Birthdays, children's names, and other facts about the members of our favorite band.
Versions, Missing Songs
Where to find that long version of "Magic Bus".
The addresses that no Who fan should be without.
Betcha didn't know this one!
The real reason this FAQ exists is to try and keep people from ever asking these questions again!
Last but not least, we get down to the brass tacks and learn the
nitty-gritty about the Who, while using as many clichés
as possible!
Q. So, who all is in the Who?
A. The original members of the Who were Roger Harry Daltrey, John Alec Entwistle, Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend, and Keith John Moon. Kenney Jones joined the band after Keith's death in 1978.
Q. What are the birthdays of the members of the Who?
A.
| Roger Daltrey | March 1, 1944 |
| John Entwistle | October 9, 1944 |
| Pete Townshend | May 19, 1945 |
| Keith Moon | August 23, 1947 |
Q. Are there any "Who kids"? What are their names?
A. There have been nine children fathered by members of the Who.
(Nine they'll admit to, that is!)
Roger's children are named Simon, Willow, Rosie Lee, and Jamie. Simon's mother is Roger's first wife, Jackie, and the other three were born to Roger's second and current wife, Heather.
Pete's children are Emma, Aminta, and Joseph. Their mother is Pete's first and only wife, Karen.
John has one son, Christopher. His mother is John's now ex-wife, Alison.
Keith and his wife Kim had one daughter before they divorced,
who they named Mandy.
Q. How and when did Keith Moon die?
A. He died of an accidental overdose of Heminevrin, a prescription
medication used to treat alcoholism and epilepsy, at his Mayfair
flat on September 8, 1978.
Q. Where can I get the long version of "Magic Bus?"
A. It is available on the U.S. and UK "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy" VINYL LPs (Decca #DL79184 and Track #2406 006) as well as "The Who Collection Volume 2" CD ( #).
Q. "The Kids Are Alright" on video is shorter than what
I remember seeing in the theater. Exactly what is missing and
is it available on any video format?
A. The only format that has had the full release was the RCA CED Video Disc #12097, 1 hour and 49 minutes long.
>From chapelizod@aol.com:
Alright, I finally sat down and went through both versions. This
is what I found (all times approximate...):
Complete version - 1:49
Edited version - 1:39
Missing footage is :
After early PT interview about the clothes the band wears (from "A Whole Scene Going," I think) and before A Quick One is:
2nd House Interview w/Melvyn Bragg with PT commenting on Kit's
suggestion for a longer piece to fill the album and how he came
to write AQO. Length 0:01:48
Full version of AQO follows. Length 0:04:41
Now, towards the end after Monterey Pop "My Generation" there are three short clips missing from the edited version:
JAE: "I can't think of anything to say" Length 0:00:05
RD: on R&R "...Rock & Roll doesn't stand up..." Length 0:00:10
KM: singing a line from "Somewhere" Length 0:00:04
The three drumbeats before WGFA are gone, too Length 0:00:04
And at the very end, over the final credit (The producers would like to thank...) and subsequent black screen, we hear "The Kids Are Alright.
Length 0:01:20
That accounts for about 8 of the 10 missing minutes. The other
two could be tape speed variations, but I will look into it clip
by clip to see if any existing clips were cut down a bit.
Q. What Who songs have not yet been released in true stereo?
A. Anything that Shel Talmy produced (the "My Generation" LP with the exception of "Daddy Rolling Stone", "I Can't Explain", "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere"), "Don't Look Away", "Happy Jack", "Pictures of Lily", "Call Me Lightning", "Last Time", and "Under My Thumb".
Q. What Who songs available on vinyl have not yet been released
on compact disc?
A. The studio version of "Young Man Blues" from "The
House That Track Built" (Track #613 016), as well as different
versions of some songs, for example the U.S. censored "Substitute"
or "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" from the French EP.
Q. Is there an address I can write to Pete Townshend at?
A. Pete Townshend
The Boathouse
Ranelagh Drive
Twickenham TW1 1QZ U.K.
Q. I want to subscribe to the fanzines "Generations"
and "Naked Eye". What are the addresses for these publications?
A. "Generations"
c/o Phil Hopkins
1 Egbert Rd. Meols Wirral
Merseyside L47 5AH U.K.
"Naked Eye"
PO Box 7331
London E18 1TE U.K.
Q. Are there any Who mailing lists? How can I subscribe to them?
A. There are two Who mailing lists, the original one and the newer "Odds and Sods" list. Some people only read one or the other and some people subscribe to both, but there are plenty of great Who fans on either list.
To subscribe to the original Who mailing list, follow these instructions:
Or, for the digest version:
To subscribe to the Odds and Sods list, follow these instructions:
Or, for the digest version:
Q. Are there any newsgroups devoted to the Who?
A. Yes, there is one, alt.music.who.
Q. Where can I get guitar tabs and Who lyrics?
A. There are a number of web pages containing Who lyrics and guitar
tabs. Your best bet is to go to Chris's Who Links (http://lincmedia.co.jp/staff/chris/Who1.html)
and look around there. He always has the latest pointers to Who
related web sites. If Chris doesn't have it listed, it probably
does not exist.
Q. Who was the drummer from the audience who filled in when Keith
Moon collapsed at the Cow Palace show in San Francisco in 1973?
A. His name was Scott Halpin. He played three songs with the Who that night, "Naked Eye", "Magic Bus", and "My Generation".
Q. I heard the Who used to have a different name. What was it,
and did they record anything under that name?
