“Why bother”: Pete Townshend picks The Who songs he couldn’t improve
In the 1970s, the world of rock and roll was full of theatrics. Eccentric hairdos and tight-fitted outfits were tucked behind soaring riffs and powerful drum fills. It was an exciting time for any lead vocalist of a band for it gave them an unfiltered opportunity to be at the forefront of the limelight. In Roger Daltrey, The Who had one of the decade’s finest. As enigmatic as he was compelling, he was the perfect suitor for the band’s expansive style of rock.
But it was Pete Townshend who provided him with the playground upon which he could explore. Widely known as the brains of the band’s operation, Townshend penned the majority of the band’s hits and was responsible for pushing them deeper into the realms of experimental expanse with seminal hits like ‘Baba O’Riley’.
But he wasn’t an understated genius by any stretch. This certainly wasn’t a case of quietly delivering brilliance and handing it to Daltrey to perform, no Townshend made sure his presence was known, especially on stage. With his windmill guitar strumming and penchant for destroying his equipment at the end of every gig, Townshed built up a reputation as one of rocks most exciting and relentless guitarists.
As such, his presence in the studio was to be respected by the band. Coming armed with sonic genius was one thing, but delivering it with a steely gaze and furrowed brow was another. Which meant any demo brought to the studio, was largely treated with respect.
When asked if his demos are altered upon recording, Townshend explained, “If it’s right on the demo, the band is not too proud to do it the same way again.” But he played down any idea that he is a creative dictator, explaining, “The good thing about a demo is you’ve made a commitment to a particular sound, and if there’s something wrong with it it’s going to be very evident. So you don’t make the same mistake twice. John makes demos too of his stuff. He comes in with these finished masterpieces and I wonder why we bother to re-record them again.”
While Townshend’s masterful influence is plain to see on the entirety of The Who’s discography, he is right in confirming the collaborative approach that sits at the heart of the band. Particularly in the case of bassist, John Entwhistle. In fact, their calling card hit ‘My Generation’ soundtracked a movement of subcultural mods largely due to Entwhistle’s bass solo that comes in after the first chorus. He brought the groove and structure, giving the band’s exploration of chaos a necessary underbelly of humility.
It’s a point Townshend himself is keen to inform die-hard fans of The Who, who are always quick to herald the guitarist as the lone genius, striding the band into the depths of brilliance. In a bid to remind people of that, Townshend simply said, “It’s really funny to this day where you get a song like ‘Dreaming From The Waist’ when John is doing this blinding bass solo and making Alvin Lee look like he plays in slow motion, and I’m just standing there strumming a chord.”
