The fourth opening-round battle of the 2013 Ultimate Classic Rock Bowl features a distinct British flavor, as the Who and the Beatles duke it out in a quest for championship gold. Over the next month, 16 of rock’s biggest bands will square off against each other in a series of single-elimination matches to determine the genre’s true champion.
The history of the Who is littered with tragic events. From Pete Townshend's abuse when he was a child to the 1979 deaths of 11 fans in Cincinnati to John Entwistle's overdose in 2000. One of the lesser known stories occurred on Jan. 4, 1970, when Neil Boland, who was Keith Moon's driver and bodyguard, was accidentally run over by Moon's Bentley.
Drummer Kenney Jones was already very highly-regarded in the British rock scene by the end of 1978, when he got the unexpected opportunity of a lifetime: being tapped to replace the late Keith Moon in the Who. The group announced their new drummer in January of 1979, but Jones' tenure with the band would prove to be difficult and relatively brief, punctuated by internal strife and changing musical trends.
A highlights album featuring some of the best moments from last Wednesday's (Dec. 12) 12-12-12 concert is now available at iTunes, with plans for a CD release on Jan. 22. Two dozen of the best performances and collaborations are included, with at least $6.50 from each sale going to the Robin Hood Relief Fund.
The Who were undoubtedly one of the most innovative and important hard rock bands of all time. Ranging from psychedelic pop rock material like 'I Can See For Miles' and 'Pinball Wizard' all the way through epic arena rock classics like 'Won't Get Fooled Again' and 'Who Are You,' they virtually single-handedly perfected both the concept album and the rock opera. But the latter part of the decade was unkind to the group, who experienced a series of misfortunes leading into the early part of the '80s. On Dec. 16, 1983, guitarist Pete Townshend announced that he was leaving the Who, effectively ending the group.
Original manager of the Who, Kit Lambert is headed to the big screen in a newly conceived biopic. Lambert, along with the recently deceased Chris Stamp, guided the Who through their formative years up through the early 1970s and now, according to the Hollywood Reporter, a film on Lambert's life is being planned with assistance from both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend.
It's a good thing neither Pete Townshend nor Roger Daltrey died before they got old, or else they would not have been able to rock Madison Square Garden tonight (Dec. 12). The Who put on a master class while rocking for a good cause, raising money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
