In a recent chat with Guitarist magazine, Pete Townshend shared his thoughts about how he’s grown in his use of the guitar. He spoke about carving out his own style, especially before the internet era, and his ongoing efforts to steer clear of playing the same old stuff.
The guitarist also mentioned being compared to Eric Clapton in this regard by saying:
“I remember Leslie West saying to me about Eric Clapton: ‘I prefer your licks, Pete, to Eric’s because Eric seems to be playing things that he’s learned, that he’s picked up from other blues players.’ And I think that is a fair comparison, although I have seen Eric play live, where he really goes sky high.”
Clapton appeared as number one in many guitar magazines throughout his career. Meanwhile, Townshend broke a world record with The Who as the loudest band in the ‘Guinness Book Of World Records.’
The Two Guitarists Have Very Different Sounds According To Townshend
The Who guitarist said his volume made one of the main differences between him and Clapton during a 2021 chat with Guitarist. Commenting on his live sound back in the day, he explained:
“The main thing about me trying to get a stage sound at that time, and also, of course, a sound that I could develop in the studio, was that there were no real effects available. There were no stompboxes, really, that were any good. There were a few around that all just made the same fucking racket. But there was no sinuousness in the sound.”
Discussing the ex-Yardbirds member’s approach, Townshend added:
“There was no dynamic; there was no sense of change in the sound. Jimi [Hendrix] used them effectively, but Eric didn’t. Eric’s sound was Eric’s sound, and the way it started the evening, it would end the evening exactly the same way. It was the notes that mattered, not the sound. I was interested in sound. In huge, changing sound.”
The Who Guitarist Didn’t Like Clapton’s Style In The Past
With that, Pete Townshend also believed that Eric Clapton’s playing was ’empty’ at one point in his music career. Although the band was inducted into the Rock Hall and included in some ‘Greatest Artists Of All Time’ lists, the guitarist’s time with Cream didn’t sit well with Townshend. He revealed:
“I have to say, that was my experience listening to Cream. It felt to me that sometimes it sounded so empty. I thought they would’ve been so much better if they had a Hammond player. I always loved Eric’s playing, but not always his sound. It always felt to me like it was a bit muffled in the Marshall days. That’s why I prefer Traffic and Blind Faith. I like the sound of that.”
You can check out The Who member’s recent chat here.