A. The band we know as the Who was called The High Numbers for a while in 1964. They released one (not very good) single under this name, with "I'm the Face" as the A-side and "Zoot Suit" as the B-side. The High Numbers also recorded covers of "Leaving Here" and "Here 'Tis". All of these songs are available on the "30 Years of Maximum R&B" box set. Before they were the High Numbers, they were called the Detours for a while. They decided to get rid of that name after they saw another band called the Detours on television.
Q. Who were the Hundred Faces?
A. The Hundred Faces (or the 100 Faces) were a sort of Who fan club that Kit Lambert organized in the early 60's. Members were given certain privileges, such as ease of admission to shows, in exchange for which they spread the word about the Who, handed out flyers, and made an impressive-looking crowd whenever such a thing was needed.
Q. Who was "Irish Jack"?
A. Irish Jack (Jack Lyons) was the first and perhaps the most
famous Who fan ever. An original Hundred Faces member, Irish Jack
has been quoted at length in various tomes of Who history, and
is given partial credit for inspiring "Quadrophenia".
Q. A friend of a friend has copies of some rare Who papers like
their contract from Woodstock and a rejection letter from EMI.
What are they worth?
A. These are almost certainly reproductions that were released with the original "Live at Leeds" album. They aren't worth much.
Q. What is Pete's sexual orientation?
A. This is a question that have been debated by Who fans for many years now. While there is some evidence to support almost any answer one might come up with, the subject is really one best left alone. After all, what business of it is ours?
Q. I heard that Pete is a transvestite. Is this true?
A. What you heard was a very persistent rumor. Pete has never publicly said anything to indicate that he enjoys wearing women's clothing, nor has he ever been photographed in such attire. Sure, it's possible that when he's at home alone he likes to dress up in a pink chiffon prom gown, but if he does, he's keeping it a secret. And once again, it's none of our business anyway.
Q. Where can I get that awesome picture of Pete with his hand
all bloody, as seen in the film "Fast Times at Ridgemont
High"?
A. This famous photograph was taken by Annie Liebowitz for "Rolling Stone" magazine. It appears in her book "Photographs", published by Pantheon/Rolling Stone Press. This picture can also be found in (at least) one of the Rolling Stone photo anthologies.
Q. What are some good books about the Who?
A. The two most informative, popular, and easily available books about the Who are "Maximum R&B", by Richard Barnes, and "Before I Get Old", by Dave Marsh. They are both currently in print, and most large bookstores keep them in stock. A number of other Who books have been written, but most of them are out of print. Look around in secondhand bookstores or at record shows and you might find a few. Also keep your eyes open for copies of Pete Townshend's short story collection, "Horse's Neck".
Q. I'm starting to like the Who a lot, and I want to buy some
more albums. Which ones are the best?
A. This is of course a matter of personal opinion, but there are some Who albums that are generally considered to be better than others. According to Yellow Ledbetter's second-ever census of Who fans, the most popular albums are:
| Title | % of vote |
| Quadrophenia | 41% |
Live at Leeds | 20% |
Who's Next | 20% |
The Who Sell Out | 5% |
The Who By Numbers | 5% |
Who Are You | 5% |
Tommy | 2% |
The Kids Are Alright <soundtrack> | 2% |
Q. Where can I get some Who tee-shirts?
A. This is a difficult one. Shirt shops and rock memorabilia catalogs
tend not to stock Who shirts, so your options are limited. The
orange Tommy on Broadway shirts can be purchased at performances
of this show, including the off-Broadway ones, and have also been
spotted at theater memorabilia shops. The black 30 Years of Maximum
R&B shirts have been seen in stores on occasion, and are also
available in rather rare package deal that includes the "30
Years of Maximum R&B" box set and the "30 Years
of Maximum R&B Live!" video. An assortment of "Quadrophenia"
themed tee-shirts were sold during the 1996 tour, and more of
the same can be expected from the 1997 shows. Aside from that,
you're pretty much on your own. With luck, you may be able to
obtain shirts from collectors or at record shows. Or you could
unleash your artistic side and decorate your own shirts, as many
other Who fans have done.
Q. Who manages the Who?
A. Bill Curbishly currently manages the Who. He took over the job in the mid-70's, replacing the former Who management team of Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. Lambert and Stamp themselves had replaced Helmut Gorden and Peter Meaden in 1964.
Q. How many albums does the Who have?
A. The Who recorded ten studio albums: "My Generation", or "The Who Sings My Generation" in the US, released 1965; "A Quick One", formerly known as "Happy Jack" in the US, 1966; "The Who Sell Out, 1967; "Tommy", 1969; "Who's Next", 1971; "Quadrophenia", 1973; "The Who By Numbers", 1975; "Who Are You", 1978; "Face Dances", 1981; and "It's Hard", 1982.
Q. What other legitimate Who recordings are there?
A. If you count all the live albums, compilation albums, and film
soundtracks together, the Who actually has more recordings that
weren't studio albums than those that were! These are: "Magic
Bus - The Who On Tour" (US only, and not a live album at
all!), "Direct Hits" (UK only), "Live At Leeds",
"Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy", "Odds and Sods",
"The Story of the Who" (UK only), "Tommy"
(soundtrack), "The Kids Are Alright" (soundtrack), "Quadrophenia"
(soundtrack), "Hooligans" (US only), "Who's Last",
"Who's Missing", "Two's Missing", "Join
Together", and "Who's Better, Who's Best". There
have also been two Who boxed sets, the UK only "Phases",
and "30 Years of Maximum R&B"