Pete Townsend – real name Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend was born in 1945 in Chiswick London. His parents were both musicians – father professional saxophone player, mother singer – and he started learning the guitar and banjo aged 12.
Pete Townsend formed his first band in 1962 when he and school friend John Entwistle formed a Dixieland duo called the Confederates. The Detours, a skiffle/ rock and rolls band followed with singer Roger Daltry, another old classmate from Acton grammar school.
The band changed their name to The Who – there was another band called the Detours in the area, and Keith Moon joined shortly after, replacing original drummer.
The Who changed their name to the High Numbers – a name that had a more mod feel and released a single but this was not successful.
Changing both their manager and their name back to The Who, their first hit was the single “Can’t Explain” written by Pete Townsend. This was released in 1965 and the band went on to have a string of hit singles. Later their work became more complex because Pete Townsend wanted to tie the songs on an album together to tell a story. His first full rock opera was Tommy released in 1968 and others such as Quadrophenia were to follow. Pete Townsend was the principle songwriter of the band although John Entwistle also contributed.
Pete Townsend became a flamboyant performer developing a trademark “windmill” style – swinging his right arm in a circle to strum chords. He also was famous for smashing his guitar on stage at the end of the performance. This came from a genuine accident when his guitar once broke on stage and he smashed it up before grabbing another guitar and continuing. Often Pete Townsend would attempt to repair the broken guitars the following day.
Pete Townsend was also the first guitarist to use feedback – a mainstay of rock guitar, as part of his sound. He uses chords and rhythms rather than the more conventional lead guitar style and his playing has influenced many other rock guitarists such as Slash and James Dean Bradfield of the Manics.
The Who has continued until the present day despite the deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle. Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend were awarded Kennedy Centre honours in 2008 for their contribution to popular culture and Pete Townsend is featured at number 50 on the Rolling Stone’s 2003 list the 100 best guitarists of all time.