Happy Together

‘Endless Wire’ shows Who still has lots of rock to offer

By David Hinckley

New York Daily News

Watching Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey together raises the distinct possibility that for all the grumbling they’ve done about each other over the last 40 years, they get along.

That ruins a lot of good headlines, though it does have the small advantage of explaining how, 42 years after they started making good music together, they’re still doing it.

Sitting in the studio of Sirius Satellite Radio, which recently launched a whole channel dedicated to Who music and conversation, Townshend talks about how pleased he is to be back onstage with Daltrey for a Who tour.

The tour has also now been joined by the long-awaited new Who CD, “Endless Wire,” which blends material Townshend has been assembling for years into the band’s first new album since 1982.

It’s an ambitious record, partly acoustic, and one thing Townshend and Daltrey both say they find encouraging is that audiences seem to be willing to listen to it — not, as is the case with many classic rock audiences, simply drumming their fingers until they hear the hits.

“I can only remember one time when the audience got restless,” Townshend says. “I was explaining one of the new songs, probably at more length than I needed to, when someone yelled, ‘Shut up and play.’"

“That was me,” interjects Daltrey.

Daltrey and Townshend have arguably been the core of the Who since the band came together in the early ’60s as the High Numbers and finally parlayed Townshend’s intense, singular, introspective and often quirky vision into a series of classic songs like “Can’t Explain,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “My Generation” and “Pinball Wizard.”

The Who WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24

WHERE: Event Center, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Atlantic City

HOW MUCH: Tickets, priced at $95, $195 and $295, are available at Borgata box office or ComcastTix at (800) 298-4200 or www.theborgata.com.

WEB SITE: www.thewhotour.com

Roger Daltrey, left, and Pete Townshend bring the Who’s latest tour to Borgata Friday. Photo provided by Borgata

Former Members of The Who

Keith Moon, left The founding drummer of The Who from 1964 until his death in 1978 at age 32. His explosive and improvisational drumming style helped make The Who one of the best and most unique three-musician live rock bands ever. He sang a rare lead vocal on The Who song “Bell Boy” from their 1973 album “Quadrophenia,” released his only solo CD in 1974 and appeared as “Uncle Ernie” in Ken Russell’s 1975 film adaptation of “Tommy.”

Kenney Jones Jones, 58, was the drummer of the British rock bands the Small Faces and the Faces before succeeding Moon as The Who’s drummer from 1979 to 1988. Jones played with The Who in 1985 at Live Aid and again in 1988 when The Who were recognized by the British Phonographic Industry. Jones’ drumming can be heard on 1981’s “Face Dances” and 1982’s “It’s Hard,” which was the last studio album by The Who before the release of the “Endless Wire” CD this year.

John Entwistle, right Entwistle was considered one of the most distinctive and influential rock bassists ever with his lead, melodic lines. He was a member of the band from the beginning until his death in 2002 at age 57. He sang lead on several well-known songs from The Who, including “My Wife,” “Boris The Spider” and “Heaven and Hell” and released seven studio solo albums from 1971 to 2000.