The rock band Pete Townshend dismissed as a joke: “A parody of rock”
The Who’s Pete Townshend has never diluted his words, preferring to share his thoughts in direct terms. Even his bandmates have been on the sharp end of his verbal barbs over the years, and Townshend has also been highly critical of his material.
However, Townshend is often at his cruellest regarding the topic of his rock contemporaries. While it would have been easier for Townshend to keep his mouth quiet and avoid upsetting anyone he may come across at future industry events, Townshend has never been able to hide his true feelings.
Of course, Townshend has a very clear vision of what he expects from a rock ‘n’ roll band, and if he perceives a group that does not fit his definition, the guitarist will happily deride them in public. After The Who were among the proved incredibly popular. Alice Cooper became a huge star, as did Kiss, who formed in 1973 and gained a reputation due to their outrageous make-up and costumes.
Due to their larger-than-life on-stage presence, Kiss immediately stood out from the rest of the crowd. Their wild looks created a sense of intrigue surrounding them, which audiences gravitated towards. Notably, each member of the group took on a persona akin to a comic book character, which helped elevate them to the biggest stages.
Crafting their aesthetic required an equal amount of thought as composing their music, and by the mid-’70s, they were one of the most prominent groups in America. Due to the unconventional package they offered, Kiss have always been a band that people love or loathe, with Townshend’s opinion falling into the latter category.
For The Who’s guitarist, Kiss epitomised a very different brand of rock music, which would have failed to cut it in the United Kingdom or Europe. Given that the band wore disguises and tried to hide their identity, Townshend believed this to showcase a lack of authenticity.
Speaking to Hazy Rock in 2014, Townshend explained why the group never convinced him. He remarked: “One thing that Kiss are absolutely, unquestionably not – in any sense, whatsoever – is European or English. They are straight out of Creem magazine meets Las Vegas. Or New Orleans, even. There is a bit of New Orleans in it, a very American kind of Mardi Gras thing.”
He added: “They couldn’t have happened here. They could maybe have happened in Berlin — in which case their music wouldn’t have been like their music. They would have looked like they looked. But they would have made a different kind of music. They’re a very American phenomenon.”
Townshend’s ruthless assessment of the American group continued as he claimed they were a joke of a band, adding: “The early years of Kiss were difficult because there was sort of a parody of rock inherent in what they were doing. Also, that business of wearing disguises. Not quite sure about it. You know, I think I’d have to do an academic study to try and work out what’s really doing on there”.
While Townshend may have viewed Kiss as the antithesis of everything he sought from a band, they were somewhat inspired by The Who. Gene Simmons once celebrated Townshend for smashing his guitar, which he thought was a vital lesson in “showmanship” and “stagecraft” for Kiss.
Ultimately, almost every rock star, including Townshend, portrays a different version of themselves on stage. While The Who didn’t wear elaborate make-up or masks, Townshend acted in a way while performing that he never would in everyday life. With Kiss, the only difference is that they took it further than any other act had gone before and reaped the rewards for doing so.
