The Who, more than any other band personify the paradoxes that make great rock'n'roll. Fusing black America with London Mod attitude, they billed themselves as Maximum R&B. After years of stylistic change and experimentation they remain a potent force in rock'n'roll to this day, with all their classic works reissued as remastered CDs. Richard Barnes has been a close friend of The Who for over forty years, ever since attending art school with Pete Townshend. Through the Mod London of the 1960s, the Monterey Pop festival, Woodstock, the ill-fated 1979 US tour on which eleven fans were killed, the triumphant 1989 25th anniversary celebrations, and the smash hit stage version of Tommy, Barnes tells the story of The Who. The band themselves have assisted in this official illustrated record, contributing over 400 photographs (many never seen outside the pages of this book), press cuttings, album sleeves and posters. The Who: Maximum R&B also features complete UK and US discographies, including solo work by the individual members. First published in 1982 and now in its fifth edition, The Who: Maximum R&B is a colourful pictorial joyride widely accepted as the best book on The Who.
The book has now been updated. It details the creative tensions and the chemistry that allowed the group to reform for one more time on their 2002 tour, and the untimely death of bassist John Entwistle on that same tour. It now also includes a new introduction by songwriter/guitarist Townshend on the loss of his friend, plus the story of his own recent dealings with the press.