Pete Townshend wishes he had never joined The Who

[TheFeldster]

Don't want to denigrate their amazing legacy, even though they are a band who needed to call it a day ages ago. The Who were at one time a huge, huge band, and very influential (especially looking at BritPop, Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede, The Verve etc) but they have essentially been a spent force musically now for well over 30 years, and really just living on past glories, and touring their 'greatest hits' to make a buck. What was the last great song Townsend wrote that you still hear played on rock radio?.. probably You Better You Bet, which was released in 1981, so that's 30 years basically without a hit record. They have been incredibly unproductive as recording artists, just 11 albums in 46 years, and none of them of any real consequence or commercial success since Who Are You back in 1978, though I realise they weren't really together as a band all that much, it was just one reuninion after another. But some of the stuff they produced in the 60's and 70's are just iconic legendary records from that golden era, Won't Get Fooled Again (the extended album version) surely has to be on everybody's list of all time great rock tracks. Live at Leeds is their greatest hour IMO, never liked Tommy or Quadrophenia, but then I hate 'concept' albums in general, with a few exceptions (Lamb Lies Down, A Passion Play, The Wall)

Not disagreeing with you, per se, I see where you're coming from, but I believe that has a lot to do with the changes in public preferences as well.

It wasn't exclusive to the Who either - Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones - all the old "fossils" struggled to get recognition in the charts from about the 80's onwards. Even Elvis would've struggled to get a hit during the 80's were he still alive - Wham! would've been the popular choice among the young people. That happens in every era, the young folk get sick of the old artists and want something new. It's the reason we had the "British invasion" era to start with.

I think, while I haven't heard much of the Who's new stuff, that Townshend has written some decent tracks since "You Better You Bet", for example, the two new tracks on their Then and Now compilation - "Old Red Wine" and "Real Good Looking Boy - were great songs, but they'd never hit the charts with the likes of "Oops, I Did It Again" circulating.

So while it's easy to say that they should have quit years ago, and I agree that they certainly can't live up to the expectations they created with "My Generation" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", but I feel they can still offer us something interesting, even if it isn't a "hit"

 

[METALPRIEST]

I hope no one minds me saying this...but any song is a hit song...it depends on how much radio or back in the day MTV would play it.

How many times have we listened to our favorite albums and said to ourselves, "THAT song should have been the single"

That says it all right there. If any song from Endless Wire or the songs Feldster mentioned were overplayed the same way as the tunes off of Who's Next or Face Dances ect., they would be just as huge.

That's how I percieve the American audience and music listeners anyway. I don't bother with radio myself.

 

[Prime]

I hope no one minds me saying this...but any song is a hit song...it depends on how much radio or back in the day MTV would play it.

How many times have we listened to our favorite albums and said to ourselves, "THAT song should have been the single"

That says it all right there. If any song from Endless Wire or the songs Feldster mentioned were overplayed the same way as the tunes off of Who's Next or Face dances ect., they would be just as huge.

That's how I percieve the American audience and music listeners anyway. I don't bother with radio myself.

Sort of the way I am in some cases. I don't listen to the radio anymore due to the amount of incoherent crap that they play. It's beyond me why they continue to play the stuff that they do, but that's another topic.

I think it really boils down to what YOU like, and what YOU think is the best album. It's been said dozens of times, but taste is subjective. Someone can think that The Who deserve more recognition, and some could say that The Who received too much. I think it can depend on how much one was exposed to them. I wasn't really exposed to them too much until my uncle introduced me to them with Wont Get Fooled Again. It can vary.

 

[METALPRIEST]

^^^ Right...and to add to my point...how many times have you heard someone say, "I hate that song", a song on the radio that is a "huge hit"

Listening to "Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes" by Elton John right now....GREAT song! How come it wasn't a "big hit" ??

Title too long for radio to play??

 

[Prime]

^^^ Right...and to add to my point...how many times have you heard someone say, "I hate that song", a song on the radio that is a "huge hit"

Listening to Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes by Elton John right now....GREAT song! How come it wasn't a "big hit" ??

Title too long for radio to play??

I think it's more or less what they think people will like. Which is a damn shame because right now, they're playing music nobody likes, except in some cases where the old radio stations play some good stuff.

I have a feeling that a lot of people say "i hate that song" mostly due to the fact that a large group of people say that. One of my friends is like that, he'll only listen to bands or songs as long as other people say they're good. I'm not saying that's wrong, because he can choose to do that, I just like to make the point to him that he is missing on a lot of potential great bands and songs.

As for the Elton John song, great song

 

[METALPRIEST]

Thanks...and yes we do miss alot of great music only paying attention to the radio for sure.

I mean You Better You Bet IS a great song and a good example of a "last big hit" but there were 8 other great songs on that album as well, IMO.

 

[TheSound]

I think the Stones are an exception out of the old 'fossil' acts, they have never really stood still and pretty much still function as a touring/recording band who never really let their standards drop, couple of so-so albums maybe, but I thought A Bigger Bang was the best album they made in 25 years, very impressive stuff, great energy and song writing.

 

[METALPRIEST]

^^ Yeah the Stones are busy boys I do agree!

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

I love The Who And I love Pete..I don't care about the drama ...

I think that Lynch is right..these older Rockers just like to get some attention and rant ..they are pampered and at this point in Petes life I guess you reflect on your life alot..maybe he is just doing it out loud...

I cringe about his 'research' thing a few years ago ..but WHY would he use his own credit card,,surely it would be really stupid unless he wasn't doing anything he felt was wrong..like research..I mean it's a little dodgey I admit but I don't think Pete is THIS dumb or arrogant? Then again maybe he feels he is above the law ? But I just think it was bad judgement ..why risk your career for a peek ?

Even tho he SAYS he wishes he never joined The Who..he makes a nice living from that move..so I'd say shhhhhhhhhhhhushh Pete...just saying ;D

 

[Groovy Man]

I think people are going overboard on these comments.

If you kind of know Pete - I don't think he was that serious.

Plus, you probably need to hear the whole interview.

And to the fans who think The Who should hang it up?

Long Live The Who! Be Dead or Alive!

Townshend and Eric Clapton regularly met up to discuss how they could get a young American guitarist named Jimi Hendrix off their turf.

That's because he was stealing their act. And he was.