Guitar Archeology

The Who with The Buckinghams

Buck Munger was scoring points with Keith Moon and John Entwistle with my terror filled tales of the Marine Air Wing and Phoenix Police Department. They offered their experiences traveling Europe and humorous impressions of America. We definitely shared an appreciation for the practical joke. Moon’s squint-eyed impression of actor… Robert Newton’s Long John Silver was classic. Entwistle exhibited the dry English wit. They prepared me for meeting their band-mates with some essential background information. Pete’s an old codger and Roger is a pretentious rock star. Why right now, that disgusting Roger is down in his room with a bunch of teeny-bopper groupies. Where the actual idea came from, I can’t remember, but the next thing I know I’m on the phone calling Daltrey’s room in my best Phoenix Police Department Desk Sergeant voice “ Hello, Mister Dawntree, this is Sgt Mullen of the Kansas City Police Department, we have a report that you are entertaining under-aged minor females in your room, sir, is that true? Daltrey, stuttered “No, that’s not true, who told you that?” “Well Mr. Dawntree, we have dispatched a radio car to answer that complaint, that should be there any minute, and you can make your statement to the investigating officer.” Hanging up the phone I could see Entwistle and Moon bursting with appreciation for my performance. We could hear feet scuffling outside in the hallway and after a moment there was a knock on the door. Daltrey came in, nodded to Keith and John and stepped into the bathroom. In a few minutes he came out and announced he was going to find Pete, and left. Keith and John, who had been quiet since he came in the room, let out howls of laughter. They pummeled me with compliments. We had a relationship. I had never met or dealt with the Who’s managers. With the Jimi Hendrix Experience most of the communication away from the site flowed through either Chas Chandler or Gerry Stickles. The only time I got to talk to Jimi was at the sound check and after the show backstage, which was always a circus. With the Who I had an off duty relationship with everybody but Roger. I noticed even Townshend liked to join Keith and John in the Roger chop-sessions. The band dynamic was interesting. In public, Daltrey shined and accepted the presumption that, as the singer, he must be the leader of the band. In private, Roger shrunk to the bottom of the pecking order behind John, who was below Keith who was always challenging Pete.