Home / Quotes / Quote by Pete Townshend

Quote by Pete Townshend

“But what was interesting about what the Who did is that we took things which were happening in the pop genre and represent them to people so that they see them in a new way. I think the best example is Andy Warhol's work, the image of Marilyn Monroe or the Campbell's soup can.”

Quote by Pete Townshend

Author

Pete Townshend is a renowned British musician, best known as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock band The Who. Born in May 1945, he has been a significant figure in rock music since the 1960s. His musical style encompasses rock, hard rock, and art rock, and has had a profound impact on music that followed. more

You May Also Like

“Even modern English people are imperious, superior, ridden by class. All of the hypocrisy and the difficulties that are endemic in being British also make it an incredibly fertile place culturally. A brilliant place to live. Sad but true.”

People Class Modern Difficulty British Brilliant Superiors Hypocrisy Fertile Sad But True Places To Live Being Sad Modern English

Author:Pete Townshend

“If I told you what it takes to reach the highest high you'd laugh and say nothing that simple, but you've been told many times before messiah's point you to the door though no one's got the guts to leave the temple.”

Ifs Simple Laughing Doors Highest Guts Temples Messiah

Author:Pete Townshend

“As a young man, every bone in my body wanted to pick up a machine gun and kill Germans. And yet I had absolutely no reason to do so. Certainly nobody invited me to do the job. But that's what I felt that I was trained to do. Now no part of my upbringing was militaristic.”

Men Reason Body Wanted Jobs Young Felt Picks Gun Machines Bones Young Man No Reason Invited Upbringing Machine Guns

Author:Pete Townshend

“Early British pop was helped tremendously by the writing of Bob Dylan who had proved you could write about political and quite controversial subjects. Certainly what we did followed on from what was happening with the angry young men in the theatre.”

Men Writing Young Political Subjects Happenings Angry Pops British Theatre Young Man Bob Dylan Controversial

Author:Pete Townshend

“For a while I was perfectly happy not performing with 'The Who.' From 1982 to 1989 I felt 'The Who' did not exist. I let the band go, in my heart. However, Roger Daltrey had other ideas. He would not let go.”

Heart Ideas Felt My Heart Band Letting Go Performing Roger

Author:Pete Townshend

“I don't really know any other musicians like me. I grew up backstage with my dad who played in a post-war dance band, so I always feel at home at a venue.”

Knows Inspirational Feels War Home Grew Dad Band Grew Up Musician Dance My Dad Like Me Posts Venues Post War

Author:Pete Townshend

“I felt that the elegance of pop music was that it was reflective: we were holding up a mirror to our audience and reflecting them philosophically and spiritually, rather than just reflecting society or something called 'rock and roll.'”

Felt Audience Rocks Mirrors Pops Rock And Roll Elegance Reflecting Pop Music

Author:Pete Townshend

“I just could not believe that 30 years later we're still looking at people who are supposed to write little 2-minute pop that when they actually try to do something that's a little bit more they regard it as pretentious.”

People Writing Trying Years Believe Littles Stills Bits Minutes Little Bit Regard Pops Pretentious

Author:Pete Townshend

“It wasn't just about flashing lights and pinball machines blowing up and things like that. It was about using encores, bringing back the good songs and using techniques that I knew about from rock performance.”

Light Song Rocks Machines Performances Technique Blowing Up Encores Pinball Flashing Lights

Author:Pete Townshend

“What I'm trying to do is find either existing properties or come up with properties or angles or stories which will create music drama. It's my obsession and most of all I would like to remain working in theatre. I think it's very much alive.”

Thinking Trying Stories Alive Drama Property Come Up Theatre Obsession Angle

Author:Pete Townshend