The Who’s Pete Townshend: “I don’t really like performing”

"I don’t get high on stage," says the legendary guitarist

The Who’s Pete Townshend has admitted he gets no real buzz from playing live.

The band recently performed at the massive Desert Trip festival in California, but even this failed to move the legendary guitarist.

“I’m such a boring fucker. “It means nothing to me, ” he told The Times.

Advertisement

“I would be a liar if I said, ‘It was really fun, man. It was great!’ It wasn’t great. It was a gig. I did it and I got paid. The fact is, I don’t really like performing. But I’m good at it. I’m lucky to be good at something. I could have worked in an abattoir.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA1f0G1yd1U

Discussing how he feels when he comes off stage, Townshend added: “It’s a bit disingenuous to say I would rather have been a starving artist, but no, I don’t get high on stage. I might come off stage and look in the mirror and go, ‘Hee hee,’ but it’s mischievous. It’s, ‘What a load of crap. We pulled off another scam.'”

During their set on Desert Trip on October 9, Pete Townshend introduced the band’s first US hit ‘I Can See for Miles’ by saying that it was “such a long fucking time ago.” He added playfully: “We were 1967’s version of Adele or Lady Gaga or Rihanna or Bieber.”

The Who played the following songs during a two-hour set:

I Can’t Explain
The Seeker
Who Are You
The Kids Are Alright
I Can See for Miles
My Generation
Behind Blue Eyes
Bargain
Join Together
You Better You Bet
5:15
I’m One
The Rock
Love, Reign O’er Me
Eminence Front
Amazing Journey
Sparks
The Acid Queen
Pinball Wizard
See Me, Feel Me
Baba O’Riley
Won’t Get Fooled Again

Advertisement

Meanwhile, frontman Roger Daltrey has explained why he opposes the planned remake of their classic film ‘Quadrophenia’.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories