Pete Townsend (grumpy bear)

mr bungle

Classic Rock) The Who's Pete Townshend says playing live "means nothing" to him. The guitarist and his veteran bandmates recently performed alongside acts such as The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan at the star-studded Desert Trip festival in California - but he admits he gets no real buzz from hitting the stage.

He tells The Times (via The Guardian): "I'm such a boring f***er. It means nothing to me. I would be a liar if I said, 'It was really fun, man. It was great!' It wasn't great. It was a gig. I did it and I got paid.

"The fact is, I don't really like performing. But I'm good at it. I'm lucky to be good at something. I could have worked in an abattoir. I don't get high on stage. I might come off stage and look in the mirror and go, 'Hee hee,' but it's mischievous. It's, 'What a load of crap. We pulled off another scam.'" Read

I've seen these guys a few times since Bridge 99. There music means a lot to me but It's getting harder and harder to like Pete as a person. I usually feel bands should play until they die (because they should do what makes them happy), but for fuck sakes Pete, Hang it up already if you are so miserable. You don't need the paycheck.

Daron Oshay

LOVE The Who. And Pete is incredible. He's also always been a dick

weddingparade

imo pete's ENTITLED to feel how ever he wants
he's earned that respect from me x10. is he a grumpy old sod? sure!
but his internal opinions does not change the fact that his band are still great live and he is one of the best there is in the business.
one of my fave songwriters ever x 10

Who Princess

This is news? Pete's always complained that he doesn't like performing, it's a just a job he happens to be good at. I never pay much attention to what Pete says in interviews. He always talks a lot of shit, then contradicts himself with more shit in the next interview.

mr bungle

Who Princess said:

This is news? Pete's always complained that he doesn't like performing, it's a just a job he happens to be good at. I never pay much attention to what Pete says in interviews. He always talks a lot of shit, then contradicts himself with more shit in the next interview.

I totally agree this is not news. But it's getting tiring hearing him still complain about playing live. I've spent a lot of money on their shows and other "veteran acts". I guess when I go to shows, (especially the old timers that don't need the money) it adds to the experience knowing that they are still doing It because they love it and or have something to say. That's all i'm saying. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE The Who and always will.

F Me In The Brain

I'd like Pete to play on Squeeze Me Macaroni. Such an underrated tune.

(btw I also LOVE The Who.)

Who Princess

mr bungle said:

Who Princess said:

This is news? Pete's always complained that he doesn't like performing, it's a just a job he happens to be good at. I never pay much attention to what Pete says in interviews. He always talks a lot of shit, then contradicts himself with more shit in the next interview.

I totally agree this is not news. But it's getting tiring hearing him still complain about playing live. I've spent a lot of money on their shows and other "veteran acts". I guess when I go to shows, (especially the old timers that don't need the money) it adds to the experience knowing that they are still doing It because they love it and or have something to say. That's all i'm saying. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE The Who and always will.

I agree, it's tiring. He starts on this with every tour. In think it was the 2006-7 tour where he said people shouldn't be spending their money on bands like The Who. He's said during the last few years that he gets very irritated during interviews and says a lot of rude things. I'm guessing that people who've never interviewed him before ask a lot of the same old questions about performing. But he gives the same kind of answers in fan interviews, although maybe a little more politely.

One thing he really makes clear in his memoir, his parents were professional musicians and that he always saw it as a job that was just a little cooler and paid better than other jobs. He's always been aware of being an "act." I've seen The Who many times and Pete never fails to disappoint. He acted like he was having a blast a few weeks ago in Santa Barbara and even said something at the end of the show about what a good time he'd had, then explained that he really meant it this time because usually if he says it was great he means that he was crap and the audience was crap. It was such a totally Pete way of explaining it.

But I still don't recommend reading interviews with him. He talks a lot of shit. OTOH Roger is nearly always fun and upbeat in interviews. His interviews around the Desert Trip shows were really good.