The Observer article on Shepherds Bush West London band The Who was published on Sunday 20th March 1966.
The journalist followed the band to Manchester, Stevenage and New York. The stars of the article for me are the chalk and cheese manager duo Kit Lambert & Chris Stamp. Observer cover photographer favourite Colin Jones took the famous photograph, an image that has appeared in countless xerox mod fanzines.
Theres a folklorish tale that did the rounds for years that The Who were a manufactured mod band versus say The Small Faces or Johns Children mods that formed a band, I'm still undecided, I wasn't there and lets be honest its not that crucial to the bands epic sound.
Photographer Colin Jones said of the shoot taken in a hotel near Manchester airport "Looking back, I wonder how I ever managed to get it done, I'd never met a band that were so antagonistic towards each other, and it was a case of having to keep them still for long enough to take the picture. I knew there was no way I could keep them together for long, so I didn't bother setting up my lights. We just used natural daylight."
The band were pretty confrontational its true; Moon the Loon we all know about, Pete and his art destruction inspired guitar bashing, Roger and his fists (after he shoulder barged me at the Royal Albert hall I can tell you - he's nails), Entwistle aka the Ox was probably the only calm one.
at the tale end of 1999 there was talk all over London radio that The Who were to do a final gig of the 20th century. A gig in their old stomping ground of the Bush a genuine mod stronghold. They were to do a gig at Shepherd Bush Empire. I used the work office telephone for hours trying to get a ticket and entered radio competitions to win a ticket- no joy.
At the time I was working for an established British womenswear designer and I looked after the 'celebrities' for her label based just off Carnaby Street. Footballer Teddy Sherringham used to come in and his friend, football manager Alan Curbishley. Not being a huge football fan, I wasn't that star struck but I had a lot of time for Teddy.
On one of Alans visits he could see I had a copy of Scootering magazine on my desk, 'into scooters are you' he asked 'a bit of a mod', my young moody mod reply 'yeah' shrug and nothing else was said.
Alan wanted a Sheepskin coat from the designers London Bond Street store for his wife, and I said I'd get it. I wasn't supposed to transfer stock but as he was a mate of Teddy's- I bent the rules. Days later the coat arrived at my HQ on Fouberts Place and I called chez Curbishley's home to process the payment. His wife picked up and we put the sale through. 'One more thing' Mrs Curbishley said Oh here we go I thought, more requests to pull styles out of Bond Street. 'Do you like The Who' Er yeah.... 'Would you like to come with us to see them at the end of the month at the Empire, Alan said you'll probably like The Who?'........ dead air.................'Er yeah, yes please yeah'
I just didn't put two and two together Alan Curbishley is brother to Bill Curbishley one time manager of The Who. The gig was amazing, even Zak Starkey on drums was pretty good. The Who after party was a who's who and everyone let their hair down. Its the best gig I went to last century, hands down. After the gig music journalist Charles Shaar Murray dropped me off at home and shared some killer Who anecdotes. The following morning Christmas Eve 1999 I flew out to NYC to see in the 21st Century.
Above my sticker passes from the gig, I've managed to keep safe for donkeys years. Without further ado here is the full nine page The Observer article from March 1966
Check out Colin Jones photography in this blog post from 1967
What went wrong!
The spiv and the aristo
Shepherds Bush mods save the day
Quiz from the back page of this issue from 1966
Tobacco advert featuring Peter Blake, Sir Peter of course did the The Who cover for the 1985 Who's Missing LP which is a personal favourite, and more recently Who LP of 2019.