Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend is a British musician known for his role as the co-founder and principal songwriter of The Who.
He is celebrated for his aggressive guitar playing style and poetic songwriting techniques, which have earned him critical acclaim.
Townshend's early life was marked by a turbulent family background, which he later cited as an influence on his music.
Biography
Early Life
Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend was born on May 19, 1945, in Chiswick, West London, into a musical family. His father, Cliff Townshend, was a professional alto saxophonist, while his mother, Betty, was a singer. The volatile marriage of his parents, marked by heavy drinking and infidelity, led to their separation when Pete was just a toddler. He spent time living with his maternal grandmother, a period he later described as influential in shaping his artistic vision. After reuniting with his parents, Townshend grew up in a diverse neighborhood, where he developed a love for literature and music, often finding solace in adventure novels and family trips to the seaside.
Musical Career
Townshend's musical journey began in the early 1960s when he joined The Detours, a band led by Roger Daltrey. After a name change to The Who, the band quickly rose to fame, becoming one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townshend's aggressive guitar playing and poetic songwriting, including the creation of two rock operas, earned him critical acclaim. His work with The Who, alongside his solo projects, showcased his versatility as a musician, with notable albums like "Empty Glass" and "Psychoderelict". Townshend's artistic influences ranged from jazz to rock and roll, and he often explored themes of postwar trauma in his music.
Literary Contributions
In addition to his musical achievements, Townshend has made significant contributions to literature. He wrote a monthly column for Melody Maker and several essays for Rolling Stone, sharing his insights on music and spirituality. He founded Eel Pie Publishing and opened a bookstore named Magic Bus, further demonstrating his passion for literature and storytelling. Townshend's literary work complements his musical legacy, reflecting his multifaceted artistic identity.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Truancy: The Very Best of Pete Townshend2015
- 1.Pure and Easy5:33
- 2.Sheraton Gibson2:36
- 3.(Nothing Is Everything) Let’s See Action6:23
- 4.My Baby Gives It Away4:00
- 5.Heart to Hang Onto4:26
- 6.Keep Me Turning3:46
- 7.Let My Love Open the Door2:45
- 8.Rough Boys4:02
- 9.The Sea Refuses No River5:53
- 10.Face Dances (Pt. 2)3:23
- 11.White City Fighting4:40
- 12.Face the Face5:52
- 13.I Won’t Run Anymore4:51
- 14.English Boy4:49
- 15.You Came Back4:07
- 16.Guantanamo4:07
- 17.How Can I Help You4:08
The Definitive Collection2007
- 1.Pure & Easy5:33
- 2.Sheraton Gibson2:37
- 3.Time Is Passing3:27
- 4.Street in the City6:06
- 5.My Baby Gives It Away4:02
- 6.Misunderstood3:01
- 7.A Little Is Enough4:43
- 8.Let My Love Open the Door2:45
- 9.Rough Boys4:03
- 10.The Sea Refuses No River5:53
- 11.Slit Skirts4:52
- 12.Mary3:33
- 13.Give Blood5:46
- 14.Face the Face5:56
- 15.A Friend Is a Friend4:48
- 16.I Am Afraid4:25
- 17.English Boy4:50
Gold2005
- 1.English Boy4:49
- 2.Secondhand Love4:11
- 3.A Little Is Enough4:42
- 4.Heart to Hang Onto4:27
- 5.Sheraton Gibson2:37
- 6.The Sea Refuses No River5:52
- 7.Brilliant Blues3:06
- 8.Now and Then4:12
- 9.I Won’t Run Anymore4:01
- 10.Keep Me Turning3:45
