his wife Karen.
On the 7th, Pete attends the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. Pete mimes guitar playing with his shovel. "Originally it was music that came from people that were in trouble, and spoke deeply and hugely and heroically from deep down in their soul. That's what we inherit here today. It's a real living, breathing religion - that's how I feel about it." He also donates to the museum the Gibson J-200 guitar on which he composed Tommy. Chuck Berry and Billy Joel are also present.
On the 15th, Pete's last solo album of new material, PsychoDerelict, is released in the U.S. The U.K. release follows on July 11. Q Magazine says the new songs "aren't terrible" but the radio play around the songs is let down by "terrible dialogue." New Musical Express calls it "dazzling ambitious." Rolling Stone says the album allows Pete to "explore themes that have long obsessed him" despite the story's "cliché and bombast." Entertainment Weekly says it has meaty songs if you can get past the "high concept." Robert Christgau in the Village Voice claims Pete "wrecked his record with voiceovers and bad dialogue." Atlantic Records told Pete they thought the album would be a big seller but it fails to chart in the U.K. while in the U.S. the album peaks at #118.
June 1994
New music releases: Forrest Gump: The Soundtrack - Various Artists; Purple - Stone Temple Pilots; Who I Am - Alan Jackson; When Love Finds You - Vince Gill
At the end of the month, the newest issue of Goldmine Magazine (July 8) hits the stands containing a long talk with Roger. The bad feelings caused by Pete's refusal to participate in a 30th anniversary tour and the then lawsuit over payments from the Tommy musical lead Roger to give the bitterest interview of his career. He says Pete "used" him and John on the recording of The Iron Man, and treats them "like fucking toilet paper," that when The Who broke up that "was the end of John's life" and calls Kenney Jones drumming "fucking awful".
June 1996
New music releases: Secrets - Toni Braxton; Load - Metallica; "Wannabe" - Spice Girls; Keith Sweat - Keith Sweat
On the 25th, John's 1986 solo album The Rock gets its first release on an actual record company label, Griffin, in the U.S.
Pete, Roger and John begin rehearsals for the upcoming live version of Quadrophenia. Those rehearsals come to an abrupt end on the 28th after Gary Glitter spins a microphone stand and accidentally slams one of the prongs on the base right into Roger's eye, smashing the bones of his eye socket. Incredibly, Roger agrees to go on the next day despite the severe injury. Pete, interviewed by the press before the show, is brimming with admiration for Roger for not cancelling.
Billed under their separate names, Pete, Roger and John perform the entirety of Quadrophenia live at the Masters of Music festival at Hyde Park on the 29th. It is the first time the work has been played live in its entirety since the first night of The Who's 1973 U.K. tour. Phil Daniels of the movie version narrates, Gary Glitter plays the Godfather, Ade Edmundson is the Bell Boy, Trevor McDonald reads the news and Stephen Fry is the hotel manager.
Pete plays only acoustic guitar and piano leaving the electric guitar parts to Dave Gilmour. Zak Starkey takes the drummer's seat for the first time for the group that will soon revert to the name The Who. Roger wears a Mod eyepatch to cover his injury. Quadrophenia is preceded by performances by Alanis Morrisette and Bob Dylan and followed by Eric Clapton. Highlights from the show are later broadcast on HBO in the U.S. The entire event raises money for the Prince's Trust charity. Before the show all the performers meet backstage with Prince Charles.
June 1999
New music releases: Supernatural - Santana; Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers; Significant Other - Limp Bizkit; Enema of the State - Blink-182
Pete, after Bill Curbishley had written to him to inform him of John Entwistle's current money problems, writes back, agreeing to the reformation of The Who to get John out of debt. What must have sounded at the time like a short-term reunion continues without breakup to this day, long after John's death.
June 2000
New music releases: Country Grammar - Nelly; "Yellow" - Coldplay; "Californication" - Red Hot Chili Peppers; 7 - S Club 7
On the 25th, The Who kick off their North American tour at the New World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, Illinois, their last North American tour with John.
Also on the 29th, Pete writes another diary on his website talking about his problems writing new music for The Who, "that many musicians I admire don't even like."
On the 30th, in an interview in the Boston Globe, Roger says "This is an ongoing band now. We're definitely back as a working band." He also says, in response to complaints about high ticket prices, "Many of our hard-core fans, the people who grew up with us, are now CEOs of companies and can afford it."
June 2002
New music releases: Let Go - Avril Lavigne; Songs About Jane - Maroon 5; Nellyville - Nelly; "By The Way" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
On the 10th, The Who begin rehearsals for their 2002 North American tour, some of which are carried live on Pete's website. Some fans remark on the fact that John remains seated throughout the webcast rehearsals.
