Count me in the Love column. One of those groups that are a confluence...like the Beatles, they are all excellent on their own, but together they are transcendent.
Moon: often described as "symphonic"...I agree. One of the most bizarre drumming styles we'll ever witness. Undeniably effective...but also just plain weird and improbable, especially when you look at him stumble into his seat. Strange blend of relaxation and stress, total concentration and apparent distraction, precision and accident. Just a rare breed.
Daltrey: the one who started the group, but also the one who nearly got the boot, who was actually an angrier man than Townshend, who had a rough time keeping up with the increasing talents of the other three. But he definitely caught up. One of the best rock singers of all time, and also a stellar showman with that signature lasso of the microphone. Good actor, too!
Entwistle: not much new to tell anyone on THIS forum. He was thunder in a bottle. Also a great backing vocalist, always impressive when someone can devote great concentration and delivery to a vocal while also ripping out an inventive bass line.
Townshend: such a Great. A Great guitarist. A Great Songwriter. A Great singer. A Great lyricist. A Great recording artist. A great innovator. On and on...and he still sounds great. Not much has been said yet about his songwriting...everything he did, it seems, was breaking new ground. His songs were always challenging, never the same old message, always both thought-provoking, catchy as hell, and displaying a high-bar of musicianship. Then of course he would take it over the rainbow with his incendiary performances. Have you ever tried to do one of those windmills? You could easily slice your hands into bloody shreds doing that...I promise (
)...and he often did.
I often view them as part of a mighty British triumvirate: Beatles, Who, Stones. Your grandchildren will be rocking out to this band.
I'll be laughing for days over that one. Too funny!