- 11.Let My Love Open the Door2:44
- 12.Slit Skirts5:02
- 13.A Friend Is a Friend4:46
- 14.Let’s See Action6:22
- 15.Street in the City6:07
- 16.Empty Glass5:24
- 17.Rough Boys4:00
- 18.Give Blood5:45
- 19.Exquisitely Bored3:42
- 20.Jools and Jim2:36
- 21.Crashing by Design3:17
- 22.Don’t Try to Make Me Real3:30
- 23.Face the Face5:54
- 24.Uniforms (Corp D’Espirit)3:42
- 25.My Baby Gives It Away4:02
- 26.Outlive the Dinosaur4:25
- 27.Keep On Working3:23
- 28.White City Fighting4:40
- 29.All Shall Be Well4:12
- 30.Time Is Passing3:27
- 31.I Am Afraid4:25
- 32.Misunderstood3:01
- 33.Pure and Easy5:32
- 34.Parvardigar6:47
Anthology2005
- 1.English Boy4:50
- 2.Secondhand Love4:11
- 3.A Little Is Enough4:42
- 4.Heart to Hang Onto4:27
- 5.Sheraton Gibson2:37
- 6.The Sea Refuses No River5:52
- 7.Brilliant Blues3:06
- 8.Now and Then4:12
- 9.I Won't Run Anymore4:01
- 10.Keep Me Turning3:45
- 11.Let My Love Open the Door2:44
- 12.Slit Skirts5:02
- 13.A Friend Is a Friend4:46
- 14.Let's See Action6:22
- 15.Street in the City6:07
- 16.Empty Glass5:24
- 17.Rough Boys4:01
- 18.Give Blood5:45
- 19.Exquisitely Bored3:42
- 20.Jools & Jim2:36
- 21.Crashing by Design3:17
- 22.Don't Try to Make Me Real3:30
- 23.Face the Face5:54
- 24.Uniforms (Corp D'Espirit)3:42
- 25.My Baby Gives It Away4:02
- 26.Outlive the Dinosaur4:25
- 27.Keep On Working3:23
- 28.White City Fighting4:40
- 29.All Shall Be Well4:12
- 30.Time Is Passing3:27
- 31.I Am Afraid4:25
- 32.Misunderstood3:01
- 33.Pure and Easy5:32
- 34.Parvardigar6:47
Twenty (Scoop 4)2004
- 1.Flying Boy1:53
- 2.There Is No Message in a Broken Heart3:52
- 3.I Am an Animal (demo)3:49
- 4.Lazy Fat People3:10
- 5.King Rabbit2:11
- 6.Crashing by Design (demo)3:07
- 7.I Am Secure (demo)3:33
- 8.Cool Jerk (instrumental)3:45
- 9.A Man Without a Woman2:20
- 10.I Wish I Was as Good as I Look4:46
- 11.Latin Thing1:54
- 12.The Shout (rehearsal)3:04
- 13.Looking for Words3:46
- 14.Rat Run3:07
- 15.Drumming2:24
- 16.Why D'You Stand So Close to That Man Last Night3:50
- 17.You'll Never Be Alone Again3:15
- 18.How Did You Love Me Then (version 1)3:16
- 19.How Did You Love Me Then (version 2)4:52
- 20.English Boy (live acoustic)4:59
The Awakening2003
- 1.Homage5:08
- 2.Seasons4:14
- 3.Travels3:43
- 4.The Game4:33
- 5.Kids Like Me2:46
- 6.Captivity3:46
- 7.Moments4:55
- 8.Magic Grace2:49
- 9.Willow Song2:58
- 10.The Awakening7:58
Scooped2002
- 1.Recorders1:20
- 2.Pinball Wizard2:56
- 3.Can You See the Real Me4:19
- 4.Dirty Water1:03
- 5.Zelda2:25
- 6.Pictures of Lily2:52
- 7.Body Language1:29
- 8.Seige: Theme 0192:10
- 9.971104 Arpeggio Piano1:37
- 10.Brooklyn Kids4:49
- 11.Substitute3:34
- 12.Elephants2:53
- 13.Eminence Front6:35
- 14.Baroque Ippanese2:27
- 15.Magic Bus4:22
- 16.I Like It the Way It Is4:39
- 17.Unused Piano2:35
- 18.Bargain4:15
- 19.Lonely Words3:57
- 20.So Sad About Us / Brrr4:48
- 21.Tough Boys3:13
- 22.You Better You Bet5:20
- 23.Mary3:26
- 24.Begin the Beguine4:13
- 25.Piano: Tipperary1:03
- 26.How Can You Do It Alone6:27
- 27.Football Fugue3:28
- 28.Behind Blue Eyes3:30
- 29.Never Ask Me4:27
- 30.Circles2:14
- 31.Holly Like Ivy2:56
- 32.Variations: Dirty Jobs4:43
- 33.Catsnatch3:23
- 34.You’re So Clever4:20
- 35.Love Reign O’er Me4:57
Scoop 32001
- 1.Can You See the Real Me4:19
- 2.Dirty Water1:04
- 3.Commonwealth Boys3:40
- 4.Theme 0150:42
- 5.Marty Robbins1:42
- 6.I Like It the Way It Is4:38
- 7.Theme 0160:41
- 8.No Way Out (However Much I Booze)6:07
- 9.Collings2:36
- 10.Parvardigar (German version)6:47
- 11.Sea & Sand5:02
