Pete Townshend
Latest about Pete Townshend

“When we first came to New York, we'd play four times a day. I only had one guitar, so I'd have to break it and fix it four times a day”: Pete Townshend talks guitar smashing, and what he had to do to keep his gear functioning
By Phil Weller published
John Hiatt once sang, “Oh, it breaks my heart to see those stars smashing a perfectly good guitar,” but you'll never hear the Who guitar legend apologize for his early stage antics

“Eric came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Jeff Beck’s contribution was spellbinding”: Mark Knopfler enlists Clapton, Townshend, Iommi, Slash and dozens more for all-star charity single
By Jonathan Horsley published
Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes raise funds for teenage cancer charities with an epic version of his Local Hero theme, featuring Jeff Beck’s final recording, and over 50 guitar legends – including David Gilmour, Joan Armatrading and Brian May

“I’ve had all of the great guitarists in the world say to me, ‘Pete, you’re not in the top 10 for virtuosity, but you’re certainly No. 1 as an acoustic rhythm player’”: Pete Townshend on Who’s Next, Lifehouse, and fun times with Superstrats
By Jeff Slate published
In this brand-new interview, the Who mastermind looks back on Who's Next, the grand designs of Lifehouse, and why he is still having fun on the guitar thanks in no small part to Charvel and Jackson

“I think it’s the challenge right now, as it is for a lot of musicians”: Pete Townshend pinpoints the one thing Instagram players get wrong – and reveals who his favorite social media guitarist is
By Matt Owen published
The Who icon honed in on an aspect of guitar playing that many social media shredders overlook – but also offered a solution in the process

“Leslie West said: ‘I prefer your licks, Pete. Eric seems to be playing things he’s learned, that he’s picked up from other blues players’”: Pete Townshend says the Mountain legend favored his expansive rock licks over Eric Clapton’s blues vocabulary
By Matt Owen published
“I think that is a fair comparison, although I have seen Eric play live, where he really goes sky high,” the Who hero added

“I was playing at three times the speed that I normally play at”: Pete Townshend resisted buying “heavy metal” guitars for decades – but he just got his first Jackson at the age of 78… and loves it
By Matt Owen published
The Stratocaster loyalist decided it was time to branch into more metal territory with his latest six-string purchase – and he was pleasantly surprised with what he discovered

"Bewildering technique that went way beyond any standard root/5th ideas": Listen to John Entwistle’s isolated bass on My Generation
By Nick Wells published
“You can’t talk about classic bass playing without mentioning The Who and Live at Leeds”

From all-star extreme metal to riffs built entirely around ring modulators: here are this week's essential guitar tracks
By Matt Owen, Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Matt Parker published
Round out March in style with a playlist of killer six-string showings from Nervosa, Empire State Bastard, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Grentperez, CLT DRP, Enforcer, Charlie Cunningham and more
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