Pete Townshend of The Who has developed a reputation for being a brutal tongue, partly because of his stubbornness as a rock ‘n’ roll contrarian. Only a select few artists are immune to Townshend’s notoriously harsh commentary over the years, as he has taken his wrath out on numerous legendary figures.
Townshend is open to almost anybody, be it his bandmates or a beloved band like Led Zeppelin. Townshend respects people who are genuine artists without resorting to fakery. Authenticity is the primary quality he looks for in others.
But pretenders have always found rock ‘n’ roll appealing since the beginning of time. Every performer exaggerates themselves somewhat on stage. Finding an artist who truly inhabits their character is uncommon.
However, Townshend believes that five legendary rock stars are the real deal, with authenticity radiating from every cell in their bodies.
Despite becoming a legendary figure in music over the last fifty years, Townshend does not consider himself to be a paid member of the real elite. The guitarist is unafraid to be critical of himself and is self-aware, despite his harsh behavior toward others.
Townshend acknowledges that some aspects of his work aren’t natural, which is why he feels like he isn’t a true rock star. One instance is his famous guitar-smashing antics during performances. He discontinued them because they felt manufactured, not his intent.
In an open assessment, Townshend provided a list of rock stars who have never experienced impostor syndrome in an interview with the New York Times. He told the newspaper, “I’ve always regarded the rock-star phenomenon with immense disdain.”
Townshend went on, saying, “I’ve had my moments when I felt I was going to try and do this job. They were gloriously recorded and exalted but brief. I’ll make an effort to act like a true rock star. After that, when I tried it, it didn’t work. I was a fake.
Despite his remarks, he demonstrates an impressive degree of authenticity by admitting he was a “counterfeit,” indicating that there is nothing fake about him. Townshend exhibited a level of self-analysis and humility that is uncommon among his contemporaries. The Who guitarist devoted his life to his craft, with music in his family. He feels he shouldn’t be listed with icons who’ve only produced authentic art. Even if it angers fans.
Among the most genuine rock stars, according to Townshend, is David Byrne. “Very few people are truly authentic to the cause,” he said. Mick Jagger. Neil Asher. Mitchell Joni. Harry Deborah.
Without a doubt, each of the five options is a true artist who has never attempted to be someone they’re not. Numerous artists have attempted to mimic the schtick of the Fabulous Five, but none have ever been as brilliant as them.
A subjective concept, authenticity can mean very different things to different people. It means being “authentic to the perceived, accepted ideal of a rock star,” according to Townshend.
Townshend’s choice to include Jagger is understandable. The guitarist for The Who had previously declared The Rolling Stones to be his all-time favorite band.
“I can’t analyze what I feel about the Stones because I am an absolute Stones fan, always have,” Townshend said to those in attendance in 1989 when he inducted The Stones into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He continued, thinking back to his younger years, “Their early shows were just shocking.” incredibly captivating, beautiful, and poignant. They radically altered my life. Without a doubt, the Beatles were entertaining, especially during their live performances. The Stones were the ones who woke me up, and I mean no disrespect to them in any way.
Townshend still can’t quite match the intensity of The Rolling Stones‘ early performances. Townshend brought the discussion into the twenty-first century by explaining to the New York Times how rock has changed over time and why, in his opinion, it still exists, even though it isn’t the same as it was when he was a teenager. “Now, you’ll see a casual statement online that ‘rock is dead,’ which is something we in our genre have been thinking about since the ‘70s,” he continued. However, what exactly is rock? Hip-hop is rock. Taylor Swift is most likely Rock. Dare I say it, Ed Sheeran and Adele are rock. They must live up to the responsibility they have accepted.
Arguably, there have only been five true rock stars in music history, but none of Townshend’s choices can be questioned.