- 12.971104 Arpeggio Piano1:38
- 13.Theme 0192:09
- 14.I Am Afraid2:30
- 15.Maxims for Lunch2:55
- 16.Wistful2:59
- 17.Eminence Front6:35
- 18.Lonely Words3:57
- 19.Prelude 9705190:39
- 20.Iron Man Recitative3:39
- 21.Tough Boys3:10
- 22.Did You Steal My Money?3:53
- 23.Can You Really Dance?3:47
- 24.Variations on Dirty Jobs4:41
- 25.All Lovers Are Deranged3:22
- 26.Elephants2:52
- 27.Wired to the Moon, Part 21:30
- 28.How Can You Do It Alone?6:25
- 29.Poem Disturbed3:11
- 30.Squirm Squirm4:09
- 31.Outlive the Dinosaur3:38
- 32.Teresa4:34
- 33.Man and Machines3:48
- 34.It's in Ya5:32
Jai Baba2001
- 1.Poem2:57
- 2.Evolution6:07
- 3.Day of Silence2:47
- 4.Allan Cohen Speaks at Mahatma Gandhi Hall2:18
- 5.Mary Jane2:35
- 6.Allan Cohen Speaks0:23
- 7.The Seeker4:34
- 8.Begin the Beguine4:47
- 9.With a Smile Up His Nose They Entered3:43
- 10.The Love Man4:59
- 11.Meditation9:49
- 12.O’Parvardigar (live in India)7:11
- 13.Forever’s No Time at All3:07
- 14.How to Transcend Duality and Influence People1:21
- 15.Affirmation3:53
- 16.Baba O’Riley9:50
- 17.This Song Is Green2:55
- 18.Everywhere I Look This Morning4:50
- 19.Dragon4:55
- 20.Parvadigar6:50
- 21.Hail Avatar Meher Baba0:33
- 22.Give It Up4:11
- 23.Without Your Love1:51
- 24.His Hands2:09
- 25.Just for a Moment2:56
- 26.Baba Blues2:02
- 27.Meher3:11
- 28.Contact2:09
- 29.Gotta Know Ya3:19
- 30.Sleeping Dog2:58
- 31.All God’s Mornings3:24
- 32.Lantern Cabin4:05
Lifehouse Elements2000
- 1.One Note (Prologue)1:27
- 2.Baba O'Riley (orchestral version)9:37
- 3.Pure and Easy8:37
- 4.New Song5:00
- 5.Getting In Tune4:06
- 6.Behind Blue Eyes (new version)3:59
- 7.Let's See Action6:17
- 8.Who Are You (Gateway remix)9:06
- 9.Won't Get Fooled Again8:27
- 10.Baba M13:09
- 11.Song Is Over5:43
Lifehouse Chronicles2000
- 1.Teenage Wasteland6:46
- 2.Goin' Mobile4:13
- 3.Baba O'Riley7:44
- 4.Time Is Passing3:25
- 5.Love Ain't for Keeping1:31
- 6.Bargain4:28
- 7.Too Much of Anything5:34
- 8.Music Must Change4:40
- 9.Greyhound Girl3:05
- 10.Mary4:15
- 11.Behind Blue Eyes3:25
- 12.Babe O'Riley (instrumental)9:48
- 13.Sister Disco6:50
- 14.I Don't Even Know Myself5:27
- 15.Put the Money Down5:50
- 16.Pure and Easy8:35
- 17.Getting in Tune4:04
- 18.Let's See Action6:20
- 19.Slip Kid3:57
- 20.Relay4:15
- 21.Who Are You7:37
- 22.Join Together6:23
- 23.Won't Get Fooled Again8:30
- 24.Song Is Over5:41
- 25.Baba M1 (O'Riley 2nd Movement)3:05
- 26.Who Are You (Gateway remix)9:04
- 27.Behind Blue Eyes (new version)3:57
- 28.Baba M2 (2nd Movement, Pt. 1)3:18
- 29.Pure and Easy (original demo reworked)9:16
- 30.Vivaldi (Baba M5 on Phsychoderelict)2:42
- 31.Who Are You (Gateway remix) (live, 1998)12:47
- 32.Hinterland Rag (Piano Rag for Three Hands)2:49
- 33.Pure & Easy (new version)4:47
- 34.Can You Help the One You Really Love? (demo)5:05
- 35.Won't Get Fooled Again (live, 1998)11:30
- 36.One Note - Prologue1:26
- 37.Fantasia Upon One Note1:01
- 38.Baba O'Riley9:36
- 39.Sonata K:2124:18
- 40.Tragedy4:23
- 41.No. 4 Aria2:41
- 42.No. 2 Giga2:24
- 43.No. 6 In D Minor2:37
- 44.No. 3 Adagio and Allegro4:31
- 45.Hinterland Rag3:33
- 46.Sonata K:2134:25
- 47.Overture3:21
- 48.Allegro1:59
- 49.Air0:58
- 50.Rondeau Minuet1:49
- 51.Air1:14
- 52.Jig1:23
- 53.Chaconne2:31
- 54.Air0:48
- 55.Minuet1:19
- 56.Overture3:27
- 57.Tragedy Explained6:26
- 58.One Note - Epilogue1:20
- 59.Fantasia Upon One Note2:48
- 60.[untitled]3:28
- 61.[untitled]4:45
- 62.[untitled]7:00
- 63.[untitled]7:56
- 64.[untitled]5:30
- 65.[untitled]6:35
- 66.[untitled]4:10
- 67.[untitled]5:02
- 68.[untitled]7:20
