“I invented the concept”: Pete Townshend on the last time he wrote for his audience
Success is a double-edged sword. When people initially start writing and making music in their bedrooms, they dream of having a hit record they can tour with and enjoy the spoils of. The issue arises when that success comes, and suddenly, there are expectations. Fans want a specific sound, and the freedom that comes with being an unknown, budding artist goes out the window. This is an issue that The Who faced early in their career.
When they released their first single, ‘I Can’t Explain’, it was a massive success. Fans everywhere loved it, and paired with their excellent stage presence, it was clear that they were an upcoming tour de force to be reckoned with. Of course, while ‘I Can’t Explain’ is still considered a great song, it doesn’t quantify The Who, who later became famous for their ability to make excellent concept music.
This begs the question that many bands face when they have success: How do you continue to make new and exciting music while still holding onto those original fans who made you famous? You see it all the time: indie bands from ten or fifteen years ago that had one hit and then continued making music, only to play to an audience desperate for nostalgia.
There are differing opinions regarding navigating the balance between success and continuing to make new music. Some artists believe it’s best to shut out the pressure from fans and continue doing what you think is right. After all, your instinct got you this far, so keep trusting it. Then, other artists feel pressured to play the hits and, therefore, don’t put their all into new music.
The Who are an exception to the above. Despite their early success with tracks such as ‘I Can’t Explain’, ‘Substitute’ and ‘My Generation’, they were also able to create concept albums that went into different emotional detail and explored various characters. The two were massive contrasts to one another, and yet both were embraced by the fan base.
Pete Townshend spoke about the shift from making straight-up rock music to more conceptual work, acknowledging that it was a huge deviation. “Take the case of the Who. ‘I Can’t Explain’ was our first single. It was a hit,” he said, “Kids heard it, and they came and said, ‘This is helping us’. And I thought: This is my commissioning group. This is the party that’s going to love whatever I do. I served that audience very faithfully up until Quadrophenia.”
Townshend also opened up about the inspiration behind the album. “That album was an appeal to The Who to address the questions of why is Keith Moon now driving around in pink Rolls-Royces. Why is Roger Daltrey growing his hair like a rock god? Why has John Entwistle got a house full of suits of armour?” He said, “What is this all about? So to address your question, I think I invented the concept that music was going to have democratic give-and-take between the artists and their audience.”
