By Kreig Marks, May 2025

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TRR: Pete, you've been part of rock’s DNA for decades. What still gets you excited about picking up a guitar today?

 

Townshend: It’s the moment before you strike the first chord. There’s still this unknown. After all these years, I never know what’s going to come out, and that’s thrilling. It’s not nostalgia, it’s still discovery.

 

TRR: The Who were always more than just a rock band. Did you ever feel pressure being the brain behind so many of those big concepts?

 

Townshend: The brain behind the concepts?  That's a new one! I think I like that. I'll have to use that.  May I?  

 

TRR:  Absolutely. 

 

Townsend:  Well thank you.  So, pressure, most definitely.  I was always putting pressure on myself.  At times, like many of us, probably too much but that's how I kept focused and moving forward.  I was constantly trying to keep up with my own ambitions. With Tommy or Quadrophenia, I wasn't just writing songs, I was building worlds. It was like scoring a film that didn’t exist yet. I saw it and heard it in my mind. The hard part and the fun part, was piecing it all together and watching it grow and become a reality. 

 

TRR: What inspired Tommy? That record was revolutionary. 

 

Townshend: Thank you.  I may have to borrow that, too.  Revolutionary!  Are you always this generous with your compliments?

 

TRR:  Is it a compliment?  It's my honest opinion.  We'll, I guess it is a compliment.   

 

Townsend:  Well, thank you again for the compliment. Tommy came from my fascination with the spiritual void in the rock scene. I was reading Meher Baba, diving into mysticism, and I wanted to create something that challenged listeners to think deeper. It was rock as opera, sure, but also as meditation.

 

TRR:  I'll have to explore that the next time I meditate, which is generally every day.  

 

Townsend:  You'll have to let me know how it goes.  

 

TRR:  It's a deal.  You've probably been asked this before, but I'm asking anyway, you were known for smashing guitars on stage. Was it anger, performance, or something else?

 

Townshend: It was theater. A release. But also a rebellion. The guitar was my weapon and my victim. When I smashed it, it was like saying, “You won’t define me.”

 

TRR:  That's an expensive lesson to teach your guitar.  

 

Townsend:  Yes, that too.  

 

TRR:  The energy on stage with The Who was legendary. What was your mindset before going out there?

 

Townshend: Controlled chaos. Always controlled chaos. I had to get into a headspace where everything was on the edge. You want to feel like something could break, because that’s rock and roll at its best. Raw, imperfect and alive.

 

TRR: Looking at the current rock scene, who do you think is carrying the torch?

 

Townshend: Bands like Greta Van Fleet. They’ve got the chops. But also artists who blur genres, like St. Vincent, or even Jack White. Rock today isn’t confined, it’s morphing and that’s healthy.

 

TRR:  Funny you mentioned Jack White.  I spoke with him a few days ago, so you'll both be featured in our May issue.  

 

Townsend:  How fun that will be!  Jack is a wonderful artist. So talented, so unique. 

 

TRR:  You've accomplished so much in your career.  Everything from classical music to electronic experimentation. What draws you to new sounds, even at this point in your life when you could probably just sit back and relax. 

 

Townshend: Curiosity. I hate comfort zones. If I start feeling too at home in a genre, I leave. Art should provoke and surprise even the artist.

 

TRR: How has your songwriting changed over the years?

 

Townshend: It’s more introspective now. Less about smashing the system, more about understanding it. But the drive is still there. I still want to write something that makes people stop in their tracks.

 

TRR: What’s a song you think never got the recognition it deserved?

 

Townshend: “Blue, Red and Grey.” It’s quiet, almost whispered. But sometimes the softest songs say the most. It got lost among the explosions.

 

TRR: Any regrets over the years?

 

Townshend: Too many to count. Don't we all have our regrets?  That's what makes life interesting.  But every mistake shaped my life and the music. And the music’s been worth it.

 

TRR: If you could jam with any artist, alive or dead, who would it be?

 

Townshend: Jimi Hendrix. We shared stages, but I never really got to play with him. That would’ve been volcanic.

 

TRR: Last question, what’s one thing fans would be surprised to know about Pete Townshend in 2025?

 

Townshend: I meditate every morning, drink herbal tea, and rarely listen to rock music at home. But if “My Generation” comes on the radio, I still crank it.

 

TRR:  It has to be heard loudly!  Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, Pete.  This has been very cool.

 

Townsend:  Thank you, Kreig.  I don't do many interviews these days but this was a lot of fun.  Great questions.  Stay safe and keep doing what you're doing because you do it very well.