The '60s Band That Pete Townshend Said Could Play Anything - "They'd Give It a Try"!

Pete Townshend, guitarist for The Who, praised the Grateful Dead as the 60s band that could play "fucking". In an interview with Rick Rubin, Townshend recounted a conversation with Bob Dylan about always being on the road. Dylan responded that, as a folk singer, he needed to play the 650 songs he knew so he wouldn't forget. Townshend compared this to the Dead: "They could play anything you played. Someone in the audience would ask for Beethoven and they'd try it." While The Who perfected everything in the studio, the Dead improvised live with mastery. A difference in approach that marked generations of rock. Townshend recognized their talent for entertaining without stiffness. The Grateful Dead were like a live jukebox, with unique improvisation capabilities. A tribute from one rock genius to another!