1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: Welcome to iHeartRadio Icons with Pete Townsend, as with Tommy, 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 2: whose Quadrophenia has been reimagined several times, including a new 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,119 Speaker 2: creative outlet premiering in the United States this weekend in 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 2: New York. Tonight, you'll hear all the details from Pete 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 2: and he'll play a few iconic songs from that album. 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: Here's your host for iHeartRadio Icons with Pete Townsend, Jim Kerr. 8 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to iHeartRadio Icons. We are live in New York 9 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: City with Pete Townsend and and Pete. We have plenty 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: to talk about tonight, but I see you brought your guitar, 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: so the stage is yours. 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,319 Speaker 3: Okay, thank you. Now my voice isn't his best. I'm 13 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 3: afraid I'll I'll do my best. I did a TV 14 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 3: show and I talked too much. 15 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: That of course Pinball was it from Tommy and before that, 16 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: Let My Love Open the Door Here on iHeartRadio Icons. 17 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: Is there any truth to the story that there was 18 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: resistance when it came to releasing Let My Love Open 19 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: the Door as a single and on your album because 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: somebody somewhere said doesn't sound like Townsend. 21 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 4: You know, there was resistance. 22 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 3: It was Doug Morris who was my great supporter at 23 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 3: Atlantic Records. He brought back at Co the label for 24 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 3: me and Stevie Nick, who was his first two signings. 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 3: Armat Urtigon who founded Atlantic, gave him the job of 26 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 3: this new label, and he's gone on to great things, 27 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 3: of course. Doug Morris wonderful, wonderful record guy, wonderful record guy. 28 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 4: Anyway, he was very supportive. 29 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: Of my first album which was with him, which was 30 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 3: Empty Glass, and you know, the first track was a 31 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 3: heavy rock track. The next track was the kind of 32 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 3: pop track. The next track was a heavy rock truck. 33 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 3: And when it got to let My Love Open the Door, 34 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 3: he said, I think we should leave this off. It's 35 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 3: too much like a sort of a I can't remember 36 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 3: his exact words. I shouldn't put words in his mouth, 37 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 3: but he felt it was too pop. Anyway, So the 38 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 3: album came out and that was the record that was 39 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 3: the hit, that was the radio play. And when I 40 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 3: did my second album with him, which was Chinese Eyes, 41 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 3: he I played it to him and he said, Pete, 42 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: where's the let my Love Open the Door? 43 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: Well, you were just here in August for three area 44 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: shows on the whose North American Farewell Tour The Song 45 00:02:51,200 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: is Over and whose first American performance was just nearby 46 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: in the neighborhood at the RKO fifty eighth Street Theater 47 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: on March twenty fifth, nineteen sixty seven. So there's been 48 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: a special bond between the Who Yourself and New York. 49 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, the whole of the Northeast, I would say, but 50 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 3: New York in particular. It wasn't just that it was 51 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 3: the first place that we came. You know, if there 52 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 3: was really a cultural capital. 53 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 4: Of the USA, it's got to be New York. You know, 54 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 4: La La is big for the movies. 55 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 3: You know, Chicago has its own cultural center, and it's 56 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 3: a wonderful city. And there's great, great, great cities in America. 57 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 3: And I have to say quickly that not just New York, 58 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 3: but the whole of America has been you know, often 59 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: say to my wife, this is this is the place 60 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: that pays my bills big time, big time. 61 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: Well, not only have New York City Concerts Stages embraced 62 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: you and the band, but Broadway Stages two with not 63 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: one but two productions of timy two different productions of 64 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: Timing slightly different. 65 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, the last one. The last one got really 66 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 3: a great start. We were doing in a cup million 67 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 3: and a half a week at one point, and then 68 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 3: it came to the Tony Awards, and for some reason 69 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 3: we just got tanked by the Tony Awards. Nobody really 70 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 3: understands quite why that happened, but we had I did 71 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 3: get a Tony for ninety three. I'm not being greedy, 72 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 3: but the show slowed down and our producers decided to close. 73 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 3: They never really wanted us to bring it to Broadway 74 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 3: in the first place. It started in Chicago at the 75 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 3: Goodman Theater and it did eight weeks. Every seat was 76 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 3: sold out, great reviews, so we thought we'd bring it 77 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 3: to Broadway. Maybe we shouldn't have, maybe we should have 78 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 3: taken it on tour. But it's going on tour and 79 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 3: when it comes on tour, everybody around America we'll be 80 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: able to see. It's a great production. 