Ever since “My Generation,” Roger Daltrey of The Who hasn’t been shy about sharing strong opinions on his peers. In a new interview with the Coda Collection, Daltrey praised Mick Jagger but referred to The Rolling Stones as a “mediocre pub band.”
Daltrey was asked about Paul McCartney’s recent comments suggesting that The Stones were nothing but a “blues cover band,” and in response he let out a great big belly laugh. “The Stones have written some great songs but they are in the blues. They are in that format.” He added, “You cannot take away the fact that Mick Jagger is still the number one rock and roll showman up front. The only other people I’d put up against him would be perhaps James Brown, maybe Jerry Lee [Lewis] in his day, and Little Richard. But Mick Jagger, you’ve got to take your hat off to him. He’s the number one rock and roll performer.”
However, his respect for Jagger’s performances did not extend to the whole group’s musical output. “If you were outside a pub, and you heard that music coming out of a pub some nights, you’d think, well, ‘That’s a mediocre pub band,’” he said. “No disrespect, but it can be very patchy.”
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You can decide for yourself if The Rolling Stones are any good on their ongoing “No Filter Tour.” Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Earlier this year, The Who’s Pete Townsend spoke to Consequence about their breakthrough record The Who Sell Out.
