The Who's Pete Townshend doesn't cry, or raise his eye, for his late bandmates.
In fact, the classic rock group's leader and guitarist says he's glad that drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle are gone in an interview with Rolling Stone out Monday.
"It's not going to make Who fans very happy, but thank God they're gone," said Townshend, 74, noting the two "were f _ -ing difficult to play with."
The British rocker added that the pair "never, ever managed to create bands for themselves. I think my musical discipline, my musical efficiency as a rhythm player, held the band together."
Instead, Townshend feels that Entwistle's "bass sound was like a Messiaen organ," with "every note, every harmonic in the sky. When he passed away and I did the first few shows without him, with Pino (Palladino) on bass, he was playing without all that stuff ... I said, 'Wow, I have a job.'"
Townshend pulled no punches regarding his recollection of Moon either.
"With Keith, my job was keeping time, because he didn't do that," he explained. "So when he passed away, it was like, 'Oh, I don't have to keep time anymore.'"
Townshend revealed, "Usually, I'm so unaffected by death. My mother, father, Keith Moon."
Eccentric drummer Moon was just 32 when he died in 1978 from an overdose of clomethiazole _ meant to ease his symptoms for alcohol withdrawal.
Entwistle died in 2002 at age 57, one day before The Who was set to kick off a U.S. tour. The medical examiner said his death was due to heart failure caused by cocaine use and preexisting heart disease.
