What does the phrase "High Numbers" have to do with the Modernists of 1960s England?

[Hostile_Dialect]

My Rock History textbook notes that the Who were originally called the High Numbers as an acknowledgement of their solidarity with the Modernist (or Mod) movement. What on earth is the connection? Why is “The High Numbers” more Mod than “The Who”? The same book also notes that the Who eventually decided to change their name out of fear that “The High Numbers” would become dated with the passing of the Mod movement. Apparently, everyone and their mother would’ve associated the words “High Numbers” with Mod culture. Why?

[Antonius_Block]

I can find a couple of brief explanations, but nothing definitive; all bolding in quotes below is mine.

From here:

The four guys were playing as The Who, a name suggested by a friend of Pete's named Richard Barnes (They were formerly known as The Detours). A bit later, they were discovered by Pete Meaden, who wanted to made them famous as a Mod band, beacame their manager and changed their name to "The High Numbers". **It was a reference to the T-shirts with numbers that the mods used at the time.** Pete Meaden composed mod songs to them (in fact, the songs were almost copies of mod favourites at the time, with changed lyrics) and they released just one single, "I'm The Face/Zoot Suit", by Fontana records. The single didn't reach the high positions of the charts, and The High Numbers were rejected by EMI.

The band was re-named The Who at the end of the year, and after some time they became the greatest live rock band ever.

This is supported here:

Meaden convinced the band to change their name to the High Numbers, referring to the T-shirts that Mods wore with numbers on them, and booked them at the The Scene Club, a Mod hangout. This was a risky proposition for the band because Mods usually sneered at local live groups, instead preferring to listen to recorded music. The High Numbers, as a result of being well coached by Meaden on Modisms and having the ideal musical repertoire, were a big success at The Scene.

An alternate explanation is here:

Meaden was a hardcore Mod who cast the Who as a Mod group. As a result, they were renamed yet again–to “The High Numbers.” A Number, in Mod terminology, was a Mod who wore T-shirts with pop-art symbols, like targets. “High” was a double-entendre referring both to the group’s imagined status, and their state of mind.

I’m sure someone will come alonfg with better cites than the above.

[Hostile_Dialect]

Very interesting. Thanks!

Any other theories to be found?

[MrSquishy]

@fetus

Any other theories to be found?

Sorry, no cite here, but my understanding was that in Mod terminology, “number” might be roughly equivalent to today’s “poser/poseur”, in that a number was someone who looked/dressed like a Mod, but wasn’t really a true Mod. I think I heard this as an explanation of what The Jam’s “Away From The Numbers” is supposed to be about.

If true, I’m not sure why The High Numbers would want to call themselves that, though. Maybe it was supposed to ironic or something. Or maybe “number” had taken on a new meaning by the time The Jam came about.