Headline Feature by Brett Ratner

It's tough to be the younger brother of a rock and roll legend.

Despite the obvious pitfalls, Simon Townshend has been doggedly pursuing his own rock and roll fantasy over three decades and three recording contracts. Armed with his hard-hitting son on drums and a newfound confidence to be himself regardless of whom he's constantly compared to, Townshend feels he's finally found the right combination of elements with the Simon Townshend Band and their current Rising Records Release Among Us.

"It's a difficult situation to be in, the brother of someone so huge," Townshend said. "In a constant effort not to sound like Pete, I'd start to restrict myself. I'm sure it's the same for any sibling. I want to walk into a recording studio and just record like anyone else."

Townshend feels maturity and experience have enabled him to reach that point.

"There's a stage in my development as an artist where I have to just do what I do. If people like it or hate it, so be it," Townshend said, adding that his songwriting sets him apart. "I'm most proud of my songwriting. I've worked very hard to hone my craft. I've come up with a way to develop ideas that feels very natural."

Unlike many songwriters who set aside time to write, Townshend makes a habit of having a tape machine close by for when inspiration hits. This way, the songs develop themselves. More importantly, Townshend feels he has found a way to tap into his deepest emotions through song.

"I listen to stuff I did 15 years ago, and I hate it," Townshend said, referring two his two Polygram albums in the mid '80s, including the radio single "I'm The Answer." "I feel the new material has more lasting power."

The lasting power comes from reflecting on life experiences.

"I feel this has gone all the way," He said. "I feel that everything that was said came from the heart. I put the things I have to say down. That's how I feel it's a cut above of my previous material. I won't know until I look back in five years, however."

Any question of sibling rivalry between the Townshends should be dispelled by Simon's appearance onstage with his big bro on the last two Who concerts.

"If anyone was going to do it, it might has well be me because [fans] like family," Simon said, noting that having just anyone else play some of those legendary guitar parts would sit unfavorably with the audience. "Pete pioneered an approach to guitar that is very rhythm-oriented. As far as my own guitar playing, or my other brother for that matter, I didn't set out to play like that, it just happened naturally."

In this writer's opinion, Simon's fretwork owes as much to Led Zep and Genesis as to the Who, especially considering Simon's penchant for fuzz tone and unusual melodies. Regardless, playing with The Who proved a valuable experience for the younger Townshend.

"Sound is very different on a larger stage," he said. "Whereas in a club, the sound is coming from behind you, in an arena, you are surrounded by sound. Everyone is in their own world, has their own mix and screens blocking the sound coming from other instruments. You feel a little disconnected, it took me a few gigs to get used to it."

It also took some time for Simon to get used to playing with his son in his own band.

"He's brilliant. He's a terrific musician," Simon said, noting that his young son Ben showed an interest in playing with the band before he was fully developed as a player. "I had to be very patient but it paid so many dividends. Now, when I go out on tour, I feel like I'm taking a bit of my family with me."

Simon and Ben will be taking their family of Gibsons to the States this year to work on a more highly produced offering than the stripped down Among Us. Simon plans to use producer Andy Kravitz (Cypress Hill) to give the songs some fresh sounds. Regardless of what turns the recording takes, Simon still plans to rely on the traditional Townshend workhorse... the J-200.

"I love Gibson stuff," he said, adding that he owns a number of J-200s equipped with Fishman pickups. Though he endorses Brian Moore electrics, he still relies on his trusty Les Paul in the studio every now and then.

With great guitars and a killer producer how can you go wrong?

"If this recording ends up sounding anything like Kravitz's other stuff, it might be what I need to turn this around."

To learn more about Simon Townshend, visit http://www.eden.com/stb.