What's so great about Pete Townsend??
Reuben Ayres
about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
Many thanks
Reuben
Geoff Howse
Blues" mould of the 60/70s. But ... he can lay down killer rythms and write
beautiful songs. Some of the greatest rock songs I've ever heard. I'm
42yo. Listen to Who's Next, Who by Numbers and Rough Mix (Townshend and the
late Ronnie Lane).
Want an MP3 sample?
GH
Reuben Ayres <Reu...@rull.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:927888221.26541.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
Jay Vyas
>I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
>about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
>guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
or DiMeola. However, he has a great strumming technique, plays with
great dynamics, and plays exactly what is right for the song.
To top it off, he's a genius songwriter, IMHO.
He, along with Page, is one of my major influences.
Thanks ... Jay
Mike Hartigan
> I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
Pete is one of those whose style and technique is absolutely perfect for
the songs he's playing. But this is because we decide what's right only
AFTER hearing him play it and realizing that there's no other way to
play it and make it sound good. His haunting acoustic strumming
technique is awe-inspiring. And his showmanship is second to none.
Watch some of the Who's concert videos (they pop up on VH-1 from time to
time).
But his talents truly shine in the area of songwriting. In a word -
'Quadrophenia'.
--
+-----------------------------------------------+
Mike Hartigan <hart...@enteract.dot.com>
It just goes to show you
Ken Schuller
Ayres" <Reu...@rull.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Reuben
>
>
Best rhythm player I've ever heard. The end. Also a killer songwriter.
--
StevieSlackJawedPRSToadyKen
jan kosters
appeared
on tv and i even saw him play in london. now most people think that a
good
solo player is a good guitar player. if you look at f.i chuck berry
you'll
notice that the man can switch from solo to rhythm very very easily but
his
solo work is what most people remember. a good rhythm guitar player is
someone who is usually underrated, why ?? because it is not as
spectacular as
a solo player. in my view however and after playing guitar for 25 years
i
know how important it is to keep the music going, to keep it attractive,
to
put up some show and to make no mistakes with the ongoing rhythm. the
solo
player however is waiting till its time for him/her to do his/her thing
and
then dies away. not so the rhythm player, during the whole song he has
to
keep it going. I've played solo's and rhythm both and I've noticed that
somewhere in between lies the truth about good guitar players, they
simply
can do both, they play guitar. like keith richard said, you can't walk
into a
guitar shop and ask for a solo or rhythm guitar, you can only buy a
guitar.
now that is the kind of man Pete Townsend is, very creative, does all
sorts
of stuff with his guitar, jumps up and down and gives the crowd a great
show, but cannot be classified as solo or rhythm player and that is
what
made him unique and also not unique cuz folks don't remember his flashy
solo's. Pete is great and especially in his early years with the Who he
really made a great contribution to music, I hope i've answered your
question.
play on !! Jan
kirkh...@my-deja.com
"Reuben Ayres" <Reu...@rull.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so
great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
As well as all the things others have mentioned, he invented and
perfected the power chord, both musically and visually.
-Kirk
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
Carlginger
>about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
>guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
>
Brilliant songwriter and excellent chord knowledge.
One of the most awesome live performers ever.
Carl
Donald Put
> I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
Brilliant songwriter who plays just what's needed in the songs. If you ever
get the chance to see Pete live, you'll walk away with a whole new
appreciation for him.
Cheers,
--
Don
Idyllwild Brewing Company (home-brewed beer and tube guitar amps)
David Covell
>
> > I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
> > about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> > guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
> >
> >
> > Reuben
> >
> >
>
> Best rhythm player I've ever heard. The end. Also a killer songwriter.
Agreed; to my ears, Pete is a lot like David Gilmour in terms of not
being blindly fast or technically dazzling but rather focusing on
nailing
great tone and feel while coming up with some of the most appropriate
and memorable hooks in rock. Moreover, they both mastered the fine
art of getting *superb* distortion tone from Hiwatt amps.
