New Royal Mail stamps celebrate 60 years of The Who

A special set of stamps is being issued to mark the 60th anniversary of veteran rock band The Who.

Royal Mail revealed details of 12 stamps which feature images of some of The Who’s most popular album covers and group shots from some of their live performances.

The album covers are My Generation from 1965; Tommy from 1969; Who’s Next from 1971; Quadrophenia from 1973; Who Are You from 1978; Face Dances from 1981; Endless Wire from 2006; and Who from 2019.

A miniatures sheet features two group publicity shots and two images of the band’s live performances at the Marquee Club in London in 1967 and the Kings Hall in Belle Vue, Manchester, in 1973.

Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon formed The Who in 1964.

Within five years, they went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the US and becoming the biggest box-office draw in the world.

Daltrey said: “The artwork on the album sleeves was almost as important to the success of the record as the music. It’s great to be reminded of them.”

Townshend said: “Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! It’s what I’ve done on stage all my life, sometimes in the air. At last my stamping, and that of my buddy Roger, has been honoured properly, and will help letters, parcels and birthday cards travel through time and space, just as we have.”

David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “With their truly original sound and effortless ability to mix musical styles, The Who are rock royalty. These stamps celebrate one of the UK’s much-loved and revered musical bands who have achieved global popularity for six decades.”