- 69.[untitled]5:27
- 70.[untitled]4:27
- 71.[untitled]5:40
- 72.[untitled]6:06
- 73.[untitled]6:04
- 74.[untitled]5:07
- 75.[untitled]4:39
- 76.[untitled]4:59
- 77.[untitled]4:32
- 78.[untitled]8:20
The Best of Pete Townshend: CoolWalkingSmoothTalkingStraightSmokingFireStoking1996
- 1.Rough Boys4:00
- 2.Let My Love Open the Door2:42
- 3.Misunderstood2:57
- 4.Give Blood5:38
- 5.A Friend Is a Friend5:01
- 6.Sheraton Gibson2:35
- 7.English Boy4:49
- 8.Street in the City6:06
- 9.Pure and Easy5:32
- 10.Slit Skirts5:02
- 11.The Sea Refuses No River5:56
- 12.A Little Is Enough4:38
- 13.Face the Face5:51
- 14.Uneasy Street4:38
- 15.Let My Love Open the Door (E.Cola mix)4:56
Tommy: Highlights: Original Cast Recording1994
Tracklist not collected yet.
Psychoderelict1993
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Iron Man1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Another Scoop1987
Tracklist not collected yet.
White City: A Novel1985
Tracklist not collected yet.
Scoop1983
Tracklist not collected yet.
All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes1982
Tracklist not collected yet.
Empty Glass1980
Tracklist not collected yet.
Rough Mix1977
Tracklist not collected yet.
With Love1976
Tracklist not collected yet.
Who Came First1972
Tracklist not collected yet.
I Am1972
Tracklist not collected yet.
Happy Birthday1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Track Record
- Record label
- Warner Bros. Records
- Record label
- Atco Records
- Record label
- Atlantic Records
- Record label
- Decca
Achievements
- Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- Award
- Tony Award for Best Original Score
Groups
- The Whoguitar, keyboard, lead vocals, original, synthesizer · 1964current
- Deep Endguitarcurrent
- Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroescurrent
- Mick Fleetwood and Friendscurrent
- Rockestracurrent
- The High Numberscurrent
- Tommy And The Bijouxcurrent
Played together with
- Chris StaintonThe Who · 2012 · additional, keyboard
- Doug SandomThe Who · 1964–1964 · drums (drum set), original
- Frank SimesThe Who · 2012 · additional, keyboard
John EntwistleThe Who · 1964–2002 · bass guitar, French horn, keyboard, lead vocals, original, synthesizer, trumpet- John “Rabbit” BundrickThe Who · 1979–2011 · keyboard
Keith MoonThe Who · 1964–1978 · drums (drum set)
Kenney JonesThe Who · 1978–1985 · drums (drum set)- Loren GoldThe Who · 2012 · additional, keyboard
- Pino PalladinoThe Who · 2002 · additional, bass guitar
Roger DaltreyThe Who · 1964 · guitar, harmonica, lead vocals, original, percussion- Simon TownshendThe Who · 1996–1997 · additional, background vocals, guitar, mandolin
- Simon TownshendThe Who · 2002 · additional, background vocals, guitar, mandolin
Similar artists
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Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Bijou Drains, Pete Townshend - The Who's Tommy, PeteTownsend, Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend, Townsend, Pete
Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend is an English musician and songwriter. He is the co-founder, guitarist, keyboardist, second lead vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. His aggressive playing style, poetic songwriting techniques and authorship of two rock operas with the Who, as well as other projects, have earned him critical acclaim.
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Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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