--
#/*------------------------------------------------------------------#
# David Covell - Senior CAD Engineer - dco...@eng.fm.intel.com #
# Intel Corporation, Folsom, CA - (916) 356-2881 #
# Non-standard disclaimer: I neither speak nor play guitar for Intel #
#------------------------------------------------------------------*/#
AuralFeast
performer.
And at the risk of some real bashing, the guy can carry a tune, too!
John Sessoms
A lot of it was his style on stage, but he's also a clever writer.
If you have only seen him in the last couple of years, you should know he's deaf
as a post now, and it's adversly affected his playing.
Mike Fitzgerald
Reu...@rull.demon.co.uk says...
> I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Reuben
>
>
>
He is one hell of a musician though. Writes good songs, has a
passable singing voice, and has the ability to play the guitar that
the song requires. I can't think of any of his songs where the
guitar sounds "tacked on."
Listen to the reissue "Live at Leeds" or the "Isle of Wight" set.
For on the money, loose, sloppy R&R that is still tight as hell that
band was the best.
--
Mike Fitzgerald
verkuilen john v
[snip]
>Listen to the reissue "Live at Leeds" or the "Isle of Wight" set.
>For on the money, loose, sloppy R&R that is still tight as hell that
>band was the best.
Live at Leeds (esp. the reissue) is awesome. The whole sound of the band
was incredible. IMO, Townsend's one of the best and most insightful
songwriters of the last 30 years. I really enjoy the demos he put out as
well, on Another Scoop. Some neat stuff on those disks.
Jay
--
J. Verkuilen ja...@uiuc.edu
"Ambiguity... the Devil's Volleyball." --Emo Phillips
JarlSigurd
Reuben Ayres wrote in message
<927888221.26541.0...@news.demon.co.uk>...
>I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
>about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
>guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
I tend to agree with Richie Blackmore in his assessment of Pete Townsend
as a highly overrated guitarists. Pete Townsend was a good song writer
just as John McEnroe was a great tennis player. Both play guitar but if
guitar playing was all they were famous for, neither would be famous.
Plus I just got an email recently that told me that a lot of the guitarwork
on the early Who was actually Jimmy Page filling in for the cement fingered
Pete.
Jarl Sigurd
to listen to a guitarist that Jimmy Page has never subbed for
visit: http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Pavilion/4085
Spartacus
of the times. His whole body was a virtual fireworks display. He had to be
that way because his lead playing live was flat out lousy, but song writing,
chords, showmanship, he had it all. Part of the guitar bashing probably had
to do with frustration at not being able to play what he wanted, but he
worked it into his style. My favorite band ever, no question. And on record,
his leads were fine.
Reuben Ayres wrote in message
<927888221.26541.0...@news.demon.co.uk>...
>I'm quite prepared to be shot down in flames on this but 'What's so great
>about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
>guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
>
>Reuben
>
>
M_Vellotto®
great
> about Pete Townsend?' I really can't see that he's a particularly good
> guitarist. Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm overlooking.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Reuben
>
>
Reuben- Ah come on...Pete is one of the all time legends-You know that.
I have not read what the others have said, but IMHO Pete is one of the
all time great songwriters and can find his way around the quitar neck
very well, thank you. He is not a great *Lead* player but who cares?
He makes up for it with fabulous chords, chord sructure, and strumming
techniques. The Who and Pete are legends in their own time.
--
M_Vellotto®
Viva Italia
Michael Collins
JarlS...@geocities.com, deciphered the clay tablet upon which
was written...
> Plus I just got an email recently that told me that a lot of the guitarwork
> on the early Who was actually Jimmy Page filling in for the cement fingered
> Pete.
>
> Jarl Sigurd
>
> to listen to a guitarist that Jimmy Page has never subbed for
> visit: http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Pavilion/4085
That's not what I heard. The way I heard it, Page was on call,
but Townsend pulled it off.
--
Mike C.
John Sheehy
kirkh...@my-deja.com wrote :
>As well as all the things others have mentioned, he invented and
>perfected the power chord, both musically and visually.
Power chords have been used for thousands of years. They are the oldest
form of harmony.