81 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: But how your artistry has been presented has been so 82 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: unique for a rock performer. I mean Tommy of course, 83 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: an album, your stage show with the Who, the Broadway productions, 84 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,719 Speaker 1: the hit motion picture Quadraphenia. We've got now a ballet 85 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: to talk about right next door here in New York 86 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: City at City Center, which is which is a historic 87 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: and beautiful theater. Quadraphenia, a rock ballet, is playing at 88 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: City Center in Manhattan tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Now, you're 89 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: no stranger to ballet because you took ballet lessons when 90 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: you were a kid. 91 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 4: I did. 92 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, between the ages of three and a half and five, 93 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 3: I took ballet lessons and I was the only boy. 94 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 3: It's a bit, it's a bit like that Billy story. 95 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 3: What was his name, Billy something? 96 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, And. 97 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,559 Speaker 3: I was the only boy in a class of about 98 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 3: twenty four girls. 99 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: But the boys have to lift the girls, so you 100 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: must have been busy all the time. 101 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 4: No, no, no, we were just learning how to behave. 102 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 3: And apparently I didn't behave because I got the slipper 103 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 3: on my bare bomb in front of twenty four very 104 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 3: pretty little girls. And I'm amazed it didn't turn me 105 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 3: into a premium pervert. 106 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 4: But it was. 107 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 3: And I don't dream about it and I don't ever 108 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 3: want it to happen again. 109 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: Well, speaking of Quadrophenia, you know that that's such a 110 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: personal work for you, based on real life observations of 111 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: the social conditions that you grew up in and experienced 112 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: in England in the post war years and in the 113 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: fifties and into the sixties. 114 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 4: Could you, ever, when. 115 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,679 Speaker 1: You were composing Quadrophenia have envisioned it as. 116 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: You know, I wonder about this kind of question, Jim, 117 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 3: because you know, we never know looking forward what's going 118 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 3: to happen to us. And you know, we never sit 119 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 3: and try to envision our lives, and if we do, 120 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 3: we're wasting our time, you know, I think, you know, 121 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: Quadrophenia was written not even with any thoughts of social relevance. 122 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 3: It was written because The Who had lost touch with 123 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 3: their fans. You know, we absolutely had. We were a 124 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 3: big band, We were playing stadiums, you know. We Keith 125 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 3: Moon was really not very well. He was taking a 126 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 3: lot of drugs, drinking a lot. He was great fun still, 127 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 3: but his playing was starting to fall off, and I 128 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 3: felt that the band had lost touch with its roots. 129 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 3: So Quadraphenia was a way for me to relink The 130 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 3: Who with their roots, with which their original fan base, 131 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 3: which was the Mods. 132 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 4: In nineteen sixty four. 133 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 3: I wrote a song Cale Can't Explain, and at the 134 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 3: gold Hawk Club where we did a residency in Shepherd's 135 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 3: Bush where we played every week, a little deputation of 136 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 3: mods and one girl, five boys and one girl. I 137 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 3: can remember all their names, I could recite them now. 138 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: And they came back and they said, you know, Pete, 139 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 3: we just want to tell you we want you to 140 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: write more songs like this. And I said, well, what 141 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 3: do you mean and they said, we want more songs 142 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 3: like this one? And I said, what's so special about it? 143 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 3: And they said, well, it's it's a song about what. 144 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 3: And I said, well, it's about a boy who falls 145 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 3: in love and can't explain to this girl. And they went, 146 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 3: that's it. We can't explain, so we want you to 147 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 3: do it for us. And the next song I wrote 148 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 3: was my Generation. 149 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 4: All right, well. 150 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: You've chosen two songs from Quadrophedia to perform for us. Sorry, 151 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: you chose two songs from Quadrophina I did. 152 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 4: Indeed, yeah, and not easy to play. 153 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 3: I keep saying this, but this is, this is this 154 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: is harder than working with the who I can tell. 155 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: I just want our friends in the audience to know. 156 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: I can't even begin to explain how exciting it is 157 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: for me to be standing a few feet away from 158 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: one of the world's greatest artists as he performed. 159 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 4: That a very. 160 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 3: That's available for bar mitzvahs and weddings from Quadrophenia. 161 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,719 Speaker 1: That was I'm One, followed by now you're going to 162 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: see something very interesting right now, those of you who 163 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: are here in our studio audience in New York. There's 164 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: a big screen behind us, and you are about to 165 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: see a scene from Quadraphenia the Rock Ballet, in which 166 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: Ace Face and Mod Girl are dancing to an orchestral 167 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: version of the song that Pete just performed, Drowned. And 168 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: for those of you who are listening on the radio, 169 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: unfortunately you won't be able to see the video, but 170 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: you will hear the music from the ballet. 