Townshend

 

I saw this man close-up twice at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia in 1969. I was one of the few Americans who heard Tommy live before it was released in the United States. At the time, it was just another experience, but Townshend had a hard edge, and he was a great performer, as were the rest of them.

I almost didn’t go. “All they are going to do is smash their guitars,” I said. “No, they are a great live band,” my buddy told me. We ended up at the foot of the stage. I could have stood up and grabbed his ankle (though he would have kicked me). I didn’t even know enough to be as impressed and moved as I should have been, however, now I know more.

If I was forced to vote for the quintessential “rock idol”, this is my guy. He has an ego, but it’s an artist’s ego. He doesn’t suffer fools. He’s grounded in his world.

I appreciated him telling Abbie Hoffman to get lost at Woodstock, even though at the time I was stupidly amenable to the revolutionary idiocy. Townshend kept me grounded. He refused to let politics trump art. I appreciated that. It stayed with me.

He was a scrappy genius and his artistry is brilliant. This is a song from his album, White City.

The lyrics are rebellion on the ineffectiveness of the begging/giving culture that no one dared criticize. Until Pete tells me otherwise, that’s my interpretation…

But that’s the great thing, it’s art, open to interpretation, just like ‘reality’. What’s real? This is a question we must ask ourselves continually.

This is ‘conservatism’ expressed in a song

Give blood

But some will say it’s not enough

……

So give love

And keep blood between brothers

His songs are often quite different from other rock/pop songs while many of his hits land squarely in mainstream rock – so iconic and perfect rock anthems.

Here is a brilliant song in many ways, open to interpretation.

This song is the essence of Rock.

Here is an iconic rock lyric and rightfully so:

If my fist clenches clap it open

before I use it and lose my cool

If I smile tell me some bad news

before I laugh and act like a fool

And if I swallow anything evil

put your finger down my throat

And if I shiver please give me a blanket

keep me warm let me wear your coat.

Civilization is trying to find

a new way to die….

As a palet cleanser Another great Peter Townshend song covered well by other fans:

From Townshend’s other brilliant musical virtually unknown – Iron Man:

Another song from the Broadway play-worthy musical:

Face the face:

Love was an addiction

Now it is analyzed

as though it were fiction

Meet the new boss

I can’t explain

Thank you Peter Townshend

I guess you could call me a fan. Not enough people recognize this genius, a true artist while having lived the rock idol world.

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  1. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Bartholomew Xerxes Ogilvie, Jr. (View Comment):

    I’m kind of weird. I’ve never been a fan of The Who’s live act, particularly in the old days when they just performed as a trio; I much prefer the sophistication and sonic variety of their studio albums. I also like Townshend’s voice better than Daltrey’s.

    My favorite Townshend compositions are some of the ones that most people would probably consider most un-Who-like. “Blue, Red and Grey” from The Who By Numbers, for example, or “Street In The City” from the excellent Townshend/Land album Rough Mix.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7SliN-82P0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K3HhFDEFlQ

    Kinda Jazz/folk ….genres that don’t go great together but he takes chances, and his lyrics are always interesting I like his voice too. 

    • #31
  2. ST Member
    ST
    @

    I liked their song Baba O’Riley.

    Mr. Wikipedia tells me that:

    Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the middle eight: “Don’t cry/don’t raise your eye/it’s only teenage wasteland”. The song’s title is a combination of the names of two of Townshend’s philosophical and musical influences: Meher Baba and Terry Riley.

    • #32
  3. Gumby Mark (R-Meth Lab of Demo… Coolidge
    Gumby Mark (R-Meth Lab of Demo…
    @GumbyMark

    ST (View Comment):

    I liked their song Baba O’Riley.

    Mr. Wikipedia tells me that:

    Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the middle eight: “Don’t cry/don’t raise your eye/it’s only teenage wasteland”. The song’s title is a combination of the names of two of Townshend’s philosophical and musical influences: Meher Baba and Terry Riley.

    One of the glorious things that makes Baba O’Riley a Rock Anthem is that the individual words and phrases of the lyrics are wonderful but overall make no sense at all.  The most memorable performance of it was at the Concert for NYC in November 2001; particularly the moment when the audience, mostly policemen and firefighters, joins Townshend in singing the middle eight.  You can watch here starting about 7 minutes in.

    • #33
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