The artists Pete Townshend considers the new wave of rock
The world has changed markedly since classic rock was in its pomp. Thanks to punk, Kurt Cobain, the internet, and other factors, the once-revered rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle has long been deemed contemptible in a world where clean living and being a good person are now widely desirable. This shift in attitudes is also not lost on those so intrinsic to the old era, with The Who’s Pete Townshend acutely aware of how vastly things have changed.
While Townshend is no stranger to controversy and has provided several questionable takes in his time, his thoughts on the present status of rock music are valuable, given his role in bringing it to the masses in the 1960s and beyond. Furthermore, as the Londoner has also partaken in ample traditional rockstar behaviour, from the explosive shows to the hard living – and witnessing it first-hand from peers – he has a better sense than most of how the times have changed.
In 2019, Townshend published his first-ever novel, The Age of Anxiety. It’s a tale that explores the rockstar archetype, a parable about the link between creativity and madness. It features an aged rockstar disappearing upon the Cumberland moors, only to be found taking sanctuary as a hermit painting apocalyptic visions. Given the many notable casualties of mental health that his era produced, such as Syd Barrett and Peter Green, it’s safe to say that The Who man’s view of rock and its trappings is a negative one.
When promoting the book that year, Townshend delved into the complex world of rock stars and gave his opinion. As one of the first rock stars with countercultural credibility to reject the idea of using psychedelic drugs—which might explain some of the angles in his novel—it’s no surprise that he made it clear that he views the concept of rock stars with disdain. Despite his own hellraising, Townshend never bought into this mythologised narrative.
Speaking to The New York Times in 2019, Townshend discussed his and his contemporaries’ position in the pantheon of rock before naming a new breed he thinks is carrying the baton today. His assertions might initially surprise the typical rock fan, but they do make sense.
He explained: “I’ve had my moments, which have been gloriously recorded and exalted — but brief — when I’ve felt: I’m going to try and do this job. I’m going to try to be a proper rock star. Then I would do it, and it wouldn’t work. I was counterfeit. There are very few people truly authentic to the cause: David Byrne. Mick Jagger. Neil Young. Joni Mitchell. Deborah Harry.”
He meant “authentic” because their lives are in keeping with the accepted idea of a rockstar. Denouncing the contemporary notion that “rock is dead”, he offered a counterpoint, asserting that it has just metamorphosed into different forms and that world-famous pop and hip-hop artists are the new rockstars.
“But what is rock?” The Who guitarist queried. “Rock is hip-hop. Rock is probably Taylor Swift. Rock is, dare I say it, Adele and Ed Sheeran. They’ve dared to take on that mantle, and they have to deliver. They’ve got to do something spectacular as performers. Not just as recording artists. They’ve got to do something amazing, and if it includes dancers if it includes too much video, then they’re cheating. They know that. We know that, and the audiences know that.”
That’s why audiences flock to shows by classic rockers such as The Who and The Rolling Stones and those by the likes of Swift and Sheeran. It’s about the craft and carrying it off live. It’s sport and endurance. It seems the English legend is right, too; not only is Swift’s The Eras Tour a global phenomenon speaking to fans of all walks of life, but a contemporary of Townshend’s, Stevie Nicks, even thinks the American popstar will be the one to save music from its present mire.