171 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 4: Which was orchestrated by my wife, Rachel Fuller. There we go, Pete. 172 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: Those artists that the audience just saw on the screen, 173 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: they're dancing with their bodies while they're acting with their faces. 174 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 5: It's really pretty incredible. Yeah, to see. Well, that's you know, 175 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 5: great ballet is that way. What's interesting about Cordraphenia the 176 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 5: Ballet is that it's a hybrid really, you know, it's 177 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 5: we're used to seeing in theater musicals, in Broadway musicals, 178 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 5: we're used to. 179 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 3: Seeing peek kids dance, and you know, when people train 180 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:24,439 Speaker 3: to be actors in musicals, they. 181 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 4: Have to learn to dance. 182 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 3: But most of these kids are trained in ballet, so 183 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: the kind of things that they do is Romeo and 184 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 3: Juliet and stuff like that, you know, so. 185 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 4: This was a different journey for them. 186 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 3: The three boys, the three principal boys, Paris, Dan and Syrian, 187 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 3: were at the very first workshop and they put together 188 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 3: this first little bit with our Sadly, our choreographer Paul Roberts, sweet, sweet, fantastic, 189 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 3: talented guy. He got cancer before the show finished in 190 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,959 Speaker 3: London and died, and we wanted to bring him here to. 191 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 4: New York, but unfortunately we'd have to bring him in spirit. 192 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 4: But we miss him terribly. 193 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: But he and this group of three boys created this 194 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 3: fantastic poetic action right at the beginning of the piece, 195 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 3: and it's lasted. It was what made me feel that 196 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 3: this would work. There's a new poetry in there. It's 197 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 3: rock and roll for sure. You know, this is about 198 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 3: mods and rockers. The rockers don't get much of a 199 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 3: look in, but it's mainly about mod kids, and you know, 200 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 3: sixty two sixty four, that kind of period when we 201 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 3: were all struggling to find who we were. 202 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: Well, for those few people who may not really know 203 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: much about Quadraphinia, what would be a quick summary of 204 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: the story. 205 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 3: You know, it's about a young boy who as soon 206 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 3: as the ballet opens you can see that he's in trouble. 207 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 3: He very very quickly finds himself in front of a psychiatrist. 208 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 3: We skipped the preacher from the album. We had a 209 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 3: preacher on the album, and we skipped him. 210 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 4: And he. 211 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 3: Has a struggle with his mother, he has a struggle 212 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 3: with his dad. He finds it hard to fit in 213 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 3: with a gang. He falls in love with this beautiful 214 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 3: girl and who is with somebody else, and he has 215 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 3: his moment with her. She gives him some time, but 216 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 3: not very much, and slowly but surely, he then finds 217 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: that even his favorite band, the Who. 218 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 4: Let him down. And how do they let him down? 219 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 3: They let him down in just the way we were 220 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 3: letting down our fans in nineteen seventy three. We were bloated, 221 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 3: paid too much money, egoistic, out of control, getting headlines 222 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 3: for dressing up as that Olf Hitler. 223 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 4: All of that stuff rock and roll basically. 224 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 3: And he recognized that, and so he felt even his 225 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 3: great heroes the who had let him down. So everything 226 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 3: lets him down, and at the end of the story 227 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 3: he finally loses it. He takes a load of drugs, 228 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 3: He gets on a plane to Brighton, He goes to 229 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 3: Brighton Beach, He hangs out with a bunch of mods 230 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 3: and they get into a fight with a bunch of rockers. 231 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 4: This happened in real life. Of course, I was there. 232 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 3: I was there in August when the very very last 233 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 3: Mods and rocker fight happened on the beach, and I 234 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 3: missed the train home and slept under the pier, took 235 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 3: a few purple hearts and chatted to the boys and stuff. 236 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 3: So the whole mod movement for me was really really important. 237 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 4: But he ends. 238 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 3: Up as sort of I think, as I did, searching 239 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 3: for a spiritual answer, and he ends up out on 240 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 3: a rock all on his own. And I won't give 241 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 3: away the ending of this one, because we never know 242 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 3: when we look at the movie whether whether Jimmy lives 243 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 3: or dies. We don't know when we listen to the 244 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,479 Speaker 3: album whether he lives or dies. Does he commit suicide 245 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 3: or does he carry on what actually happens, but in 246 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 3: this play we've dealt with it very elegantly. 247 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 4: Well. 248 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: For those who have listened to the Quadrophenia album, or 249 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: saw the movie, or perhaps saw The Who play the 250 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: album in concert and have tickets to Quadrophenia, what would 251 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: you wish them to come away with this weekend after 252 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: experiencing your ballet. 