Roger Daltrey: The Who Wouldn't Exist Without Skiffle

WITHOUT TEA CHESTS, washboards and Lonnie Donegan there would be no My Generation, or so says Roger Daltrey, and he should know.

The Who singer speaks exclusively in the new edition of MOJO '60s – on sale now – and explains that though they may have been worlds apart in terms of volume, the band owe their existence to the skiffle explosion.

“Every young person could make music – even people with no melody in them, no sense of pitch – could make some kind of noise with a washboard, a tea chest and a broomstick for a bass,” he explains of the original DIY genre in Volume 4 of our decade-spanning spin-off magazine.

“Music became very communal and every street would have a skiffle group. The original nucleus of The Who grew out of Percy Road in Shepherd’s Bush. We used to pretend we were Johnny Kidd And The Pirates. We were a substitute for other guys. That was our purpose. They couldn’t see the real deal but they’d come and see us doing it.”

Get your copy of MOJO '60s now for the full interview with Daltrey, including a preview of the group’s forthcoming film, The Who: Live In Hyde Park, which was recorded at this summer’s London gig, and a free, high-quality art print of a vintage Who poster.

There are also in-depth features on The Rolling Stones, Otis Reading, The Beatles, Miles Davis and much more.

Check out our visual preview (below) before popping out to the noiseagent or ordering a copy online.

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PHOTOS: Alamy