Pete Townshend - Psychoderelict - actually kind of good?

I always heard that this 1993 double album by PT was a stinker to end all stinkers; but I'm giving it a first listen just now and I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of it's melodicism. Fresh and energised, esp for an early 90s album by a boomer rock star. I say this as not even a Who diehard by any means, in fact I don't have much time for their post 60s work, but this so far this is pretty good imo.

I'm wondering if it's unconventional and potentially offputting 'radio play' format stopped people giving the actual music a chance? I can get how it's corny in a way but I don't mind it, in fact it provides some colour between the tunes. Anyone else got any other thoughts on this album?

 

I picked it up cheap in the late nineties. I wasn't aware of its reputation and was expecting something along the lines of Empty Glass/....Chinese Eyes.

I'm afraid I hated it and found it borderline unlistenable. Townshend obsessing about his own mythology - yet again!

 

The concept is navel gazing and self pitying indeed, but so far I'm liking the tuneage. (Maybe I'm just getting old - I find as I progress in age 'dinosaur' albums by older guys stop sounding embarrassing and start sounding relatable!).

 

I'm afraid I disliked it intently. Simply dull. Pete stepped in a t*rd on this particular stroll in the park...

 

It contained a few good songs. It was an ambitious project that did not quite come together. But at least Pete tried something creative, even if it wasn't one of his best projects.

 

One of my most regrettable dollar bin purchases ever. Only about one or two things could possibly be considered memorable, musically. The vast majority of it is insufferable middle aged male groaning. There are apparently old 1970 demos in the track sequence, but there's so much dross to wade through that I can't even say its worth the effort to dig 'em out.

Major thumbs down.

 

Are you strictly listening to the music version or the one with the 'play' in the mix? I have that version and it gets tiresome and I lose interest.

 

The 'play' version I'm afraid!

 

I'm an obsessive Townshend homer and find only two songs on this above "mediocre"--the pretty good "English Boy" (which Daltrey would have handled much better) and actually excellent "Now and Then." Maybe it's the kind of lp that appeals more to people or at not quite as obsessive fans? (that is, I very much love most post-60s Who, unlike OP, and have a hard time imagining why one would think PD is very good if you don't love any of that.) Biggest mystery of rock how a guy who could write 10 classics a year no problem for first 16 or so years of his career has managed fewer than that in the past 36 or so....

 

Bought it the day it came out. Saw the brief supporting tour. Quite a good show, Entwistle appeared for the encore even. The album (and concept) are absolutely atrocious. Some of the worst sounding guitars ever (was he plugging in straight to the board?) Townshend was flying super high at that time on the success of Tommy on Broadway- which was really masterful, and I always hope that young fans will someday get an opportunity to see a revival. Because of this, I think his head was preoccupied with staging and creating new concept pieces that would work in theaters. Psychoderelict did not work as a radio play, CD or on stage.

To think that that really weak album came out 25 years ago and continues to serve as Townshend's last all-new solo work, saddens me. In every interview the man claims to be still writing songs near daily, perhaps he does, but that would mean he'd have several thousands songs since 1993. If he can't come up with 12 that are better than Endless Wire and Psychoderelict, he must not really be trying too hard or he is over thinking everything or his talent has evaporated.

I love this artist but am disappointed in his output.

 

I think Pete is lying to himself and us about his continued artistic productivity and power. I nearly choked when he obviously had that opinion as expressed in his memoir---I expected it to DEAL with that usual PT honesty with his reasons for losing his power as a songwriter. To me everything (coincidentally?) after he broke up the Who in 82 because he "couldn't write for them anymore", you can maybe cobble together like 7 great songs, fewer than that pretty good ones, and a bunch (not even that BIG a bunch) of mediocre to crummy.

While this list may not catch everything, to test my taste I'd say those greats include Give Blood, Crashing by Design, I Am Secure, Dig, Friend is a Friend, Now and Then, Real Good Looking Boy, Mike Post Theme and.....that might be it.

 

I bailed after Iron Man.