253 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 3: They'll hear, they'll feel the story in the way that 254 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 3: I intended. I think, I mean, seriously, I think the 255 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 3: thing about making a subtle, heartbreaking album with a band 256 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 3: like The Who was tricky because we were at the 257 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 3: height of our bombast. You know, incredible recording skills, you know, 258 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 3: great musicianship. John Entwistle's horn playing on the album was 259 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 3: just spectacular. My synthesize a player with spectacular Roger's voice 260 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 3: was just superb, particularly on Lovering on Me though that 261 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: that stuff told the story. But people had to, in 262 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 3: a sense look at the album sleeve and read the 263 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 3: story that I'd written on the album jacket to get 264 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 3: the story. This one, you get the story, and also 265 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 3: you get a chance to interpolate, you know, to inject 266 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 3: your own stuff. 267 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 4: That's what good art is about. 268 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 3: This is a really artistic production as well as being 269 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 3: fantastic fun and. 270 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 4: It's great to watch. It's beautiful. 271 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 3: The audiences in the UK went nuts for it, so 272 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 3: I'm hoping the same thing will happen here well. 273 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: And the iHeartRadio app there's a talk back feature and 274 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: a listener Chris from New York City. Chris Brewster asks 275 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: which one of your performances throughout your long, incredible career 276 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: stands out as your favorite? 277 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 4: Wow. 278 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:18,199 Speaker 3: You know, we've done two five hundred performances, so I 279 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 3: don't know that I can honestly answer. 280 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 4: I'd have to pick something out of the air. You know. 281 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 4: I think. 282 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 3: I didn't like Woodstock. I should have loved Monterey back 283 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 3: in sixty seven, the first big pop festival, but Jimi 284 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 3: Hendrix was on as well and kind of blew me away, And. 285 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 4: So I don't know. 286 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 3: I think maybe maybe the first the first concert in 287 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 3: San Francisco. 288 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 4: Bill Graham had a place called the Film. 289 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 6: All and he used to he used to combine jazz 290 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 6: stars with rock band. So we went on and we 291 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 6: go to this and remember my dad was a jazz musician, 292 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 6: so I grew up with jazz music and dance band music, 293 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 6: and we go to the theater and Cannibal Adelie, the 294 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 6: great jazz player who was used to work with Miles 295 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 6: Davis and all these guys. He played on Miles's greatest record, 296 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 6: Kind of Blue. If you haven't heard it, you must 297 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 6: listen to it, and you'll recognize it when you hear it, 298 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 6: because it's everywhere in the world. But he was supporting though, 299 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 6: and I just thought of Cannibal addedly as being a legend, 300 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 6: you know. But he liked us, and he was very 301 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 6: friendly and very supportive, and so that was great until 302 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 6: Bill Graham said, you know, you do two sets, and 303 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 6: I can remember saying, well, that's fine, but how long 304 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 6: are the sets? He said, of each is an hour 305 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 6: and a half, and I think we only had like 306 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 6: seven songs. 307 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,919 Speaker 1: Well, for those of us in the New York metropolitan area, 308 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 1: we will forever be grateful to you for your outstanding 309 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: performance at Madison Square Garden at the concert for New 310 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: York City. After nine to eleven, okay, play some more 311 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: songs for us. Pete Townsend on iHeart Radio Icons. Pete 312 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 1: Townsend on iHeart Radio Icons, Let's See Action and before that, 313 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: Behind Blue Eyes and last night on television you included 314 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: Behind blue Eyes on your list of your five most 315 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: favorite songs of your own. Yes, but behind blue Eyes 316 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: was on your list of five, and the song that 317 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: you chose as your favorite whose song of all time? 318 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: Will actually be hearing that just a few minutes right 319 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: here on this stage. You said you had maybe ten 320 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: years left as a creative, so you know you're doing 321 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: all sorts of interesting things. Theatrical projects are projects, book projects. 322 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: You know, there was this album once. I don't know 323 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: if you've heard of it. It's called Who's Next. Well, 324 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,959 Speaker 1: my question for you now, Pete Townsend, is what's next? 325 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 4: Well with Who's Next? 326 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 3: That was based on a movie script I wrote for 327 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 3: the Who called Life House, And there's been a graphic 328 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 3: novel of Life House, which I really really love. So 329 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 3: and you know, I predicted pretty much everything that was 330 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 3: going to happen in the future in Lifehouse. I didn't 331 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 3: set out to do that. I'm not trying to be 332 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 3: a smarty pants. 333 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 4: It just did. That was the story. But also Jeff Creulitz, who's. 334 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 3: The guy that put the comic together, and I just 335 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 3: had coffee this afternoon, he reminded me that I also 336 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 3: sort of invented the Sphere because the Life House closes 337 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 3: with this huge concert, and if you go to the Sphere, 338 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 3: watch out because in Life House the audience gets so 339 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 3: high they disappear. 