# The 100 million-selling rock band Pete Townshend thought was a parody: “Very American”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-100-million-selling-rock-band-pete-townshend-thought-was-a-parody-very-american/
- Published: 2026-10-23T21:16:50+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T22:26:45+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-100-million-selling-rock-band-pete-townshend-thought-was-a-parody-very-american/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Townshend called Kiss a distinctly American phenomenon.
- He thought their early years looked like parody.
- Gene Simmons has cited The Who as an influence.

## Summary

Pete Townshend said Kiss were a distinctly American phenomenon and that their early image struck him as parody. His comments reflect his view that rock music is shaped by its cultural setting, while highlighting the contrast between Kiss’s theatrical style and The Who’s influence on them.

In a 2014 interview, Townshend described Kiss as drawing on the brash spectacle of Las Vegas and Mardi Gras, and questioned the meaning of their disguises. He suggested the band could not have emerged in England in the same form. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, meanwhile, has said seeing The Who perform in 1973 inspired him and Paul Stanley to raise their ambitions.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.