Pete Townshend is an interesting cat.
First of all, from the English Big Three (The Beatles, The Stones and The Who), I've always felt The Who was the best of them all. They rocked harder, their music seemed more connected to the world and didn't succumb to the empty whims of the styles of the times (psychedelia for The Beatles, high fashion New York style for The Stones). I mean, sure, you can argue they started out as heros of the Mods, but at their core, they were always The World's Greatest Bar Band. And I mean that as the highest praise.
Townshend should be mentioned in the same breath as John Lennon. And of course he is, but always along side of, never better than. And that's a shame because I think, overall, Townshend has a greater discography, has a handful of better songs, is a better vocalist and certainly a better guitarist.
Townshend is the greatest. And, yes, he's a bit of a prick, a bit testy and times, sure. But so was Lennon.
I'd be angry too if Keith Moon permanently damaged my hearing in some juvenile prank.
