BABA O'RILEY

On this date in 1979, right here in Cincinnati, festival seating became a despicable word combination. Eleven locals were killed in a stampede for seats at Riverfront Coliseum when the doors were opened for a concert by The Who.

The Who was a British rock band formed in 1964 and made up of lead guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Moon died in 1978 and was replaced by Kenney Jones until they disbanded in 1983. Townshend and Daltrey are still alive and perform from time to time as The Who.

According to the New York Times, The Who have sold 100 million records. The were installed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as soon as they were eligible. They were an influence to many rock bands of the sixties and seventies.

Songwriter Pete Townshend acknowledges two great influences in his composing; an Indian mystic named Meher Baba and an American minimalist composer named Terry O'Riley. One of my all-time favorite songs was named for these two.