Pete Townshend claims that The Who invented stadium rock - only to see Queen steal their thunder at Live Aid.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Townshend is asked about a comment he makes in the liner notes for a new box set of his solo material, where he states: “I handed the stadium stage to Queen and U2, and of course to Bruce Springsteen…
He tells Rolling Stone: “The Who invented Stadium Rock.” But he adds: “We gave it away.”
On July 13, 1985, both The Who and Queen performed at the Live Aid show at London’s Wembley Stadium.
But as Townshend says now: “Our timing was terrible. When we did Live Aid, we could barely fuckin’ play. Queen were in the middle of a tour, walked out there, took the whole thing, and turned it into an advert for themselves.”
He continues: “I never really appreciated what Queen was about, to be honest. I liked ABBA, but I didn’t really connect with the lighthearted pop diversity of Queen’s catalog.
“I’m a huge fan of Bruce [Springsteen], of course, and a big fan of U2, and very happy to see the way that they took the stadium mantle.
“But with songs like Won’t Get Fooled Again and Baba O’Riley, I fuckin’ nailed it. There’s no question. And I gave that instrument away.
Townshend concludes: “It would be wrong to say that I regret it, because I don’t. I have to look back and say, ‘Well, what is, is.’”
