When Pete Townshend outsold the Who

At the end of the seventies, when Pete Townshend began working on his proper debut solo album (he had previously released “Who came first” in 1972 and “Rough mix” in 1975 together with Ronnie Lane), The Who they found themselves in a difficult situation caught between the tragic death of the drummer Keith Moonwhich took place in September 1978, and the change in the British rock scene brought about by punk.

Like his bandmates too Pete Townshend he was lost. In 2015, speaking to Mojo magazine, he told how he experienced that period: “I should have left the Who and made a solo album, and instead I signed a solo contract and – due to some sort of emotional addiction or pain or something like that – I signed an equally demanding contract with the Who. So I found myself with double the work to do.”

Now, after all these years, we can say that the job was quite successful. Is “Face dances”the first album by Who without Keith Moonreplaced the battery by Kenney Jonesreleased in 1981 which, the previous year, “Empty glass” 1980 were two good records. Indeed, Townshend’s solo album sold even better than the band’s album in the United States. The single “Let My Love Open the Door” it entered the Top Ten and other songs also received good radio coverage.

Among other notable songs by
“Empty glass”
they can be cited
“Rough Boys”
the title track,
“Gonna Get Ya”
And
“A Little Is Enough”
which is inspired by the ideas of
Meher Baba
whose teachings profoundly influenced
Pete Townshend
one of the best-known songs of the band is dedicated to him
Who
,
“Baba O’Riley”
.