“I enjoyed collaborating with David Gilmour, but it was a challenging experience” – Pete

Pete Townshend, known for his significant contribution as a guitarist and principal songwriter for the band The Who, recently opened up about his struggles with collaboration in the music industry. Despite his successful career with the band, he confessed that he does not particularly enjoy performing or collaborating with other musicians.

In an interview with Spain’s RockFM, Townshend revealed that performing on stage does not fill his soul in the same way it does for other musicians. He admitted that collaboration is challenging for him and expressed difficulty in connecting with other musicians on a creative level. While he may not thrive in traditional musical collaborations, Townshend noted his openness to collaborate in other art forms. For example, he mentioned his work on Quadrophenia, which is being adapted into a ballet, as a unique form of collaboration that he finds intriguing.

Despite his personal challenges with collaboration, Townshend acknowledged his past work with musicians like David Gilmour and Eric Clapton. He recalled his uneasy collaboration with Gilmour on his White City album and their songwriting sessions. Additionally, Townshend reflected on his positive experience collaborating with Clapton during the Rainbow Concert in 1973.

While Townshend does not naturally gravitate towards collaboration, he recently worked with emerging Dutch artist Inge Lamboo, adding a signature ’60s-style solo to her latest record. Although he acknowledged the interest of many new musicians in working with him, Townshend maintained that collaboration does not come easily to him.

When asked if there was any musician who could entice him into collaborating, Townshend candidly stated that after his previous comments on collaboration, he was content with his upcoming performance with Roger Daltrey at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall. He emphasized that this collaboration would be sufficient for him at the moment.

Despite his reservations about collaboration, Townshend’s legacy in music remains remarkable, and his ability to adapt and explore different forms of artistic expression demonstrates his creativity and versatility as a musician. While he may not be a natural collaborator, Townshend’s contributions to music and art continue to inspire and influence musicians and artists around the world.