In the early 1960s, influenced by American R & B music and skiffle, Townshend and Entwistle started a Dixieland jazz group called the Confederation. Townshend played the banjo and Entwistle the French horn playing, who learned to play his school orchestra. Daltrey Entwistle met in the street with a bass guitar slung over his shoulder and asked him to join a band called The Detours, which was created a year earlier. After several weeks, Entwistle suggested Townshend as an additional guitarist. In the early days of detours played a variety of music, while being influenced by American blues and country music, mostly played rhythm and blues. The line-up consists of a guitarist Daltrey, Townshend on rhythm guitar, Entwistle as bassist for the band, Doug Sandom on drums and Colin Dawson as singer. With the departure of Dawson, Daltrey moved to the show as a singer, and Townshend, Entwistle with encouragement, became sole guitarist. The group tried to register the contract, but said they needed a better drummer, and suggested they write their own material, with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones as an example. In 1964, Sandom left the band. To fulfill its contractual obligations, other members of the band recruited drummer for the rest of their performances scheduled, while the search for a new permanent drummer. One night, Keith Moon approached the group on their open positions for the drummer, and the ability to perform after their interval. After the accidental destruction of the drum kit when he sat down, he was invited to join the group.
Detours changed its name to the WHO in February 1964 and, with the arrival of the moon this year's line-up is complete. However, for a short period in summer 1964, under the direction mod Peter Meaden, they changed the name of many, has released "Zoot Suit / I Face", one goal to appeal to fans of the mod. The single did not chart, and the group returned to WHO. Meaden was replaced as team manager Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, who has seen the band play at the Railway Tavern. Lambert and Stamp Paid Meaden, and offered to manage the band. They became popular with British mods, a subculture of the 1960s involving the fashions, scooters and music genres such as rhythm and blues, soul and music. To highlight their innovative style of music, the group created a slogan "Maximum R & B".
The group has a strong local popularity, but needed an edge to separate them from other bands much less ambitious in the music scene in London. In September 1964, during a performance at the Railway Tavern in Harrow and Wealdstone, London, Townshend accidentally broke the head of his guitar through the ceiling. Angry with jeers from the public, it is damaging the instrument on stage. He took another guitar and went on the show. Many people attending the next concert, but Townshend declined to destroy the other guitar. However, with the first act, the group found a "trick" to make a name for himself. Instead, his drum kit damages month. Instrument destruction became a staple of the WHO show for several years. Incident at the Railway Tavern is one of Rolling Stone magazine "50 Moments That Change History of Rock 'n' Roll."
The band has crystallized around Townshend as the primary songwriter and creative force. Entwistle also contribute to the song, and the Moon and Daltrey contributed occasional song in the 1960 and 1970.
