Doug Sandom has the dubious distinction of being the drummer in the Who before Keith Moon. He joined the band, then called the Detours, in mid-1962, and played with them for about two years. Sandom, a bricklayer, was already in his late twenties, about a decade older than the other members. While his years of experience were an asset to the combo at the beginning, they also became a gulf that made him a misfit as time wore on and the Who became more involved with the extremely youth-oriented mod culture.

In early 1964, the Who got an audition with Fontana Records producer Chris Parmeinter, who said he did not like the drumming. Pete Townshend apparently seconded this opinion, and a discouraged Sandom quit the group, giving them one month's notice. He played with them through the end of April 1964. The Who ran through a few temporary drummers over the next few weeks before settling on Keith Moon, not just the perfect replacement for Sandom, but the perfect drummer for the Who, period. Incidentally, the correct spelling of the drummer's last name is Sandom, not "Sanden," as it is often spelled in rock histories. Sandom does not appear on any Who recordings; even the ones taken from unreleased 1964 sessions, and their 1964 single as the High Numbers are with Moon. Sandom died on February 27, 2019 at the age of 89. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi