You could forgive The Who guitarist Pete Townshend for living in the past, given that he wrote some of the most iconic songs of the 1960s. After all, The Who’s music was rooted in postwar adolescent rebellion. So maturing for Townshend and Daltrey must have been a particularly difficult task. Townshend always appeared to be on top of changing musical trends and the emergence of new genres.
During the 1970s, for example, when The Who were at the height of their rock opera era, Townshend was open about his admiration for the revolutionary sounds of punk rock. In many ways, The Who had been the original British punk band. Yet many musicians of that generation were openly critical of punk, thus showing their age. Now in his 70s, decades on from his 1960s heyday, it seems as though Townshend never lost his capacity for musical discovery.
Back in 2021, the guitarist was asked for his thoughts on Bob Dylan’s 2020 album Rough And Rowdy Ways. The interviewer probably assumed that, as a fellow 1960s icon, Townshend would have a deep appreciation for the folk star’s new material. However, Townshend earnestly replied, “I tried to listen to it. But my interest in other people’s deep journeys into the self is a bit limited”. He added, “I’m a bit like Elton John in that respect. I’m more interested in what new, younger artists are doing.”
His comparison to Elton John may be uncalled for in this context. John has worked with a wide range of modern artists. It featured Yard Act, Dua Lipa, and Kanye West, while Pete Townshend continues to tour with The Who. Despite both surviving members being fairly past it. The songwriter continued, telling Uncut, “I find the music world at the moment just overwhelmingly, fantastically wonderful. I’m not even that interested in Rod Stewart’s Christmas album or even the Who album, to be honest. I’m kind of more interested in finding something amazing on Bandcamp.”
According to reports, one of the modern artists Townshend discovered while scouring Bandcamp was American songwriter Thundercat. Calling Thundercat a modern artist, or discussing him as if he were a well-kept secret, is questionable. After all, the songwriter has been active since the turn of the millennium. It rose to prominence as a guitarist for Suicidal Tendencies before embarking on an incredibly successful solo career.
In an incredible case of ‘How do you do, fellow kids?’, Townshend heaped praise on Thundercat, particularly their 2020 album It Is What It Is. The Who guitarist said of the album, “I’ve been going back to [It Is What It Is], which I just love”. Townshend did not stop there. He went on to compare the record to one of the greatest albums of all time. “I think it’s so incredible, kind of like Sgt. Pepper – so that’s been an obsession”.
Comparing Thundercat’s album to one of The Beatles’ finest products – often hailed among the greatest albums in musical history – is a fairly contentious claim to make, especially for somebody of Townshend’s vintage. In many ways, though, his comments are a good indicator that, despite the overwhelming chorus of baby boomers, music is still in a very good place in the modern age.