--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
John P Sheehy <jsh...@ix.netcom.com>
><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>><
verkuilen john v
>In message <7imdi3$ne5$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
>kirkh...@my-deja.com wrote :
>>As well as all the things others have mentioned, he invented and
>>perfected the power chord, both musically and visually.
>Power chords have been used for thousands of years. They are the oldest
>form of harmony.
True, but I think Pete was the guy who ran them into Mr. Marshall's fine
invention and cranked up the gain....
Dan Stanley
verkuilen john v <ja...@ux6.cso.uiuc.edu> wrote in message
news:7ipqo0$l4p$1...@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu...
> jsh...@ix.netcom.com (John Sheehy) writes:
>
> >In message <7imdi3$ne5$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> >kirkh...@my-deja.com wrote :
>
> >>As well as all the things others have mentioned, he invented and
> >>perfected the power chord, both musically and visually.
>
> >Power chords have been used for thousands of years. They are the oldest
> >form of harmony.
>
> True, but I think Pete was the guy who ran them into Mr. Marshall's fine
> invention and cranked up the gain....
Back in them days, there weren't no "gain" to crank up, ya whippersnapper!
Just "volume"!
And we LIKED it that way.
S"Geezer"Dan
Carl McCaskey
Geoff Howse wrote in message <7ilvqm$rir$1...@news.mel.aone.net.au>...
>Well he's not a great single string lead player in the accepted "British
>Blues" mould of the 60/70s. But ... he can lay down killer rythms and
write
>beautiful songs. Some of the greatest rock songs I've ever heard. I'm
>42yo. Listen to Who's Next, Who by Numbers and Rough Mix (Townshend and
the
>late Ronnie Lane).
If memory serves me correctly, Pete Townsend admits he is not a great
guitarist. I seem to remember an interview with him not so long ago. IMHO
however I still think with all his experience, he is a very good guitarist
though.
Carl
Please visit my homepage at
http://www.nettally.com/saints/
Carl McCaskey
DAC
verkuilen john v
[snip]
>If memory serves me correctly, Pete Townsend admits he is not a great
>guitarist. I seem to remember an interview with him not so long ago. IMHO
>however I still think with all his experience, he is a very good guitarist
>though.
In the liner notes to the reissue of Live at Leeds, Pete pretty much says
he doesn't consider himself a great guitarist. I agree with you, however.
He may not have had the technical ability of some of his contemporaries, but
he had creativity to spare and wrote some truly great work.
verkuilen john v
>> True, but I think Pete was the guy who ran them into Mr. Marshall's fine
>> invention and cranked up the gain....
>Back in them days, there weren't no "gain" to crank up, ya whippersnapper!
>Just "volume"!
You are indeed correct. Mea culpa.
>And we LIKED it that way.
Really? Why did the separate gain/master volume (so beloved of all our--and
our neighbors'--ears) get invented then?
;)
Dan Stanley
> "Dan Stanley" <stan...@tiac.net> writes:
>
> >> True, but I think Pete was the guy who ran them into Mr. Marshall's
fine
> >> invention and cranked up the gain....
>
> >Back in them days, there weren't no "gain" to crank up, ya
whippersnapper!
> >Just "volume"!
>
> You are indeed correct. Mea culpa.
> >And we LIKED it that way.
>
> Really? Why did the separate gain/master volume (so beloved of all
our--and
> our neighbors'--ears) get invented then?
> ;)
> Jay
In the eighties...<cue spooky music>...THE DECADE OF THE DAMNED!
SDan
Jonathan Roberts
That bionic right hand -- listen to those fast-strummed rhythm parts.
I'd even say the acoustic work such as "Love Ain't for Keeping" and
"Going Mobile" are among his best.
--
Best,
-- Jon
jonathan roberts \ the region of where
guitar:synth:notes \ mailto:nart...@pobox.com
Ellery311
new sounds. Baba O'Reily and Join Together come to mind. And a banjo solo in
a rock song, ya gotta love that.
Reuben Ayres
to go and listen to and what to listen for. Once again many thanks,
Reuben.
Many thanks
Ellery311 <elle...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990601201317...@ng-cg1.aol.com...