 

He peaked with 'Empty Glass'. 'ATBCHCE' is 2nd. Maybe there is something to be said of an artist that is still actively touring that makes for better output of new material. I'm just throwing it out there with no basis of facts or trends.

 

I like the Meher Baba/Baba O' Riley parts I bought the album when I was obsessed with Life House. The rest, apart from a couple of tracks is mediocre, the play parts are terrible. I think I listened to the album right through once.

 

For all we know, he may be telling the truth - but, assuming he is, how good are the songs he's knocking out? PT may have a huge ego but he's not deluded and if anyone would want to avoid besmirching his legacy, it would be him. My guess is, he may continue to compose as a matter of body chemistry, but he must know what he's coming out with is unlikely to compete with the 'golden years' stuff.

Besides which, there is no 'economic imperative' to put out new music which will hardly shift any units, anyway. Even less, if you happen to be a multi-millionaire.

 

I always thought the album was great myself.

 

Very true now, but I think it reasonably likely that at least say sometime in the 1995-05 decade Pete could have still gotten some impressive money advances from a major label for promising albums of new songs. I don't think the annoying classic rocker "eh why bother no one will buy it" excuse of this decade has applied to ALL of Pete's wilderness years. (It also is intriguing and weird that I saw Daltrey using that excuse a few years ago for why no post_WIRE new Who lp ever materialized, and then for first time since 1992 HE'S doing a straight up Daltrey solo lp, which no one including him has been wanting?) (Not to say that it might not be ok...actually sounds like it MIGHT be his best solo lp ever, tho that is saying little....)

 

I'm a diehard Pete fan and I bought this immediately when it came out and I played it a few times and found it just ok but found myself wishing there wasn't so much talking - that part did not stand up to repeated listens in my opinion. A few months later I bought the music-only version and really liked it quite a bit! I am kind of glad I had both because the narrative helped explain the story a bit, but like I said, the music version is good and worth seeking out. Having said that, other than Iron Man, it's probably the weakest solo LP. Empty Glass, Rough Mix, Who Came First, Chinese Eyes are all pretty top tier releases and I really enjoy the "Scoop" series quite a bit too.

 

And one hopes, tho it ain't our business I guess, that someone who is, at PT insists, super creatively vital might just be happy to know "you know, my economic survival no longer depends on issuing or selling my songs, but dammit I am in the very lucky position that I am ABLE to issue them to the public pretty much any way I want and I know that at least a reasonably large, for a writer, core audience of people who love me will buy them and be happy to have access to them, so of course I'll do that!" instead of "**** those gits, I can't be sure more than 300 thousand of them will pay 12 bucks for a collection of my songs anymore."

 

I agree that the dialogue gets tiresome especially on repeated listens but that's why God made this:

 

Quadrophenia and Who By Numbers are both essential albums, part of the great run that includes Sell Out, Tommy, Who's Next and Live at Leeds.

 

I bought both versions. I listened to the music-only version 4 or 5 times, the play once, maybe twice. I gave up trying to "get it" because there is so much out there that I just had to move on. It's not that it wasn't accessible, it just wasn't moving or memorable. He should have retired before he (and his self-obsession) got old.

I really respect and appreciate people who know when it's time to retire because they have nothing left creatively. I also apppreciate people who still are making good records in their 60s and 70s. Pete doesn’t belong in either of these two categories.

 

And he was supposed to do what else?

He should have stopped making and performing music because YOU think he should have? It’s his job. It’s what he does.

While I agree that Psychoderelict isn’t among his best efforts, why should it bother you so much that you don’t want him to earn a living?

 

Pete can do what he wants, I'm sure his happiness doesn’t depend on my approval. I applaud anyone who loves what they do and continue to do their jobs. I simply don't think Pete is getting the job done anymore.

And I don't believe that Pete is dependent on royalties from his recordings from the past 40 years, I suspect he been living off the revenue from his compositions and performances from 1965-75.

 

There is a "music only" version of this, tough to find however. Much more satisfying to me than the "talking " version.