They smashed Rickenbackers, hotel rooms and occasionally each other. Never before had a band caused such wanton destruction on stage. Never before had a band smashed their instruments into pieces, or used feedback as a weapon to manipulate their audiences. But there had never been a band like The Who before, and no other band has ever brought the same level of danger, excitement, chaos and sheer volume to live performance as The Who. From singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend and bassist John Entwistle starting out as The Detours in 1962, until the untimely death of their legendary drummer Keith Moon in 1978, this is the story of over 300 explosive Who concerts told through more than 500 eyewitness accounts. It charts their rise from their West London roots to become one of Britain's top chart acts (with 14 Top Ten hits) and a gig schedule that saw them play virtually everywhere in the UK before conquering North America and the world via mammoth concert tours and attention-grabbing appearances at the Monterey, Woodstock and Isle of Wight festivals. The Who's albums Tommy, Who's Next and Quadrophenia all rank in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The Who's legacy is undiminished by time. And the sound of feedback runs through this book as fans and admirers of the band recount seeing them in action through a series of fascinating and heartwarming anecdotes and photographs. More than 290 different Who gigs are recalled by fans, from their Mod roots through to the 2000s, with Roger and Pete continuing to fly the flag for a great British institution. AUTHOR: Richard Houghton is the author of over 20 books about music, specialising in people's histories that tell the story of an act in the words of fans. He has compiled authorised 'fanthologies' on Jethro Tull, Simple Minds, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, The Stranglers, Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays), Fairport Convention, The Wedding Present and The Ukrainians. He lives in Manchester, UK. 250 colour and b/w images
