This month marks the 60th anniversary of My Generation!
The Who’s landmark debut album was released in the UK on 3 December 1965 by Brunswick Records, followed by the US release on 25 April 1966 by Decca Records, who renamed the album to The Who Sings My Generation, and changed the album art and some of the tracks.
My Generation was recorded at IBC Studio in London by American producer Shel Talmy, who had produced their hit singles I Can’t Explain and Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere earlier in the year, which were not included on the album. The sessions took place on and off throughout 1965, with the first recordings taking place in April 1965. Glyn Johns was at the helm to engineer the recordings, which were all done on 3-track tapes. The majority of the instruments and vocals were performed together during the sessions, with minimal overdubbing.
The goal was to capture the bands vibrant live sound that brought them critical acclaim playing around London at venues like the Marquee and Goldhawk Club in the early 60’s. The album combined a mix of new original compositions from Pete Townshend, along with a few R&B and soul covers The Who were playing at their shows. The songs were super punchy and aggressive, and presented a bold new sound that became anthemic for the generation of young Mods who were rebuilding their world after World War II.
The recordings on My Generation beautifully captured Pete’s trademark guitar feedback and overtones, Keith Moon’s explosive drumming, John Entwistle’s dexterous bass playing (especially his solo on My Generation), and Roger’s powerhouse vocals, using various mic’ing techniques which were groundbreaking at the time. The harmonies from the backing vocals are outstanding. To fill out the sound, the brilliant session player Nicky Hopkins was brought in to play piano on many of the songs.
The artwork used on My Generation’s album cover is just as impressive as the music, depicting the band adorned in colorful mod outfits with their Levis, Chelsea boots, scarves, and the iconic Union Jack coat, with pop art graphics overlaying a brutal industrial London backdrop. The image really jumps out and must have been very eye catching in any record store display. The photo was taken at the Chiswick Wharf in West London by photographer David Wedgebury, who also shot the US album cover that showed the band on the steps by Westminster Bridge with Big Ben behind them.
The album had good success in the UK, peaking at #5 in the British charts. Four singles were released off the album, the title track My Generation (29 October 1965), A Legal Matter (7 March 1966), The Kids Are Alright (July 1966), La-La-La-Lies (11 November 1966).
Many of the songs The Who recorded in 1965 have stood the test of time and have defined one of the most important eras in modern history. Songs like My Generation, I Can’t Explain, The Kids Are Alright, and Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere have been staples in The Who’s live performances throughout their 60 years of performing, and they still sound awesome today!
Many thanks to Irish Jack for sending us his wonderful story and photos about My Generation!
THE ONLY ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT
By Irish Jack
SO, here I am, standing in the middle of Hammersmith Broadway having run like a breathless idiot from my office job with Baron & Warren in Kensington Square to get to the little record shop on the corner of King Street. It's still open. It's nearly ten minutes to six and miraculously it's still open. It's Friday the 3rd of December 1965, I'm 22 years old and I'm a Shepherd's Bush Mod. It's freezing cold but I'm drenched in sweat having run the mile from Kensington. I cross the street to the shop. There's just a few last-minute record buyers dawdling near the counter and a couple of girls giggling like they share a secret in the record booth. I know exactly what I want because I've just run a bloody mile like a breathless idiot from Kensington to Hammersmith----and, anyway they've got one in the window.
If memory serves me right I think I paid about seventeen shillings and sixpence for the precious L.P. Back in those days record companies released singles and albums (L.P's) always on a Friday, a financial analyst would tell you that Friday was pay day all over Britain back then. So, I must've sounded like an out-of-wind beggar when I asked the girl behind the counter : 'Have you got My Generation by The Who?' She stopped doing her nails and looked up saying to her colleague 'Kath, that record My Generation, it's sold out isn't it?' 'Yeh, fink so..' came the non-committal response followed by the add on to me: 'Yeh, sorry, that came out in early November.' I looked back at her like she had two heads..'Early November? You've got it in the window… My Generation… the L.P----not the single.' 'Oh, not the single.' 'No. The L.P. came out today... I kind of thankfully and reluctantly opened my wage packet and handed over seventeen shillings and sixpence. Outside it began to rain so I tucked the L.P. safe inside my coat and walked the fifteen minutes to 194 Flora Gardens...Telephone Riverside 7999.
Yesterday Thursday, I was round my mod friend's flat---Martin Gaish---in Riverside Gardens. He and his brother Lee were members of The Shepherd's Bush Miming Who which I had formed (but that's another story for another day !). Martin had been crafty enough to bunk off work, get the tube up to Ivor Place where Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp had their office (for the second time) and had been handed his expected complimentary copy of MG. I couldn't get off work from the salt mine of Baron & Warren, Patents & Trade Mark Licencees. Of course, looking back, I should have thrown myself down their rickety stairs and told them I'd broken my leg or drank a pint of pig's blood on my lunch break and vomited profusely over the filing system I was in charge of. But I was too scared to do any of those things and when I finished at 5.30pm I realised that being a Friday Kit and Chris would've been long gone---even Deidre Meehan and the workaholic Anya Butler---would've been well gone by that time of night. So, that being the case----no complimentary L.P. Gaish put the record on the turntable. I watched the arm swing across, tip the edge of the black lacquered record and it landed soft on the revolving mat. Jesus! The opening track hit me square between the ears... Out In The Street... feedback... a droning guitar like a jet about to crash... high-pitched singing... fucking chamber music in the middle of a commando raid. I was mesmerised as I left Gaish's parent's flat at 131 Riverside Gardens, Hammersmith. I couldn't wait until Monday to get my free copy from the office, instinctively I just knew I had to have it for the weekend.
I'm thinking how Out In The Street had a conceptual effect on my senses as I walked through the rain towards my flat. With a strong purpose I keyed the lock and went straight into my bedroom where all the old High Numbers pamphlets and a stack of 'I'm The Face' singles perched on top of the piano. I changed into real good and cool mod clothes and stood before the full length mirror. There was always trouble over that bloody mirror cos it weren't really mine, you see. The full length mirror belonged to my same-age cousin Jan who usually kept it in her bedroom but every now and then I would borrow it and of course forget to return it. NOW it was standing before me, shining with the gleam of possibility. I am wearing a pair of expensive Raouel shoes, a checked golfing pants, over that a theatrical black polo-neck, no jacket, this is Jack at the Marquee, Pete Townshend is staring back at me from the gleam of the full-length mirror. The needle swims into the opening groove and loudly comes Out In The Street... and then precisely at the crucial moment with the harsh feedback droning I have my air guitar out of tune (of course !) and I do a windmill (I could actually windmill better than Townshend!). The windmill is a perfect execution of the senses as my swinging hand hits the light bulb over my head and the bulb shatters on the floor. Jesus! I stoop down to pick up the pieces of broken glass and look at the blood streaming from my fingers and it occurs to me that yes, I have become an artist!
Later that same Friday night, the real Who appeared at the Goldhawk Social Club for the last time and there was more blood and fireworks....
Irish Jack’s original copy of My Generation, and the Rolleiflex camera used by photographer David Wedgebury to take the album cover photos, now owned by his brother Cliff who lives in Cork Ireland and is close friends with Irish Jack. Photo credit: Irish Jack