On the 15th, The Who conclude rehearsals playing "Who Are You," "Love Reign O'er Me" and "Bargain." It will be the last time Pete, Roger and John will play together.
On the 26th, John arrives at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas where The Who are set to start their 2002 North American tour. He spends the afternoon shopping for Western wear and boots, then spends some time with friend Cy Langston and others at the hotel bar where his last picture is taken. Later that night he retires to Suite 658 with Déjà Vu Showgirls dancer Alycen Rowse. John warns her not to let him sleep on his back as so many of his friends have died that way choking on vomit. John dodges that fate but not the heart attack that kills him early in the morning. Alycen discovers John has died upon awakening at 10am on the 27th. She tries unsuccessfully to revive him, then calls Cy who arrives at noon and calls the coroner and members of The Who.
A weeping Roger visits Pete and leaves it to him what to do about the tour due to start the next day. After a night's thought, Pete decides to bring in expert session bassist Pino Palladino (White City, Psychoderelict tour and many, many other credits) to replace John and to start the tour by July. The news is almost as shocking to Who fans as John's passing. Journalists and many fans denounce the decision but Pete later explains that he felt the tour had to continue due to the large number of people who would suddenly be without employment if he cancelled the tour.
Meanwhile grieving fans, some of whom had flown in from distant locations to attend the show, leave flowers and remembrances at the Hard Rock Hotel.
June 2003
New music releases: Dangerously in Love - Beyoncé; Elephunk - Black Eyed Peas; "Where is the Love?" - Black Eyed Peas; Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys
On the 23rd, Pete Townshend publishes a diary message stating: "Without my help, work is being done today by good people who are fighting hard to combat both the spread of sewage on the internet and the terrible psychological effect that could have on the minds of the children of the future. Every time it occurs to me to say something about what is going on I remember what happened to me: I was arrested, suspected of wallowing in the very shit that most upset me. It sends a clear and loud message. What is clear is that I must learn to keep silent and focus my energies elsewhere."
June 2006
New music releases: "Chasing Cars" - Snow Patrol; "Life is a Highway" - Rascal Flatts; Loose - Nelly Furtado; "The Diary of Jane" - Breaking Benjamin
On the 17th, Pete and Roger return to Leeds University, first for the unveiling of a Civic Trust plaque commemorating their 14 Feb. 1970 performance that became the Live at Leeds album. Afterwards The Who open their world tour in performance at the same refectory where they had played 36 years before. The Wire and Glass mini-opera gets its live premiere as well as the new song "Mike Post Theme." The audience in the packed auditorium swelters in the June heat. Spitfire Films shoots the show in HD but it remains unreleased.
June 2009
New music releases: The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas; "Sweet Dreams" - Beyoncé; "Obsessed" - Mariah Carey; "Bulletproof" - La Roux
On the 9th, The Who's "My Generation" is selected by the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as one of twenty-five culturally significant recordings selected for preservation in a special sound archive.
June 2012
New music releases: "Some Nights" - fun.; "One More Night" - Maroon 5; "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers; Believe - Justin Bieber
On the 22nd, Pete pens a lengthy recolection about John Entwistle on the tenth anniversary of his death. "On stage with the Who I often look across and expect to see John standing there scratching the side of his nose and take a resigned deep breath in that characteristically thoughtful way that often presaged a funny story or a blistering bass passage."
June 2014
New music releases: X - Ed Sheeran; "All About That Bass" - Meghan Trainor; "Don't Tell 'Em" - Jeremih featuring YG; Wanted on Voyage - George Ezra
On the 14th, Roger and Pete Townshend reunite with Kenney Jones for their first performance together since 1988. They play a five song set at a festival held at the Hurtwood Park Polo Club. Dubbed the "Rock'n Horsepower" festival, the concert benefits UK Prostate Cancer. It was put together by Kenney Jones who had been suffering with prostate cancer over the last year. Other performers include Mick Hucknall, Jeff Beck, Procul Harum, Mike + The Mechanics, Alvin Stardust, Nik Kershaw and John Parr. Others attending the Rock 'n' Horsepower event included Ruby Wax, Colin Salmon, Jane Seymour and Penny Smith.
On the 20th, Pete and Roger hold a press conference to announce plans for their "The Who Hits 50!" tour. The venue for the presser is Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club where The Who premiered Tommy for the press 45 years earlier. Roger dubs the tour "the beginning of a long goodbye." Pete adds, "We are what we are, and extremely good at it, but we're lucky to be alive and still touring. If I had enough hairs to split, I would say that for 13 years since 1964 The Who didn't really exist, so we are really only 37." The two then perform an acoustic set of "Substitute", "Bargain", "The Kids Are Alright", and "Won't Get Fooled Again".
