The most influential band

[Jeff House <jjthandmeh@juno.com>]

ML said with conviction:  "...as an exercise take a look at the kind of
music which was being released before and after the single My
Generation...there's a clear dividing line for which I can find no other
song responsible. It had nothing to do with sales, but more what
musicians took from it."

I think this is quite true from the standpoint of a punker like yourself.
 I mean that in the nicest way - I dig punk myself in certain states of
consciousness.  MG is the root of all modern punk.  

For the sake of discussion let me throw out another explanation for this
dividing line:  AOR was starting because of technological, business and
artistic reasons that had little to do with The Who.

Other single recordings that have been equally (or more) influential than
MG - though not on the punk strain:
Crossroads (Robert Johnson recording circa 193?)
Elvis (any of the Sun singles)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Jeff