2010/01/16

I was a mod, no question about it! (Pete Townshend)


The Who's legendary album is brought thrillingly to life in a brand new rock musical by Pete Townshend.

Set in Brighton and London at the height of the Mod era, Quadrophenia is told through the eyes of Jimmy, a hedonistic style conscious teenager searching for a place to belong and a girl to love.

Misunderstood by his parents and stuck in a dead end job, he sets off on a trip to Brighton that will change his life forever.


The Brighton Magazine: How did you come to write Quadrophenia – what was the catalyst and also what came first the story or the songs?

Pete Townshend: I have a strange way of approaching what I do. I am inspired by very diverse circumstances and conditions. A new piece of computer software, something that simply makes funky drum sounds, might set me off. A walk by the river or looking at the sea might start me off on some tangent as a lyricist. I might position a table in a particular place in my home and find I write a whole batch of essays, poems and lyrics. A new guitar (or guitar open tuning) could inspire a burst of creative work. I am especially stimulated by the designing and creation of studio-workshops and technical workplaces. The modern recording studio is as much a hobby for me as a train-set or a boat. There is a lot childlike play in all this.

With Quadrophenia, a very wide range of these kinds of inspirational strands came together in a very short space of time. The Who as a band decided to build a commercial studio for themselves. I was already building a private studio for myself in the country. My studio at home in London was tiny; nevertheless a lot of the music for Quadrophenia was written there and the recording started there. I was also pursuing a new idea, telling a story using sound effects. So I was often out and about with a field recorder listening to trains, birds, cars, planes, rivers, the sea and the chatter of people in pubs. (to be continued HERE)


1 comment:

Ian said...

he does rabbit...but a good bloke nevertheless.