Pete Townshend
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1945-05-19 (79 years old)
Place of Birth
Chiswick, London, England, UK
Pete Townshend
Biography
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend (born 19 May 1945) is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career. His career with The Who spans more than forty years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s, and, according to Eddie Vedder, "possibly the greatest live band ever."
Townshend is the primary songwriter for The Who, having written well over one hundred songs for the band's eleven studio albums, including concept albums and the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia, plus popular rock and roll radio staples like Who's Next, and dozens more that appeared as non-album singles, bonus tracks on reissues, and tracks on rarities compilations like Odds & Sods. He has also written over one hundred songs that have appeared on his solo albums, as well as radio jingles and television theme songs. Although known primarily as a guitarist, he also plays other instruments such as keyboards, banjo, accordion, synthesiser, bass guitar and drums, on his own solo albums, several Who albums, and as a guest contributor to a wide array of other artists' recordings. Townshend has never had formal lessons in any of the instruments he plays.
Townshend has also been a contributor and author of newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, essays, books, and scripts, as well as collaborating as a lyricist (and composer) for many other musical acts. Townshend was ranked #3 in Dave Marsh's list of Best Guitarists in The New Book of Rock Lists, #10 in Gibson.com's list of the top fifty guitarists, and #50 in Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list: 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Townshend was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Who in 1990.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Pete Townshend, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known For
Acting
The Who - Live at the Silverdome
as Himself
(2023)
(2022)
The Who: One Band's Explosive Story
as Self - The Who Member
(2022)
(2021)
The Sparks Brothers
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2021)
Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go!
as Self (archive footage)
(2021)
Classic Albums: The Who Sell Out
as Himself
(2020)
(2019)
(2019)
(2019)
(2018)
Bad Reputation
as Self
(2017)
(2017)
The Who: Tommy Live at The Royal Albert Hall
as Himself – guitars, vocals
(2017)
The Who: Rock in Rio 2017
as guitar
(2016)
(2016)
Night Flight: Born Again
as Self
(2015)
The Who: Live in Hyde Park
as Himself - guitarist, vocals
(2015)
(2015)
(2015)
(2015)
Classic Quadrophenia
as Self
(2014)
Lennon or McCartney
as Self
(2014)
The Who: Sensation—The Story of Tommy
as Himself
(2014)
Led Zeppelin Played Here
as Self (archive footage)
(2014)
(2014)
Lambert & Stamp
as Himself
(2014)
(2014)
(2013)
The Who - The Making of Tommy
as Himself
(2013)
Quadrophenia: Can You See the Real Me?
as Himself
(2012)
(2012)
The Who: Live in Texas '75
as Himself
(2011)
(2011)
Acoustic at the BBC
as Self
(2009)
(2009)
(2009)
(2009)
(2008)
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
as Self
(2008)
The Who - Live at the London Coliseum 1969
as Himself - guitars, vocals
(2008)
The Who - At Kilburn 1977
as guitar
(2008)
Smashing Pumpkins: If All Goes Wrong
as Himself
(2008)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
The Who: Fragments Fan Club DVD
as Himself
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
An Ox's Tale: The John Entwistle Story
as Himself
(2006)
The Who: BBC Electric Proms
as Himself
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
The Who: Live at Lyon
as Himself (Guitars, Vocals)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
The Who: Quadrophenia Live With Special Guests
as Pete Townshend
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2005)
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
as Self
(2005)
The Who | Tommy and Quadrophenia Live
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
(2005)
The Britpop Story 'It Really, Really, Really, Could Happen'
as Self (archive footage)
(2005)
(2004)
(2004)
(2004)
One For The Road: Ronnie Lane Memorial Concert
as Pete Townshend
(2004)
The Who: Live in Boston
as Himself
(2004)
(2003)
Mayor of the Sunset Strip
as Self
(2003)
Brian Wilson: On Tour
as Self
(2002)
(2002)
(2001)
Being Mick
as Self
(2000)
The Beatles Revolution
as Self
(2000)
The Who & Special Guests: Live At The Royal Albert Hall
as Self - Lead Guitar / Vocals
(1999)
(1999)
(1999)
(1998)
(1996)
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
as Self - Guitar
(1996)
Pete Townshend - Live at Fillmore West, April 30th, 1996
as guitar, vocals
(1995)
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
as Self
(1994)
The Who: Maximum R&B Live
as Himself
(1994)
(1993)
(1993)
(1989)
The Who | Live, Featuring the Rock Opera Tommy
as Self - Guitars & Vocals / Mr. Walker / Mrs. Walker / Narrator
(1987)
Jimi Plays Monterey
as Self (archive footage)
(1985)
Live Aid
as Self
(1985)
White City
as Pete Fountain
(1985)
(1984)
(1983)
The Who Rocks America 1982
as Himself
(1982)
(1982)
(1982)
(1981)
(1979)
The Kids Are Alright
as Himself
(1979)
The Secret Policeman's Ball
as Himself
(1975)
Tommy
as Himself
(1973)
Jimi Hendrix
as Self
(1973)
(1970)
Woodstock
as Self - The Who
(1970)
The Who – Live At Tanglewood 1970
as Himself
(1969)
Heads
as Self
(1968)
Monterey Pop
as Self - The Who
(1967)
The Lost Paths
as Himself
(1966)
Carousella
as himself
(1965)
Seize millions de jeunes: Mods
as Interviewee
Crew
(2021)
Her Majesty
Executive Producer, Music
(2016)
A Silent Voice: The Movie
Main Title Theme Composer, Theme Song Performance
(2008)
(2006)
Cloud Chaser
Music
(2006)
(2002)
(1999)
The Iron Giant
Producer
(1999)
American Beauty
Thanks
(1986)
Dogs in Space
Thanks
(1985)
White City
Writer
(1979)
Quadrophenia
Executive Producer, Music Director, Story Consultant
(1976)
O Parvardigar
Music
(1975)
Tommy
Original Story, Original Concept, Original Music Composer
(1970)