A follow-up single ("Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere"), credited to both Townshend and Daltrey, also reached the top 10 in the UK. Released as a single in January 1965, "I Can't Explain" was the Who's first hit, reaching number eight on the British charts. Townshend wrote a song, "I Can't Explain", as a deliberate sound-alike of the Kinks, another group Talmy produced. With the assistance of Lambert, the Who caught the ear of American record producer Shel Talmy, who had the band signed to a record contract. Townshend's roommate Richard Barnes came up with "The Who", and Daltrey decided it was the best choice. The Detours became aware of a group of the same name in February 1964, forcing them to change their name. In 1963, Townshend's father arranged an amateur recording of "It Was You", the first song his son ever wrote. Through Townshend's mother, the group obtained a management contract with local promoter Robert Druce, who started booking the band as a support act for bands including Screaming Lord Sutch, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Shane Fenton and the Fentones, and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. As a result, Townshend, with Entwistle's encouragement, became the sole guitarist. Daltrey was considered the leader of the group and, according to Townshend, "ran things the way he wanted them." Dawson quit in 1962 after arguing too much with Daltrey, who subsequently moved to lead vocalist. Their lineup coalesced around Roger Daltrey on lead guitar, Townshend on rhythm guitar, Entwistle on bass, Doug Sandom on drums and Colin Dawson as vocalist. In the early days of the Detours, the band's repertoire consisted of instrumentals by the Shadows and the Ventures, as well as pop and trad jazz covers. The new bass player then suggested Townshend join as an additional guitarist. In late 1961, Entwistle joined the Detours, a skiffle/rock and roll band, led by Roger Daltrey. Townshend left the Confederates after getting into a fight with the group's drummer, Chris Sherwin, and purchased a "reasonably good Czechoslovakian guitar" at his mother's antique shop. However, both became influenced by the increasing popularity of rock 'n' roll, with Townshend particularly admiring Cliff Richard's debut single, "Move It". ![]() The Confederates played gigs at the Congo Club, a youth club run by the Acton Congregational Church, and covered Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, and Lonnie Donegan. Townshend and school friend John Entwistle formed a short-lived trad jazz group, the Confederates, featuring Townshend on banjo and Entwistle on horns. Though his father taught him a couple of chords, Townshend was largely self-taught on the instrument and never learned to read music. His grandmother Emma purchased his first guitar for Christmas in 1956, an inexpensive Spanish model. At Acton County, he was frequently bullied because he had a large nose, an experience that profoundly affected him. Upon passing the eleven-plus exam, Townshend was enrolled at Acton County Grammar School.
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