The Who

Okay, so that comeback album never quite came back, stalling out on the quality trail somewhere between It's Hard and Roger Daltrey's latest solo album. And the band's down to two crucial members from the glory days of "Substitute" and "I Can See for Miles." But if The Who can make it through the death of Keith Moon, rock's most awe-inspiring drummer, and still be counted on to deliver the goods while touring through a 24-year drought, then the group can make it through another disappointing album — even with some faceless session guy in for the late John Entwistle. They're survivors that way. And Pete Townshend remains one of rock's quintessential performers, slashing his way through such road-weary classics as "My Generation" and "Baba O'Riley" with the passion of a man who might've penned them both just yesterday. It may not be the same without the other two Whos, but on a good night, you can feel the spark that made The Who the most exciting live performers of their generation. Rolling StoneSenior Editor David Fricke, for instance, caught this lineup last September and hailed it as "more of a Who in fight and rapport" than any Who he'd seen since the band pulled Kenney Jones in for that first tour after losing Moonie. And current fill-in Zak Starkey's twice the drummer Jones was.