Posted on 11/13/2021 6:18:20 PM PST by DoodleBob
The Who’s Roger Daltrey has accused Jimi Hendrix of “completely stealing” Pete Townshend’s stage act, and having enjoyed a ringside seat when two of the greatest players ever to pick up the electric guitar were making their bones, he would be in a position to know.
Daltrey was sitting down with The Coda Collection for a career-spanning interview, when he made the claim – in good humour, it has to be said – but he offered an almighty caveat: that neither invented firebrand guitar hero stagecraft. That honour goes to the blues great Buddy Guy, whom Daltrey not only considers the pioneer of guitar showmanship, but the greatest male blues singer of all time.
“I’ve always stuck up for Pete,” said Daltrey. “Jimi stole Pete's stage act completely, which incidentally, I think he did. But there again, I’m sure Jimi had seen Buddy Guy previously, as I am sure Pete had seen Buddy Guy, and embellished it.”
On Guy, Daltrey was fulsome in his praise. He is peerless. “You watch Buddy Guy in the early days,” he said. “You have to really look for the inventor of all that stuff. It was probably Buddy Guy… I take my hat off to Buddy Guy and he deserves the accolade and I just love him.”
Daltrey discussed a number of issues, proclaiming himself “the number one hater of the internet,” talking about how he often felt belittled as a singer, and opened up about the heated arguments he had with the band when their use of amphetamines affected their performance.
“For them to take it before a show was a complete no-no because here was this brilliant band of musicians,” said Daltrey. “Townshend was an absolute original on the guitar. Entwistle was an original on the bass. What can you say more about Moon [than] being totally original?
“When they got on the amphetamines, the music just turned to a load of crap. The songs were too fast. When rock gets too fast, it’s not rooted. The band thinks it’s good because they’re all, ‘Oh yeah, we'll speed it up.’ But when you listen back to it you go, ‘Yeah, but it’s come off the ground. It’s not slamming to the floor.’ That’s what was happening.”
Daltrey also admitted being envious of Robert Plant, whom he said had some “time to relax” during Led Zeppelin compositions, and weighing on Paul McCartney’s disparaging assessment of the Rolling Stones, he said “it’s like comparing cheese with apples.”
“They’re both very tasty, but the cheese does one thing and the apple does another,” said Daltrey. ‘I’ve always thought that you cannot take away the fact that Mick Jagger is still the number one rock and roll show. The only other people I'd put up against him would be perhaps James Brown, maybe Jerry Lee in his day, or Little Richard, but Mick Jagger, you’ve got to take your hat off to. He’s the number one rock and roll performer.”
Head over to The Coda Collection to watch Daltrey’s interview in full.
At 1:15 you can hear what was actually played during the backmasking on the 1970 release.
My favorite is the ending...on the 1970 version, they end crisply. If you go to 9:26, you hear a small train wreck before the Grand End.
That's The Who...as Daltrey says, give me a bum note and a bead of sweat.
IF Townsend could actually PLAY guitar, he might be HALF AS GOOD as Hendrix playing BEHIND HIS BACK.
When one thinks of the world's greatest guitarists, "Townsend" isn't even a name that comes to mind.
Ok, now that’s funny right there.
That’s like the David Spade-ish thing I say to people who mention The Talking Heads...”I liked them better the first time I heard them, when they were called ‘Roxy Music’”.
not that i think he’d be opposed to it, but i think it was a little after his time
now that's showmanship
Tough act to follow.
Most times “Stole from” looks and sounds no differently than
“Learned from” when done correctly.
Thank you...I try to bring flair to FR.
Especially if you dropped acid before hand.
How about “Blue Suede Shoes” done by Carl Perkins?
I’m getting ticks for my wife and I for the Dallas show (as much as I hate Dallas, I’ want to see Buddy one last time).
I saw him at Fatsos in Arlinton, TX many moons ago. He was baddass!
Very cool. Thanks. The Stones certainly weren’t the same after Taylor left.
On “the Smothers Brothers” show, he said he got it from bowling. He was kidding.
Excellent post. Thanks for the information.
America is an amalgamation of appropriations.
That was the show that almost destroyed Pete's hearing, he still suffers bad tinnitus because of it, when Keith Moon set off the firecrackers from his drumkit.
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