Pete Townshend reveals his love for Thundercat's latest album, It Is What It Is

Pete Townshend has revealed his love of bass wunderkind Thundercat, and of his latest album, It Is What It Is.

In the April 2021 issue of Uncut magazine – reported by Guitar.com – the Who legend shares his thoughts on the record.

“I've been going back to [It Is What It Is], which I just love,” he says. “I think it's so absolutely incredible, kind of like Sgt. Pepper's – so that's been an obsession.”

The windmilling guitar legend also explains that he's more interested in discovering new music than listening to older artists.

When asked for his thoughts on Bob Dylan's new album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, Townshend replies, “I tried to listen to it, but my interest in other people’s deep journeys into self is a bit limited. I’m a bit like Elton John in that respect: I’m more interested in what new, younger artists are doing.”

“I find the music world at the moment just overwhelmingly, fantastically wonderful. I’m not even that interested in Rod Stewart’s Christmas album, or even the Who album, to be honest. I’m kind of more interested in finding something amazing on Bandcamp.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Townshend offers a status report on The Who's upcoming album. He reveals he's written 25 songs, 15 of which he's already shown to frontman Roger Daltrey.

“Right now, I’m in that space where I’ve got my studio set up, my acoustic and electric guitars, a drum box, all there ready to go,” he says. “There’s pages and pages of draft lyrics. So if the moment comes, I’ll go in and start.”

Back in 2019, the guitarist weighed in on the state of guitar-based rock music, declaring that today's players have “literally exhausted the possibilities of the guitar.”

As a guitar publication with every faith in the future of guitar music, we responded with a list of 10 forward-thinking players who prove the guitar still has plenty to offer.