Pete Townshend on Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways: “I tried to listen to it, but I’m more interested in new, younger artists”
“I’m more interested in finding something amazing on Bandcamp.”
Image: Ollie Millington / Redferns
Pete Townshend has revealed that he’s more interested in discovering new music on Bandcamp than listening to Bob Dylan‘s Rough And Rowdy Ways or even The Who’s forthcoming record.
Townshend offered the sentiment in an interview in the April 2021 issue of Uncut, due out this Thursday (18 February), where he was asked for his thoughts on Dylan’s 2020 album.
“I tried to listen to it, but my interest in other people’s deep journeys into self is a bit limited,” he replied. “I’m a bit like Elton John in that respect: I’m more interested in what new, younger artists are doing.”
“I find the music world at the moment just overwhelmingly, fantastically wonderful. I’m not even that interested in Rod Stewart’s Christmas album, or even the Who album, to be honest,” he said. “I’m kind of more interested in finding something amazing on Bandcamp.”
When asked what exactly he’s been listening to, Townshend gushed over the latest album from bassist and singer-songwriter Thundercat.
“I’ve been going back to [It Is What It is], which I just love. I think it’s so absolutely incredible, kind of like Sgt. Pepper – so that’s been an obsession,” he said.
Other music on the 75-year-old rocker’s playlist include a solo album from Beth Porter (The Bookshop Band) and the entire discography of Berlin-based electronic musician Bernhard Wöstheinrich.
Elsewhere in the interview, Townshend provided an update on The Who’s upcoming album, saying that he’s written 25 songs, 15 of which he’s already shown to frontman Roger Daltrey.
“Right now, I’m in that space where I’ve got my studio set up, my acoustic and electric guitars, a drum box, all there ready to go,” he revealed. “There’s pages and pages of draft lyrics. So if the moment comes, I’ll go in and start.”
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