“Very rushed”: The album Pete Townshend said he was forced to make
Nothing lasts forever, particularly within the famously fickle world of rock and roll. So, while Pete Townshend might have soundtracked the raucous rebellion of the swinging sixties with The Who, by the time the 1980s rolled around, the band’s reputation wasn’t quite as youthful, or indeed rebellious. This is perhaps why albums like Tommy, Quadrophenia, and My Generation are still heralded among some of the greatest rock albums of all time, while some of the band’s later work scarcely demands a footnote in their history.
One of the greatest aspects of Townshend’s songwriting has always been its adaptability. The early days of The Who were noted for capturing the rebellious spirit of Britain’s post-war youth, reflecting the mod subculture and crafting a repertoire of short, sharp, amphetamine-fueled anthems to suit. As he aged and the band progressed, however, Townshend was determined to develop his songwriting into something much more mature and enduring.
After all, the 1960s would not last forever, and Townshend couldn’t remain a youthful rebel indefinitely. As the 1970s approached, the songwriter turned his attention to crafting inventive rock operas like Tommy and Quadrophenia, both of which are regularly hailed among the band’s all-time greatest works. Whereas many of their 1960s contemporaries faltered with the change of the decade, either falling into obscurity or failing to adapt their sound to a new generation, The Who remained on top of the rock world for much of the 1970s.
That was until tragedy struck in 1978, when The Who’s anarchic drummer, Keith Moon, sadly passed away. Although Moon rarely contributed to the songwriting of the group, his distinctive and endlessly energetic drumming style was utterly essential to the sound of the band, and his death left colossal shoes to fill. Initially, Townshend thought about folding the band entirely, before they all decided to carry on as a means of honouring Moon’s memory and legacy.
Still, the death was a large hurdle to overcome, and the band’s material certainly suffered. Their first album released without Moon was 1981’s Face Dances, and to say it was a disappointment would an understatement. However, the follow-up, It’s Hard, wasn’t much of an improvement either. In fairness, both albums would be half-decent by the standards of a lesser rock band, but they simply failed to live up to the incredibly high standards set by The Who in previous years.
What’s more, Townshend was attempting to juggle these post-Moon records with his own solo career, too. This, along with his attempts to shift a drug habit, culminated in a feeling of stress for the guitarist and songwriter, who once shared, “I’m really not sure what I think now about It’s Hard.”
Recalling the recording process for It’s Hard, he continued, “When I started work on it in early 1982 I had only just landed on my feet after a month long Ativan detox programme, and when I got home the band were already in the studio without me with Andy Fairweather Low standing in on guitar.” Adding, “I felt forced to get to work immediately, and I felt very rushed, especially as I had to finish off my solo album Chinese Eyes at the same time.”
Ultimately, that solo album, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, did little to alleviate the poor reception for It’s Hard. Both albums felt more or less like solo Townshend efforts, and neither contained his strongest songwriting efforts. It is no surprise, therefore, that it took The Who another 24 years to record their next album, Endless Wire.
