Featured Artist: Pete Townshend

Can a band sustain itself on rhythm guitar alone? If you’re the Who, the answer is most definitely. And if you’re within earshot of Pete Townshend, prepare yourself for a windmill-induced tonal assault. The high-gain crunch, the power pedaling, the unmistakable chord voicing and all the shameless stage antics in between: Townshend is pointed, powerful and brutally honest—much like his signature stockpile of riffs. His tone may be raw and unforgiving, but it’s simple to a fault. From the gutter-punk delivery of “My Generation” to the operatic majesty of Tommy, there’s vision and purpose in every note. Townshend reigns as a ruthless rhythm king, but with an ever-evolving arsenal, he’s forever the seeker of perfect sound.