June 2015
New music releases: "Can't Feel My Face" - The Weeknd; "679" - Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz; "Roses" - The Chainsmokers featuring Rozes; "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" - Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend
On the 8th, the cd Pete Townshend's Classic Quadrophenia, featuring Rachel Fuller's orchestral arrangement of the entire work and lead vocal by Alfred Boe, is released. The deluxe ediiton comes with a DVD of the Quadrophenia: Can You See the Real Me? documentary.
June 2016
New Music Releases: "Heathens" - Twenty-One Pilots; "Treat You Better" - Shawn Mendes; "Into You" - Ariana Grande; "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1" - Kanye West
On the 15th, The Who Hits 50! tour is taken to the Continent with the band performing at Zénith in Toulouse, France followed by Mad Cool Festival in Caja Mágica in Madrid on the 16th and Azkena Rock Festival, CIFP Mendizabala LHII, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain on the 18th. These three shows are the last with long-time Who soundman Bobby Pridden running the onstage soundboard. After this he retires from touring at doctor's orders.
On the 22nd, Roger comes forward as a Brexit supporter in an editorial in The Mirror. Roger will continue to be an outspoken supporter of the Leave movement while Pete will be a quieter supporter of Remain. Much like their nation, The Who will continue to work together although politically divided.
On the 23rd, the comic news programme 28 minutes on France's ARTE channel has a segment wondering whether Europe should consider leaving Roger Daltrey.
June 2017
New Music Releases: "Whatever It Takes" - Imagine Dragons; "Bodak Yellow" - Cardi B; "Young, Dumb & Broke" - Khalid; "Wild Thoughts" - DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
On the 15th, A blue plaque honouring John Entwistle is placed at the Royal British Legion, Gloucester by BBC Gloucestershire for BBC Music Day.
On the 19th, Pete says he knew four Spanish families that lived in Grenfell Tower. Three members of those families died in the fire that killed many of its residents. Since the blaze, Pete has been writing checks for the victims and even replaced a piano a young girl had lost.
On the 21st, a single by Artists for Grenville of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is released. Both Pete and Roger take part in the charity recording. It goes to #1 and as they are listed as "The Who", it becomes The Who's first official #1 single in the U.K. Pete will go on to write the powerful "Street Song" about the disaster for 2019's album WHO.
June 2018
New Music Releases: "Be Alright" - Dean Lewis; Scorpion - Drake; "Back To You" - Selena Gomez; "I'm a Mess" - Bebe Rexha
On the 1st, Roger's first solo studio album in 26 years, As Long As I Have You, is released in the U.K. by Polydor. Solo has to be somewhat qualified as Pete plays guitar on seven of the tracks. The Times gives it four stars and Rolling Stone gives it three and a half saying, "Seventy-four-year-old Daltrey's voice is a little gruffer than it was when he was a young buck, but it's as strong and passionate as ever." In the U.K. it peaks at #8 while in the U.S. it only reaches #194.
On the 3rd, Adult Swim premiers the episode "Joe Pera Reads You the Church Announcements" from the series Joe Pera Talks with You. In the episode, Joe attempts to read the church announcements but cannot help gushing over a song he has just become aware of, "Baba O'Riley".
On the 8th, Roger returns to the U.S. not to promote his new album, but rather to continue touring Tommy with symphony orchestras. This night has him return to a familiar location if not venue, the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival. After that he performs two nights at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia (10th and 12th), at the Houssevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood (15th), Forest Hills Stadium in Long Island (17th), The Mann Center in Philadelphia (19th), the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois (23rd and 25th), the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville (27th), and CMAC in Canandaigua, New York (30th).
On the 13th, Mike Love tells the press that at one point Keith Moon wrote the Beach Boys a letter. "He wrote us a letter saying he wanted to be our drummer, but unfortunately Dennis Wilson was our drummer. Dennis, Brian and Carl and Al wouldn't have allowed it."
On the 22nd, Roger takes a day off from his tour to present a check for nearly $500,000 to the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The donation came from The Who's charity Teen Cancer America. The hospital says they will use the money to do more cancer research for afflicted teens.
In other Roger Daltrey/Teen Cancer news, on the 25th, BBC2 TV runs the programme Teenagers v. Cancer: A User's Guide. One scene shows Roger performing a Johnny Cash song in a teenage cancer ward.
