Who’s Afraid of Conservatism?

“Who am I? That question troubled me when I was very young. One is fortunate if this problem enters one’s head in childhood: for if one grapples with the conundrum as Hercules grappled with serpents in his cradle, he does not suffer an ‘identity crisis’ in later years.”
–Russell Kirk

“I’m happy when life’s good / and when it’s bad I cry
I’ve got values but I don’t know how or why.”
–Pete Townshend,
“The Seeker”

Rock stars would like us mortals to believe that they can get away with anything. Unlike, say, “Beef: it’s what’s for dinner,” an industry motto of “Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll” permits a spectacularly broad range of behaviors and beliefs. Smashing up hotel rooms? Just another day at the office. Drug addiction, alcoholism, and venereal disease? Mere occupational hazards. Assorted lewd, violent, or otherwise anti-social behaviors in public? Opportunities for extending the brand. Rock and roll, it seems, has a diabolical ability to countenance any form of debauchery and weather any controversy.

But while it may be de rigueur for a rock musician to disclose predilections for polyamory, voyeurism, autoerotic asphyxiation, or a host of other exotic compulsions, there are, in fact, limits to even rock and roll’s fabled permissiveness. Just ask Pete Townshend.

In an otherwise pedestrian interview with ABC’s Jonathon Karl last December, the Who’s legendary songwriter and guitarist confessed to being “a bit of a neocon,” and to supporting America’s role as the world’s policeman. He also rather sheepishly admitted that such views mean he’s “not that popular with everybody,” a comment that was proved correct by the response his remarks received in the leftist blogosphere. “As a political observer, Pete is a brilliant musician,” sarcastically opined one poster to the Huffington Post’s coverage of Townshend’s confession, while others dismissed him as “hard-hearted and cynical” and “a rich old white guy.” Some even sought to conflate Townshend’s rightward political leanings with his alleged pedophilia, for which he was investigated and later cleared. For those on the left, a rock star of Townshend’s stature admitting to even the faintest of conservative tendencies is simply a bridge too far.

Pete Townshend is indeed a brilliant musician. An innovative composer, insightful lyricist, and spectacular performer, his place in the pantheon of rock and roll has long been secure. He is rightly revered as one of rock’s great thinkers, known to use interviews as opportunities for personal reflection, confession, and psychoanalysis. His provocative 2012 memoir, Who I Am, is written in that spirit. Remarkably unsentimental, Townshend is so unflinching in his description of his own weaknesses and failings that one reviewer suggested it is the first autobiography that can legitimately be described as a “hatchet job.” Across 300 pages, Townshend details his infidelities (both professional and personal), alcohol abuse, crack and heroin use, mental illness, and hyper-sexuality.

Given his reputation for audacious candor, and being the engaged and thoughtful consumers of popular culture that we are, your humble servant hoped to probe Townshend a bit more deeply on his political persuasions, and crafted a series of 12 questions designed to elicit his thoughts on a range of political and cultural topics. Of particular interest was how his political views have developed over time, which neoconservatives impulses he shares, what values and ideals he would like to see America protect and serve as the world’s policeman, and what role rock music might play in inspiring those currently living under the burden of totalitarianism to challenge their oppressors. Working through the appropriate diplomatic channels, your minister was able to transmit a communiqué to the Great Man himself.

Sadly, Townshend demurred the request with a gentle “sorry, not my thing.” Now since Pete Townshend is, well, PETE TOWNSHEND!, he no doubt turns down any number of interview requests for any number of reasons. He’s a busy guy, currently in the middle of concert tour, and even a rock god finds his time limited. On the other hand, while recently promoting his book, Townshend made it a priority to meet the press (and press the flesh) wherever and whenever possible, even taking the effort to show The View’s former token righty, Elizabeth Hasslebeck, how to perform his signature “windmill” guitar move.

Hasselbeck admittedly cuts a more fetching figure than your scribe. Still, it wasn’t unreasonable  to hope that the opportunity to discuss, in a serious way, his ideas on music, culture, politics, and religion would be attractive to Townshend. But when admitting to being even “a bit of a neoconservative” gets you labeled a cruel, cynical, and greedy old know-nothing by what is generally taken to be your fan base, why risk giving an interview that might further reveal the depth and breadth of your latent conservatism?

Of course the only thing really shocking in any of this is that anyone is shocked by Townshend’s admission. This is after all the man who famously swatted Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock with a swing of his Gibson SG. He’s also the same man who, in a 1981 interview with the late, lamented Creem Magazine, proclaimed “I’m for nuclear power, but I haven’t told anyone because I am still hoping to [enjoy connubial relations with] Jane Fonda.”

In an insightful 2011 Economist profile, Townshend credited the late British playwright David Mercer (whose play “The Generations” inspired the title for Townshend’s ode to disaffected youth “My Generation”) for also inspiring his ideological clinging: “He was an incredibly impressive speaker. He said, ‘Once you’re on the left, you have to stay there whatever happens. I don’t care if you become a [expletive deleted] billionaire—stay there!’ And I’ve always kept that in mind.”

Thinking of Townshend’s conundrum (that of a self-professed “neoconservative” who is at the same time determined to “stay on the left, whatever happens”), one is reminded of Annibale Carracci’s painting The Choice of Hercules. It portrays the young hero seated between two women: on his right is the demure and laurel-wreathed lady representing duty, virtue, and piety, while on his left dances a scantily-veiled succubus, representing fleshly pleasures, vice, and materialism. The siren call of the left, like a tempting Barbarella promising fashionable decadence, easy virtue, and cheap popularity, can be too strong to blithely forsake.

No, let’s not fault Pete Townshend for not wanting to further provoke the ire of the self-appointed guardians of rock and roll’s deposit of the faith. His music is too good, and he’s too remarkable a character. Besides, sticking a finger in the eye of rock’s intelligentsia is your loyal minister’s job.