Re: Pete's Power Chords

["Eric M. Nordberg" <nordbeem@cda.mrs.umn.edu>]

On Tue, 13 Feb 1996, Amira Boctor wrote:

> My brother likes to check out the guitar boards on the Internet.  He told me 
> that one Who fan posted a note saying Pete "invented" the power chord, and he 
> got blasted for it.  David said that's like saying the Beatles invented "B 
> flat."  I said, "Maybe he's the first musician to utilize the power chord," 
> but he rejected that idea.  Anyone out there care to comment?
> 
I am not too knowledgable about guitar history, but I'll try.  I have 
seen books on guitar styles that claim the same idea, that Pete invented 
the power chord.  I agree with your brother though, the whole concept of 
inventing the power chord is bunk.  As for first utilizing, I'd again 
agree with your brother.  While Pete Townsend may have been the first to 
employ power chords so extensively, and with such ampage, I doubt 
strongly that he was the first to utilize the style.  I don't know who 
would be, but I would think that many of the old blues guitar players, 
dating as far back as 1930 or even before, would have used the power 
chord in some context.  While I'm stating it really fuzzily, my point is 
that power chords have most likely been used by many varied musicians, 
perhaps even before Pete was born.
eric