One of the most enduring and influential rock groups of all time, the Who -- Roger Daltrey (vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John "The Ox" Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums) -- first caught the public's attention in the mid-1960s by smashing their instruments on stage. They have continued to hold it for more than 30 years thanks to a powerful blend of R&B and straight-up rock 'n' roll. After Moon's death in 1978 and two final albums, the other members of the Who went on to successful solo careers, and the band has sporadically reunited for tours; their numerous hits remain classic rock radio staples.

The Who have their roots in the West London music scene of the early 1960s, where Daltry, Townshend, Entwistle, and drummer Doug Sandom performed in a band called the Detours. Initially taking their cues from the Beatles, the band soon developed a Rolling Stones fetish and replaced Sandom with local drummer Keith Moon, who had a stronger R&B background. Around this time the Detours discovered another band of the same name already existed, and changed their name to the ever-confusing moniker 'the Who.'

In 1963 London scenester Pete Meaden "discovered" the Who and took control of their career, repackaging them as a mod band, changing their name to the High Numbers, and having them record two songs that he wrote himself to appeal to the British mod scene. Their first single did not chart and the band broke with Meaden to go their own way.

Changing their name back to the Who, the band came to the attention of Decca Records in late 1964 after Pete Townshend smashed his guitar in anger at a show and caused a media stir. Their first Decca single, "I Can't Explain," climbed to No. 9 in the U.K. and was followed by their first LP, 1965's (The Who Sings) My Generation, a mix of R&B covers and original songs penned by Townshend.

The Who toured America several times in the mid-'60s, becoming a cult act thanks to their energetic live show, which now included a nightly destruction of guitars that quickly ate up the band's profits. Meanwhile, their next two albums, 1966's A Quick One (Happy Jack in the U.S.) and the 1967 concept album The Who Sell Out, performed respectably in Britain and, to a lesser extent, the U.S., where their 1967 single "I Can See For Miles" became their first American Top 10 hit. The group also made an appearance that June at the Monterrey Pop Festival, where they expanded their stateside following. Decca released a U.S.-only compilation later that year called The Magic Bus, which was highly criticized for containing previously released material and inferior cuts while claiming to be a new live album.

The Who became international stars with their 1969 "rock opera" Tommy, the story of a handicapped youth who finds salvation through pinball. The double album reached No. 4 in the U.S. and remained on the charts for over two years, eventually spawning a 1975 movie of the same title featuring Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner,and the Who themselves. The following year, the critically acclaimed live album, Live At Leeds was released, showcasing the group's earlier material.

The band's next effort, 1971's Who's Next, is generally considered their strongest album, containing such radio staples as "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Two years later the Who returned with their second rock opera, the 1973 double album Quadrophenia, a tale based loosely on Pete Townshend's experiences in the London mod scene of the early 1960s. Like Tommy, Quadrophenia was made into a movie, released in 1979. Also in 1971 Decca released the first of many Who compilations, Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy, a collection of early singles.

The Who By Numbers (1975) and Who Are You (1978), though commercially successful, marked the beginning of the band's decline. On September 7, 1978, drummer Keith Moon was found dead of a drug overdose; eerily, he had appeared on the cover of their most recent album (Who Are You) in a chair marked "Not to be taken away."After a period of mourning, the band decided to press on, bringing in ex-Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones for their next two albums, 1981's Face Dances and 1983's It's Hard. Their 1982 "farewell" tour was documented on the live album Who's Last, but the Who didn't really disappear.

Though Townshend and Daltrey went on to notable solo careers, the Who re-formed in 1988 for another tour, and throughout the '80s their label milked their back catalog for all it was worth, releasing numerous "greatest hits" and B-sides compilations.

The '80s didn't mark the end of Who reunion fever. The group performed the epic Quadrophenia as part of a 1996 tour, and came together again for short tours in 1999 and 2000, suggesting that nearly 20 years after their "farewell" tour, the Who still hadn't finished saying goodbye.

Bassist Entwhistle died of an apparent heart-attack on June 27, 2002 at the age of 57. The remaining two members press on, though Townsend now faces public suspicion of violation of child pornography laws.

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