Being in a band can feel a lot like being part of a sitcom couple — you’re rarely settled and always on the edge of disaster.
]The Who embodied this chaos better than any other band. While The Beatles were the heart of the counterculture, and The Rolling Stones played the dark shadows, The Who wasn’t trying to be poetic or visionary.
They were simply a group of kids with instruments and something to say, and in-fighting was as central to their identity as the trail they blazed through rock.
Their tension was evident from the start. Keith Moon, rightfully nicknamed “The Loon,” was notorious for his chaotic behavior.
Pete Townshend, ever the deep thinker, was all about channeling “the voice of God” into his music.
Roger Daltrey, on the other hand, was a rough-around-the-edges farmer type who didn’t quite fit with the city kids in the band. John Entwistle, a quiet bass genius, was often left bewildered by the mayhem around him.
This combustible mix came to a head in 1966 when Moon and Entwistle, late for a gig after having drinks with Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston, arrived to find Townshend and Daltrey playing without them, using a rhythm section from the opening band.
Moon, enraged that someone else had touched his drum equipment, confronted Townshend, who unintentionally slammed a cymbal into Moon’s face while destroying his guitar at the conclusion of “My Generation.”
The turmoil that erupted on stage foreshadowed what was to come for The Who: continuous disputes between band members who were too different to completely gel.
Townshend later recalled the event in his memoir, explaining that while no one was physically hurt, the incident set the tone for their tumultuous relationship. That tension only grew with time.
Moon’s wild antics and frequent drug use were often the source of friction.
In one memorable clash, Daltrey flushed Moon’s pills down the toilet, which earned him a punch from Moon — and surprisingly, the band sided with Moon.
Their conflicts didn’t end with the passing of time. Townshend and Daltrey still clash over politics, with Townshend being a staunch Remainer and Daltrey a Brexiteer.
Their stage interactions are often tinged with animosity, as Townshend jokes about calling Daltrey a “wanker” mid-performance.
Townshend even went so far as to thank God that Moon and Entwistle were no longer alive, explaining that they were difficult to work with and that his rhythm playing was what held the band together.
Though he later claimed to be ironic, his comments highlighted the deep divisions within the group.
Yet, despite the constant fighting, they always managed to create musical magic. Their clashes, as much as their talents, defined their success.
The Who’s story is one of explosive creativity born from the conflicts of four very different personalities who, like brothers, loved and hated each other in equal measure.
