They’re some of music’s most iconic members, but Pete Townshend has said “thank God” that Keith Moon and John Entwistle of The Who are dead.
When Keith Moon of The Who passed away back in 1978, many would have assumed that the band would pack it in right then and there. After all, as one of the wildest and most iconic drummers on the scene, Moon was a force unto himself, having helped to refine the band’s reputation as rowdy rockers.
Instead, the group recruited Kenney Jones to take Moon’s place, though this replacement was relatively short-lived. After the group split in 1983, a handful of reunions took place over the years until Zak Starkey took up his position behind the kit in 1996 and has stayed there ever since.
Tragically though, 2002 saw the passing of founding bassist John Entwistle, whose legacy as a live performer and bassist was truly unmatched.
However, with The Who gearing up to release their first album in 13 years next week, guitarist Pete Townshend doesn’t look back on his former bandmates fondly, claiming he’s somewhat happy they’ve passed on.
Check out The Who’s ‘Ball And Chain’:
Speaking to Rolling Stone recently, Townshend was asked about the presence of Moon and Entwistle’s pictures in the group’s live show, though he was quick to defy any notion he gets nostalgic when looking at their faces.
“It’s not going to make Who fans very happy, but thank God they’re gone,” he stated. “Because they were fucking difficult to play with.
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“They never, ever managed to create bands for themselves. I think my musical discipline, my musical efficiency as a rhythm player, held the band together.”
“John’s bass sound was like a Messiaen organ,” he explained. “Every note, every harmonic in the sky. When he passed away and I did the first few shows without him, with Pino [Palladino] on bass, he was playing without all that stuf… I said, ‘Wow, I have a job.’
“With Keith, my job was keeping time, because he didn’t do that,” he concluded. “So when he passed away, it was like, ‘Oh, I don’t have to keep time anymore.'”
As he continued though, Pete Townshend explained that the one death that really hit him hard in recent times was that of Alan Rogan, who served as his guitar tech for 40 years.
“Usually, I’m so unaffected by death,” Townshend added. “My mother, father, Keith Moon.
“Maybe because he was in a hospital bed and fighting back so hard. When he finally passed, I just thought, ‘Fuck.’”
Of course, we’re in no position to judge Pete Townshend’s comments about his former bandmates, but from an outsider’s perspective, you have to admit this is some pretty rough stuff.
Check out ‘My Generation’ by The Who:
