THE WHO’s PETE TOWNSHEND Says He ‘Never Really Got Into LED ZEPPELIN’: ‘The Only Heavy Metal I Really Listened To Was AC/DC’
Pete Townshend says The Who may have helped shape heavy metal, with their explosive live performances giving later musicians permission to stretch out, but he does not think the band necessarily created the genre. He also explains that he mainly listened to AC/DC, while initially avoiding Led Zeppelin because he felt they were competing for The Who’s audience.
Townshend called 1970’s *Live At Leeds* The Who’s most explosive work and recalled playing both *Tommy* and heavier material at Woodstock. He recently revisited Led Zeppelin’s albums and was struck by their range, while also praising the musicianship of heavy metal bands. The article notes that he previously said in 2019 that The Who “sort of invented heavy metal” with *Live At Leeds*; *The Who By Numbers* is due for a deluxe reissue on 30 October.
In short
- Townshend says AC/DC was the only heavy metal he really listened to.
- He recently revisited Led Zeppelin and admired their musical range.
- He credits *Live At Leeds* with inspiring later heavy musicians.
Explained simply
The Who and Led Zeppelin were British rock bands that rose to prominence in the late 1960s. The Who became known for loud, forceful concerts and ambitious albums such as Tommy, a rock opera; Led Zeppelin developed a sound that helped shape hard rock and heavy metal.
Heavy metal grew from rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with louder guitars, heavier rhythms and powerful live performances. The Who’s explosive concerts are often discussed as part of that history, though the genre’s origins are not attributed to one band alone.
Pete Townshend is The Who’s guitarist and a songwriter, while AC/DC is an Australian band whose music he says he listened to. The discussion matters because it reflects how musicians and listeners look back on the influences behind a genre, and how competition between bands could shape what artists chose to hear.
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