Pete Townsend Writing and Recording…
Pete Townshend has posted on his blog on the Who’s website that although he is writing and recording, it’s not for the Who. Townshend has been going back and forth over the past few months about his commitment to the band — first committing to a covers album, and a “Pacific” tour, then backing out of both.
Last month Townshend had thewho.com’s webmaster post a message telling fans that their posts would not appear on Townshend’s blog because he was writing and wished to not be disturbed. This led to speculation within the Who’s online community that Townshend may have changed his mind about writing for the Who — especially after a handful of Japanese concert dates were announced for November.
Townshend’s post on thewho.com, called “A Quick Update From The Furnace: I’m Getting Along OK,” read in part:
“It feels a little deceitful to report to Who fans that I am writing, because I assume that you will assume I mean writing songs for the Who. I’m not there yet, and I’m not even sure I want to go there, or could go there if I wanted to, or should go there if I could. I’m just trying to write. I have been listening to an iPod on random lately and some of my unreleased songs from the past thirty years occasionally come on mixed with other people’s music. Some of the songs sound wonderful, some of them don’t. What is always surprising is how wide ranging my writing can be. Another way of putting it would be to say I sound lost.”
Townshend went on to write: “The most exciting thing for me at the moment is that I am able to do some things I enjoy, every day. My big studio has been sold now. I am building a tiny new recording studio control room at the moment, and doing all the work myself, I am not using any outside hands-on help at all so it will feel very ‘pure-Pete’ when it’s finished. I also gave myself a wonderful big room with only a piano in it, and I’m practicing constantly and coming up with some good pieces. I’m swimming pretty often at the moment too. I feel good, and I’m pretty happy.”
Townshend says that in the past he never focused on who would perform his material, choosing to just let the inspiration be his guide: “What used to happen was that I used to write, irrespective of whether I was going to sing the song or that the Who were going to sing the song — or to be honest, if someone came along to me one day… You know, if Paul Simon, or Sting, or Paul McCartney, or the Stones or something, said, you know, ‘Have you got a song?’ You know, I gladly would’ve written for anybody else, it’s just that nobody asked me.”
The Who’s last album Endless Wire was released in October 2006 and peaked at Number Seven on The Billboard 200 Album charts. Prior to the album’s release the band embarked on a year-long UK and American tour, which was the band’s most extensive road trek to date.
Out now is the Who’s performance at the 2007 Teenage Cancer Trust benefit is among the many others featured on the new DVD called TCT - The Who And Friends - Live At The Royal Albert Hall. The disc features the band performing “The Seeker,” “Baba O’Riley,” and “Tea And Theatre.”
The Who’s next appearance will be on July 12th in Los Angeles when the band receives the only award at the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors. Also appearing will be Pearl Jam, the Foo Fighters, the Flaming Lips, Incubus and the comedy-rock duo Tenacious D, featuring Jack Black and Kyle Gass.
In other Who news:
Out on July 15th is The Best of The Who: Rock Band Edition. MTV Games has announced that many of the legendary group’s greatest hits will be added to the Rock Band catalog of downloadable content. The 12 songs were selected by the game’s producers Harmonix and MTV Games in consultation with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.
Daltrey was quoted in the statement as saying, “We’re really pleased to have our songs featured in Rock Band. It allows our established fan base to interact with our music in a way that’s fresh and exciting, while also exposing our songs to new audiences.”
Pete Townshend went on to say, “I’m a fan of Rock Band. I play the game with my son and girlfriend and love the way it brings different generations together through music. I like the idea that people of all ages will be having fun playing our songs.”
The Who “12 Pack” included with The Best of The Who: Rock Band Edition includes the studio tracks “Amazing Journey,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Eminence Front,” “Going Mobile,” “Leaving Here,” “Real Good Looking Boy,” “Sea & Sand,” and “Who Are You,” and the live tracks “My Generation,” “Young Man Blues,” and “Summertime Blues” from Live At Leeds.