340 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: Well, have you given any consideration to maybe having a 341 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: residency at a place like the Sphere? 342 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,880 Speaker 3: You know, I've not been, I've not seen it. I'm 343 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 3: very excited by it. You know. The people that run 344 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 3: it wanted it to be a place where bands would play. 345 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 3: And the guy that built it is the guy that 346 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 3: runs the Madison Square Garden, and he's a big music 347 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 3: fan and a rock band fan, and he wanted it 348 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 3: to be about music with fantastic visuals. Since then, of course, 349 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 3: it's become a medium where there's some storytelling. So maybe, 350 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 3: you know, Lifehouse might be great for the Sphere. 351 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 4: I don't know, but we shall see. 352 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: Well, The Who wrapped up their North American tour a 353 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: little over a month ago in California, and then there 354 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: was a backyard benefit in Los Angeles for teen Cancer America. 355 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: It must have been, you know, a bittersweet few days 356 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: filled with some nostalgia when the tour was all coming 357 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: to an end, and quite like you and Roger to 358 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: end it all performing at a charitable event, because I 359 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: know you've done so much of that, a lot more 360 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: than most people know about. 361 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's true for me personally too. But you know, 362 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 3: I don't think that's That's not why I do what 363 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 3: I do. You know, I do what I do because 364 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 3: I love being creative more than I do performing. I'm 365 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 3: happier being creative. I'm happier being in my studio writing songs. 366 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 3: I'm trying to get back into painting pictures because as 367 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 3: a kid I went to art school, so that stuff is. 368 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 3: And you know, so many musicians do paint, you know, 369 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 3: Joni Mitchell, Chrissy Hind, Bob Dylan, loads of people paint, 370 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 3: and so I am making art of all kinds. But 371 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 3: I think the charity stuff, if you had a load 372 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 3: of money, that's what you would do. It is, isn't it. 373 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 3: It's what you would do. And the problem is is 374 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 3: when you start to get a buzz from giving money 375 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 3: away and you give away too much, and then you 376 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 3: look at your bankman balance and you think, oh my god, 377 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 3: it's empty, and thank god. Then you can come back 378 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 3: to the WHO and say to Roger Daltry, let's go 379 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 3: on tour. 380 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: Well, will you go on tour in other parts of 381 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: the world. You said farewell to US America. 382 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 4: What we didn't say farewell. We did a farewell tour. 383 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 4: Farewell tour, Yes, Elton John did. 384 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 3: Elton John did three hundred and thirty shows. We did 385 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 3: twenty two. We've got a few left if you want them, 386 00:23:59,080 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 3: we're ready to get. 387 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: When you came out here at the beginning of the show, 388 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: you said that you talked too much last night and 389 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: you didn't think your voice was in very good shape. 390 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: I've got to tell you you've shown no evidence that 391 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: that is in fact true, because you have sounded absolutely 392 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: amazing tonight. You have been a part well of a 393 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: lot of the people here in this room and who 394 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: are listening on the radio all over America. You've been 395 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: a part of their lives in some cases since they 396 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: were you know, young kids or teenagers. In other cases, 397 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: you have been a part of people's lives from the 398 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: moment they were born. 399 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 4: They were babies. 400 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: They were babies in the kitchen with their mother feeding them, babysuit, 401 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: with whose songs coming out of the radio. 402 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 4: On top of the reflections, not. 403 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 3: Just the who let's face it, you know, look, this 404 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 3: country is a great history of music going back to 405 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 3: the thirties and forties, even the twenties. And I grew 406 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 3: up with all the music from the forties and the 407 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 3: fifties with my dad, and there's my life with British 408 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 3: bands and American bands in particular. Just this whole journey 409 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 3: from the sixties on was when we made that change 410 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,679 Speaker 3: and we decided that music was going to matter. 411 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 4: It wasn't just going to be about dancing. 412 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 2: You've been listening to iHeartRadio Icons with Pete Townsend. For 413 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 2: more information on Quadraphedia, a rock ballet, go to Nycitycenter 414 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 2: dot org. And for all things on Pete Townsend and 415 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 2: the Who, go to the Who dot com. 416 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 4: Thanks for listening. 417 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio Live is. 418 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 4: A production of iHeartRadio. 419 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: Was produced, edited and mixed by Jordan Runtagg. 420 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 2: If you like what you heard, please subscribe and leave 421 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 2: us a review. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, listen to 422 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,479 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 423 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 2: favorite shows.