The Who (#4) - Evan’s 111 Artists

East Brunswick class trip - future bandmates Carl, Matt, Brian and friends

Unmatchable raw energy and a tremendously diverse library of epic songs. I recognized at a young age just how unique and powerful the chemistry of Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle was on the classic recordings. And Roger Daltrey, a stellar front man, was likely the first lead singer I paid attention to who didn’t play an instrument.

One 8th grade evening in my little red shag carpet bedroom, I started playing the bar chords to Baba O’Riley on my electric guitar through a 20-watt amp and a distortion box. Er (my marching band first trumpet brother) came in and rewrote the lyrics. Not sure if it was technically a co-write, but Er was the smart one and I was the one busting out the chords, so…

“Commission Wasteland” was an entire song dedicated to teasing my mom. She was an abstract artist/sculptor, welding brass into some pretty imaginative pieces in her suburban basement studio. Most definitely not your typical Jersey suburban mom in the early 80’s. Clever lyrics, a raw simple sound —we had a blast performing and recording it on a boom box, which doubled as percussion.

30 years later, at a fundraiser in the Hollywood Hills, I bid on the handwritten lyrics to Behind Blue Eyes. I really should have raised my bid again and seen that through—huge sentimental value.

When our family moved to Malibu, we’d occasionally see Roger at our local Italian restaurant.

It meant nothing then… to them.