It's amazing what you find in magazines you read sitting on the toilet.

AS the title suggests, i found this little gem of an interview with Pete Townshend ( Neil's real father and spiritual guru)

The interview was in a little-known, local paper who's usual articles are about who has been in court and what the new "out-of-town shopping centre" will mean to YOU, the shopper and YOU, the poor old town butcher who will have to shut. (like i care)


Anyway, they sent their TOP reporter, Dai Ibolical to Richmond, London to interview Mr Townshend during the mid-tour break.


D I. It's been well documented that this is your first album for twenty-four years. Why so long in coming?

P.T. I've been decorating the house. Simple as that, really. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so it's taken that long to get it done; it's a big house. I find that, very much like mixing an album, you have to blend and re-do things to get it just right. I don't know if your readers will know much about the mechanics of drying paint, but if you do it all at the same time it's not a problem; In a house the size of mine that would be impossible and, over a period of weeks/months, it drys at a different rate and the colours are all wrong.

D I. Okay... Thanks for that.

The mini-opera was based on your much-read novella, The Boy Who Heard Music, (TBWHM) which, in turn, was a continuation of your much-talked about, Lifehouse project.
Did the "audience" for TBWHM, the bloggers, help to direct the plot, or was it already finished before it was published?

P T. No, they didn't help. In fact, they just talked crap for the most of it. I mean, i love them dearly. No, love is too strong a word. I respected...I read the comments but to be honest, i would have been better off getting them in to help with the decorating. Only then could i have put the album out sooner. That and having a drummer.

D I. How has Roger taken to the new stuff?

P T. Stuff? Stuff? Stuff is what...stuff is made of. This album goes beyond STUFF!

But to answer your question. He likes some of it. But like when the idea of "Lifehouse" was first delivered to the band he said: " Pete, what the fuck are you on about?" "Just write something i can sing about. Like shagging or sumfink." " I can't do songs about kids finding a bit of A4."
My reaction to that was to say: "NO Rog. fuck you. I'll sing it all myself." So i played and sang it to my partner, Rachel and she said: " Mmmm. I think you should get Rog to sing it after all."
So i told him i had changed a lot and now it was about a bunch of Mods who shag like fuck on a weekend to Margate. All i did was change the running order and he fell for it. Well, he is working class. A good wallpaper hanger, though. I'll give him that.

D I. Is it true that you want to animate the story and that you have plans to tour with cartoon characters?

P T. We are working on a script for an animated story, yes. Not sure about the tour though. I have very clear ideas on how it will run and i want Cartman, Stan and Kyle to play the main characters but they are busy filming and the distance between us - not the age difference or artistic distance, come to that - but the geographical distance. Southpark is like...in America. Not on the north bank of the Thames. Obviously, Kenny will be superfluous to the story so he will be killed of at the beginning in some tragic boating accident.

D I. So what next? Is there another album after the tour?

P T. I have about 300 songs that i wrote during the Christmas break in the tour. All of them are...i don't want to sound too big headed but...fucking brilliant. It's a follow-on of the mini-opera and tells the tale of what happens behind the mirror door. But don't tell Roger that. He thinks it's about Mods going to Southend-on-Sea for an easter punch-up with Rolling Stones fans.

Which reminds me, i have to get Doris Day murdered to make the lyrics work.

We will probably start recording in January next year. The tour finishes in the summer but i have a few thing to do before we record the songs. I have a raised flower bed i want to build in the garden and i need to re-wire the garage electrics. I'm thinking of turning it in to a village post office.

D I. At this point, long term girlfriend, Rachel Fuller came in with a cup of tea and to let Pete know that one of the dogs had chewed some wallpaper off the lounge wall.

P T. I'm sorry, i have to go. Do you know? That wallpaper cost me £7.50 a fucking roll! Had it from B&Q on, "10% 0ff Thurday." I may have to postpone the second leg of the tour to get it sorted. That'll piss Roger off. Fuck 'im. I'll tell him i've written another Tommy and he'll be placated.

Dear Readers. This is a work of fiction. Pete didn't say any of this. I lied. AGAIN! But i'm sure he does shop for wall paper in B&Qs.