Pete the Prat

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@akrobiz.com>]

Peter Townshend said to the critics:

> Imagine a mirror. In front of the mirror stands a young man with a guitar. It's almost
> a cliche now. He sees himself. Or does he? Does he in fact see (as I did) Bruce
> Welch from the Shadows, or later on Steve Cropper from Booker T and the MGs?
> Or does he see anything else?
> Imagine suddenly finding that the mirror reveals another side. Behind the mirror is a
> second reflection. One can look through the mirror from the back and see oneself look-
> ing in. Posing. Stupidly. Waiting for someone to call you a prat.

What's he saying here?  He's saying, "Lay off! You critics think you're the only ones
who can spot irony or an artist looking like a prat. But we true artists see that side of
ourselves, too. You critics aren't pointing out anything significant at all. What you de-
scribe, we understand & live."

Peter Townshend then said:

> But you know you are not a prat because you are one of the few who can see both
> sides.

This statement is crucial to his point.  He's saying, "Hey, this isn't Spinal Tap here! I'm
not thick. I'm not Ozzie Osborne or Bon Jovi.  I see both the genius & pretentiousness
in this current WHO tour. Understand that what you critics seem so eager & proud to
point out is already firmly established in in my mind."

Pete should also understand two other things:

1. We intelligent fans *also* see "both sides" & are quite happy with the irony & juxta-
position contained therein.  We, too, are not daft.  And....

2. Everybody, to some degree, is a critic.  We like to give our opinions (the new U2 album
is shite!).  Some people are paid to critique.  It's their job.

He shouldn't take too much to heart but I understand his concern about being described
properly & truthfully.  After all, if these critics are going to paste their impressions on him,
then he damn well is going to paste *his* impressions on them!  Tit for tat, aye?

More from Mr. Townshend:

> There are two sides to the process. There is of course responsibility and duty at every level.
> But because of the sheer density of the reflective machinery of popular art it is the most mis-
> understood by those who attempt to criticise it. It is time, quite simply, for most music journal-
> ists to stop bothering. You really do not know which are the truly great albums of all time.
> You only know which worked for you.

Here, Pete is deflating the massive ego of some of these critics.  He's saying, "You don't speak
for all of humanity. You only speak your lone, singular opinion. Your great "truths" are instead
tiny, little, singular beliefs & not some kind of impenatrable doctrine or 'mass fact.'  Understand
that you, the critic, also are ironic & prat-like at times"

Pete's pretty smart, isn't he?


- SCHRADE in Akron