Pete Townshend! Who? Pete Townshend!

       I've got a confession to make, and I'm not talking about the kind of confession that requires me to go see Father John at 2:45 on Saturday afternoon. This is a confession about my music collection that could seriously injure my reputation as a rock and roll connoisseur.

       I don't own any albums by British rock and roll giants the Who. There, I've got that off my chest. I feel better.

       You see, it's not that I don't like the music of the Who, it's just that what I hear on classic rock radio is just about the right amount of variety and frequency I need from them. It's the same reason that I'll never own a Bad Company album.

       Still, while I don't own any Who albums, I do have an album by their guitarist-songwriter-(sometimes) singer, Pete Townshend. In fact, I've had this album since it's release in 1980. It's one of my all-time, hall-of-fame, desert-island-disc essential favorites, and it's called "Empty Glass."

       I can't remember my motivation for forking over my Mom's hard-earned money for this album. Perhaps I'd heard the song "Let My Love Open the Door" on the radio, or more likely, I saw a video for the song "Rough Boys"on Casey Kasem's video show "America's Top Ten." Whatever the case, it soon vaulted to the top of my "frequently played" list.

       The album starts out with "Rough Boys," a defiant statement by an aging rocker to his upstart punk rivals. By the end of the song, Pete is power-windmilling the chords and his position of authority is unambiguously affirmed.

       Next up is "I am an Animal," with Pete singing in a high, emotional tenor. When I bought "Empty Glass," I was primarily listening to AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, and Aerosmith, and so, looking back, I'm rather proud that I was able to appreciate such a sensitive and insightful song. Now, twenty-eight years later, I don't think it's likely I'll ever forget the lyric: "I was always here in the silence, But I was never under your eye, Gather up your love in some wiseness, For every memory shall always survive, And you will see me."

       The big hit for the album was "Let My Love Open the Door." I'm certain that I saw the video for this on "America's Top Ten." It was a simple performance video with Pete playing an acoustic guitar and singing in front of his band. I vividly recall my Dad complaining about the music and asking "Why do all rock stars have big noses and thinning hair?"  I thought Pete looked fine, and I really liked the song. It's simple and optimistic, and I've always liked that combination.

       There are plenty of other standout tracks, including "Keep on Working," with it's insistently silly sing-along lyrics, and "A Little is Enough" which features the most tasteful use of synthesizers ever recorded. (Steve Winwood's "While You See a Chance" is a close second.) Also, the song "Empty Glass" gets extra creativity points for finding a place for the word Ecclesiastes: "Why was I born today? Life is useless like Ecclesiastes say, I never had a chance, but opportunity's now in my hands."

       Finally, the bravado of the final tune, "Gonna Get Ya," was just what the doctor ordered for a fifteen-year old nerdy cross-country runner on the prowl for a girlfriend and badly in need of self-confidence. To this day I still get a charge out of it.

       Since "Empty Glass," Pete Townshend has remained active, writing, recording and performing both as a solo artist and with the Who. He's a talented and successful rock and roll elder statesman, and one of these day's I really should pick up a Who album. Maybe I'll buy a copy of "Who's Next" or "Live at Leeds," or even "Quadrophenia." I've heard nothing but good things about each of them. Until then, I'll be very satisfied with "Empty Glass."

       Peace!