MIKE PETERS OF THE ALARM

“I’d heard The Who’s single 5:15 on the radio a few times, but then Fluff Freeman played Bell Boy on The Saturday Rock Show and that just leapt out of the speakers at me.

“It was 1973, the history of rock was still young, and I was still finding my way into music. I went straight to the record shop in Prestatyn and bought this [brandishes his original vinyl copy of Quadrophenia]. It was the first time

I had a sleeve this elaborate, and a booklet. I’d go to bed at night, put my headphones on and listen to it, and I’d look at the sleeve and read the lyrics. I’d disappear into that world. It was an ocean deep to me.

“You had Keith Moon’s flamboyancy, taking him where other drummers don’t go. Then The Ox, John Entwistle – solid as a rock, standing still, bubbling underneath and with that prog power behind his bass playing. Pete Townshend was a whirlwind of chords, but there was intricate timing between them. He had the most perfect intervals between his chords.

“I have incredible respect for Townshend. It must’ve been torturous for him to say: “I’ve got this gut-wrenching song but I can’t sing it,” and then hand it over to the band. But then there’s Roger Daltrey, with the most majestic and beautiful voice – manly yet revealing. When he sang Love Reign O’er Me, you believed it.

“Now both my sons are really into The

Who. They love the scene in the film of

Quadrophenia when Phil Daniels puts on My Generation at the party and everyone starts jumping around. They go crazy to that, and I totally understand. The Who encapsulate everything I’ve ever liked about music.”