The Who
My Generation

Before The Who, there were The Detours, a band formed by the lively Roger Daltrey in the summer of 1961. The young Daltrey (who was expelled from Acton Grammar School at the age of 16) was initially joined by the good John Entwistle simply because he owned a bass and an amplifier and was already able to play piano, trumpet, and French horn. Soon enough, a certain Pete Townshend (the son of a saxophonist and a singer), a guitarist and a very quiet person due to his parents' separation (a similar situation for Entwistle), joined the band. But with the virtue of having been drawn to music from a young age, it helped him develop the creative sophistication that would make him emerge strongly in the future. Entwistle and Townshend were joined by drummer Doug Sanden and singer Colin Dawson, who would soon leave the band, ultimately leaving the singing role to the capable Daltrey.

The Detours mainly performed in the West London area, between Hammeresmith, Shepherd's Bush, and Acton for 10 pounds per night, with a repertoire ranging from Shadows and Venture instrumentals to 1950s rock'n'roll and rhythm & blues compositions. The idea to change the name was suggested by Richard Barnes (who would later become the band's official biographer), leading to the adoption of The Who. Another significant problem they resolutely faced concerned Sanden, whose outdated style (which also cost them an audition at Philip Records) was not well-accepted by the others, leading to his voluntary departure from the band. The search for a new drummer by the other three led to the recruitment of a certain Keith Moon (still looking like a teenager) following a historic audition. The young Keith arrived in brightly colored clothes and red-dyed hair, and while watching another hopeful's audition, loudly exclaimed: "I can do better." Climbing onto the stage, he was that explosive force (he managed to break a pair of drumsticks and the bass drum pedal) that Keith displayed while playing, impressing Roger, John, and Pete, who hired him without hesitation, provided he repaired the damage caused during the noisy trial.

In no time, Pete Meaden, who wanted to make The Who the flagship band of the mod movement, soon became their manager, once again changing their name to The High Numbers and allowing the four to perform at The Scene (near Wardour Street) on Monday evenings, playing rhythm and blues. The next milestone was the release, albeit of a cover, of the 45 rpm "Got Love If You Want" under the title "I'm The Face" (with b-side "Zoot Suit" already performed by The Showmen), which did not achieve the expected sales and led to the dismissal of Meaden. Not a particularly happy period for the band facing a new identity crisis and an immediate return to the name The Who, which also had to endure the disappointing audition with Emi that led Roger, Pete, John, and Keith into the hands of Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, who decided to invest their savings in the band's growth. Townshend has never forgotten the importance of Meaden (who would die in 1978), to whom he would send a generous check every Christmas for the rest of his life as a sign of gratitude.

In January 1965, after signing with Decca, the band released the single "I Can't Explain" (in whose recording a young session musician James Patrick Page participated), with an unmistakable beat timbre that received a good response, as did the boogie of "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", managing to generate interest around a well-known yet still debuting band. The next step was the release of their first album, preceded by its title track that revolved around an ingenious bass line, irreverent vocals, and a suspended rhythm, which, along with the melodic noise, had all the ingredients to enter the charts that mattered and into the minds of young people seeking an alternative musical identity. A perfect combination of music and lyrics, from which also emerges an ironic but explicit self-destructive hint ("Hope I die before I get old"), helps to embody the role of a generational anthem. "The Kids Are Alright" is a brilliant blend of vocal melodies and favorable instrumental passages capable of aiming for mod anthem status. A flamenco guitar kicks off "Out In The Street", whose rock momentum gains ground, blending faithfully with shards of rhythm & blues and amplifying the result. A (greater) seriousness of interpretation is perceived with "The Good's Gone", in which Daltrey's deep voice writhes well accompanied by guitar twangs and Nick Opkins' piano.

A debut that is undoubtedly an expression of successful sonic coherence through which the band, with commitment, manages to demonstrate its capabilities, matured with endless regular performances in Soho, allowing The Who to perfectly express what it meant to fuse the energy of rock ‘n’ roll with physical energy. A new approach that had the strength to impose itself even on an adult audience, capable of appreciating the originality of the proposal.

Where "La-La-La Lies" (which was supposed to be released as a single) expresses the sunshine of the era's British sound, it is "It's Not True" that captures the listener with its evocative choruses. With irony and an intriguing refrain, "Much Too Much", in which Townshend reflects on a difficult emotional situation that Daltrey interprets humorously, knowing he is the protagonist (“Your love is hard and fast - Your love will always last - If it's you I need - I've got to pay the levy - Got to pay - 'Cause your love's too heavy on me: Your love is hard and fast - will last forever - If I need you - I’ll have to pay the toll - And I will pay - Because your love is truly too demanding on me). A fitting tribute is paid to the great James Brown with "I Don't Mind" (King, 1961) and "Please, Please, Please" (Federal Records, 1956), two exquisite rhythm & blues pieces that enriched their early setlist.

Twelve tracks of this long-playing, showcase an elaborate and firm determination to give expression to rock, understood without rules and devoid of those traits linking it to various subgenres that would derive in the future. A clear image where (more than one) generation of alternative rockers would be drawn, fueling an overwhelming interest for an album - which by the band's own admission, was recorded even in too short a time -, capable of symbolizing an expressive urgency that, with entrepreneurship, proclaimed that alongside Beatles and Rolling Stones there could also be something else.

[For the US market, the album was released under the title "The Who Sings My Generation" in April 1966, omitting the track "I'm A Man", while the order between "The Ox" and "A Legal Matter" was reversed, leaving the album's closure to "Instant Party". The purchase of the Deluxe Edition is highly recommended, which - in addition to dusting off the original recording - delivers the singles "I Can't Explain" and "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" within a single package, allowing for a dive into a unique era through bonus and unreleased tracks that can delight not only enthusiasts and completists.]