Pete Townshend has speculated that he took to smashing guitars on stage in response to his father refusing to support his youthful musical ambitions.
When the Who became famous, Townshend became equally well-known for his aggressive acts towards his instruments.
And although he’s long since stopped breaking them, he hasn’t stopped wondering why he did it at all.
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“I was a geeky young kid with a big nose who wanted to be an artist or a journalist – not play in a rock band,” Townshend told the New York Times in a recent interview.
“My father, a brilliant musician, didn’t believe in me and allowed my grandmother to buy me a fucking old guitar that I couldn’t play.
“Some of my guitar-smashing antics probably started because it had become a symbol for me of the way my father had not considered me worthy of a decent instrument.”
Townshend also recalled why rock music became important to him, despite his initial lack of interest. “When I wrote the Who’s first hit, “‘I Can’t Explain,’ a deputation of five boys and a girl at the Goldhawk Social Club, where we used to perform, said: ‘That’s just it — we don’t have the words. We can’t explain. We want you to write more songs like this.’
“And I realized I’d been given a fantastic job, which is to speak for this audience.” He added: “Those first Who songs, like ‘My Generation’ and ‘Pictures of Lily,’ were tied into giving our audience members a sense that they’re not alone. So for me, rock music was hugely important.”
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The guitarist went on to explain how a musician can be separated from their vision: “The swindle starts when you become a property and don’t belong to your fans anymore. You belong to record companies, to promoters, to managers.
“The audience worships you for what you’ve done years before. They’re not interested in anything new.”
That thought remained in Townshend’s mind, he suggested, as the band decide what to do after their current tour, which may or may not be their farewell.
“For Roger and I, it’s difficult to do anything other than feel like we’re a Who tribute band,” he said.
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Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
