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Quick Facts
- NAME: Pete Townshend
- OCCUPATION: Songwriter, Drummer, Guitarist, Pianist
- BIRTH DATE: May 19, 1945 (Age: 68)
- EDUCATION: Ealing Art College
- PLACE OF BIRTH: London, England, United Kingdom
- Originally: Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend
- AKA: Bijou Drains
- AKA: Pete Townshend
- AKA: Peter Townshend
- AKA: Pete Dennis Blandford Townshend
- ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus
Best Known For
Pete Townshend is best known as the guitarist and songwriter for the band the Who as it grew to be one of the most influential bands of the 1960 and '70s.
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The Who - Full Biography (45:17)
The Who - Full Biography
The Who were the godfathers of punk, the pioneers of rock opera, and among the first rock groups to integrate synthesizers.
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Play NowPete Townshend. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:18, May 20, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169.
Pete Townshend. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169 [Accessed 20 May 2013].
"Pete Townshend." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 20 2013, 09:18 http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169.
"Pete Townshend," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169 [accessed May 20, 2013].
"Pete Townshend," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169 (accessed May 20, 2013).
Pete Townshend [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 20] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169.
Pete Townshend, http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169 (last visited May 20, 2013).
Pete Townshend. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/pete-townshend-12103169. Accessed May 20, 2013.
Synopsis
British musician Pete Townshend was the guitarist and songwriter for the Who, widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of the 1960s and '70s. During the band's early years, Townshend became known for his concert antics, sometimes smashing his guitar on stage, a gimmick that became a regular part of the Who's performances. His solo career began in 1972 with the album Who Came First.
Early Life
Born Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend on May 19, 1945, in London, England, Pete Townshend has been a significant force in rock music, both as a member of the Who and as a solo artist, for decades. Townshend's father was a saxophonist and his mother was a singer, and he became curious about music at an early age.
Growing up in the same working-class neighborhood with future bandmates Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, Townshend started playing in bands as a teenager. He and Entwistle were members of the Confederates together. Entwistle later joined the Detours, an outfit that already included Daltrey.
The Who Forms
After a stint at the Ealing Art College in 1961, Townshend became a member of the Detours. This group eventually evolved into the Who, which first found success in their native England in 1965 with such songs as “I Can’t Explain” and “My Generation.”
During the band’s early days, Townshend became known for his concert antics, sometimes smashing his guitar on stage, a gimmick that became a regular part of the Who’s performances. He made his solo debut in 1972 with Who Came First, which was dedicated to his mentor Meher Baba, followed by Rough Mix (1977), which he produced with bassist Ronnie Lane. His next solo effort, Empty Glass (1980), was a bigger success, selling over a million copies and reaching the Top 5. Two years later, Townshend had less success with his next effort, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes (1982). He took a break from the Who around this time.
Reunion Tour
In 1989, Townshend joined forces with Entwistle and Daltrey to embark on a reunion tour with the Who. In 1993, he took his talents to Broadway with The Who’s Tommy, a runaway hit that earned Townshend a Tony Award. Townshend continued to record music on his own, releasing 1993’s Psychoderelict.
Before the start of another tour with the Who in 2002, Townshend suffered a great loss: Longtime friend and bandmate John Entwistle died of a heart attack on June 27, 2002. The band had already weathered the tragic death of drummer Keith Moon back in 1978, and Townshend and Daltrey decided to continue the tour as a tribute to Entwistle.
Later Work
Townshend has continued to devote much of his time and energy to the Who. He also wrote most of the tracks for the band’s most recent release, 2006’s Endless Wire.
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