Pete Townshend says Instagram guitarists need to learn the art of listening

15 January 2024

Pete Townshend has hailed his late bandmates Keith Moon and John Entwistle as a "formidable" rhythm section.

Pete Townshend says being a good guitar player requires the musician to listen to other players

The Who lead and rhythm guitarist admits the group's sticksman Keith was a "nutty drummer", but when he played with bassist John they were untouchable because they listened to each other.

He told Guitarist magazine: "Keith Moon was a nutty drummer, but he listened to John Entwistle, too.

"So they were a very formidable rhythm section.

"And I knew I could play anything and they would follow.

John Entwistle would know the notes that I was playing sometimes before I did!

So the importance of listening is vital."

The 'Baba O'Riley says a lot of Instagram guitarists he follows, as good as they are at playing, they need to work with other people to learn the art of listening.

Speaking about the late music icon Prince's "flashy" shredding, he said: "Well, Prince could shred and he often would play a really soulful blues track, and then in order to get from one bit of blues to the other, he would do an extraordinary shred.

So it was a bit flashy. Maybe it was just to show he could do it. So, I don't know.

"I think it's just the disconnect that has happened sometimes.

"And where you see it stop is when that kind of artist, and there are many on Instagram - one of my favorites is a guy called Angel Vivaldi, who's a brilliant, brilliant player - but when he works with other musicians, he changes. He actually listens to them and fits in. He can play anything that he wants.

"And there are a couple of others that I follow as well, but a lot of them are just solo musicians that have mastered their craft and got really, really fast.

"So, I think what needs to happen is they need to be fitted into the music world, somewhere other than Instagram. That's the challenge for them. I think it's the challenge right now, as it is for a lot of electronic music musicians: they are very isolated, working on their own."