Pete Townshend of The Who has taken to social media to clarify some comments he made about his former bandmates, having previously indicated he was glad they’re dead.
Next week sees the release of WHO, the first album by English rock icons The Who in 13 years, and only their second record since 1982. Understandably, the group have been taking part in a few interviews to help promote the release.
Recently though, Pete Townshend spoke to the folks over at Rolling Stone where he was asked whether he gets nostalgic during the band’s live shows, which use footage of his former bandmates Keith Moon (who passed away in 1978) and John Entwistle (who died in 2002).
“It’s not going to make Who fans very happy, but thank God they’re gone,” he replied. “Because they were fucking difficult to play with.
“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. So when he passed away, it was like, ‘Oh, I don’t have to keep time anymore.’”
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As predicted, this news did not sit well with fans of The Who (or good taste in general), forcing Townshend to take to social media in order to clarify his controversial comments.
Check out Pete Townshend’s recent Facebook post:
Sharing a Facebook post that urged him to “FOR FUCK’S SAKE PUT A LID ON IT!”, Pete Townshend opened up about his late bandmates, clarifying that despite his previous comments he does miss them as both friends and colleagues.
“No one can ever know how much I miss Keith and John, as people, as friends and as musicians,” he began. “The alchemy we used to share in the studio is missing from the new album, and it always feels wrong to try to summon it up without them, but I suppose we will always be tempted to try.
“To this day I am angry at Keith and John for dying. Sometimes it shows. It’s selfish, but it’s how I feel.
“But I am sincerely grateful to have had these second and third incarnations as a member of what we still dare to call The Who – once after Keith passed, then again after John passed.
“I do thank God for this, but I was being ironic in my own English way by suggesting it is something I am glad about. I can be grateful to be free as a player and writer, but sad about losing old friends. It does feel ironic, and it also makes me angry.
“Towards the end of my mother Betty’s life she drove me barmy, and there was a huge sense of relief when she finally passed, but I miss her very much. Love has so many facets.”
As he continued his post, Townshend goes on to praise his former bandmates, calling them both “eccentric and individual as musicians” and apologising to the families of Keith Moon and John Entwistle for the way his comments had been interpreted.
Check out ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ by The Who:
