Talking About The Who

In 1983, Paul Bearman was three years old, hyperactive, and rarely slept. One evening, he defied his parents' expectations by sitting completely transfixed as BBC Two aired a documentary about Jimi Hendrix as part of its Rock Around the Clock programming… and his life was changed forever. Soon afterwards, he developed a love for The Who, watching The Kids Are Alright and The Who Rocks America on repeat, receiving albums and books for birthdays and at Christmas, and playing toy guitars while pretending to be Pete Townshend.

In this free bonus episode, Paul talks to his parents, Wendy and John, about his early exposure to music; going with them to see The Who live; his childhood fascination with musical instruments, from toy guitars to his dad's drum kit; the birthday and Christmas presents he thought had come from Pete Townshend; and his lifelong relationship with The Who, including his attempts to better understand what that connection means.

Interviews recorded April 2026

Music by The Garage

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Remus Down Boulevard – ‘Only For You’ From the album A Week at the Bridge E16 (recorded live at the Bridge House, London, April 1978)

Thomas Dolby – ‘Hyperactive!’ Official video

Jimi Hendrix – ‘Johnny B. Goode’ From the album Hendrix in the West

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘Wild Thing’ From Live at Monterey (video)

The South Bank Show episode on Pete Townshend First broadcast 3rd November 1985

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Rain. Crowd violence. Counterfeit tickets. Overcrowding. People climbing up floodlights. Lasers. Keith Moon’s last gig to a paying audience in England. The final entry in The Guinness Book of Records for loudest concert ever recorded.

This is Charlton 1976, fifty years on.

Host Paul Bearman talks to his parents – the people he inherited his Who fandom from – as well as Tony Fletcher (author of Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon), Buddy Ascott (drummer of seminal Mod band The Chords) and Richard Evans (The Who’s artist and designer) about their memories of attending one of the most unique concerts in The Who’s history.

Interviews recorded March and April 2026

Music by The Garage

(Please note that there are some minor sound issues during the first minute of our conversation with Tony Fletcher, which are quickly resolved)

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Charlton 1976 audio bootleg YouTube

Keith Moon and Norman Gunston at Charlton ‘76
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The final episode of Season Three will now be released on Wednesday 22nd July. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Cady (AKA Brian From Atlanta), the moderator and creator of the renowned website The Who This Month, talks about:


Setting up his website during the early days of the internet
The many different versions of various Who songs – and how a cleaning lady ruined the recording of ‘Rael’
His involvement in the 2004 restoration of The Kids Are Alright movie – and the desired scenes director Jeff Stein couldn’t include
Pete Townshend’s difficulty in properly mourning Keith Moon
What really happened during the “Abbie Hoffman incident” at Woodstock
Meeting Roger Daltrey for the one and only time – and Roger’s negative reaction towards him
And the sensory overload from seeing The Who live in 1973

Interview recorded November 2025

Music by The Garage

Visit our website for bonus episodes and exclusive content

Support us with a one-off or monthly donation

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Help us reach 1,000 YouTube subscribers and win a copy of the Who Are You Super Deluxe Edition box set

RELATED LINKS

The Who This Month website

The Who This Month on Bluesky

Who Are You Super Deluxe Edition unboxing video with Matt Kent

The Kids Are Alright movie trailer YouTube

Brian Cady’s web page on The Kids Are Alright

‘Abbie Hoffman Incident’ From the Thirty Years of Maximum R&B box set

“Pete Townshend vs Abbie Hoffman” YouTube video
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Justin Harris, guitarist in tribute band Maximum Who, talks about:

The progression from a covers band to a Who tribute band – and how daunting the prospect was
Deciding to match The Who’s stage clothes and equipment, including recreating Keith Moon’s famous ‘Pictures of Lily’ drum kit
How the characteristics of each member of Maximum Who line up with their counterparts
Playing with his other band, The Hiwatts, at Roger Daltrey’s son’s wedding and 50th birthday – including an impromptu guest spot from Zak Starkey on drums
Being a last-minute replacement with the renowned Who tribute band, Who’s Who, at the Keith Moon Blue Plaque unveiling in 2009
And making an unusual request to Pete Townshend – and Pete’s subsequent reply

Interview recorded February 2026

Music by The Garage

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Support us with a one-off or monthly donation

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RELATED LINKS

Maximum Who website

The Hiwatts with Zak Starkey on drums at Simon Daltrey’s 50th birthday

Roger Daltrey sings ‘I Can’t Explain’ at a couple’s wedding

Who’s Who – ‘I Can’t Explain’ Keith Moon Blue Plaque Celebration at Grosvenor House, London, March 2009

Who’s Who – ‘The Seeker’ (excerpt) and ‘Baba O’Riley’ Keith Moon Blue Plaque Celebration at Grosvenor House, London, March 2009

Who’s Who (with John Schollar) – ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ Keith Moon Blue Plaque Celebration at Grosvenor House, London, March 2009

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