Name
Pete Townshend
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1945-05-19 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
Chiswick, London, England, UK
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
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Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf...
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Based on the 1973 rock opera album of the same name by The Who, this is the story of 60s t...
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“12-12-12” was a fundraising concert to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy, it took pl...
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- 2016 Pete Townshend's Deep End - Face The Face as Self
- 1979 The Who: The Kids Are Alright as Self
- 1975 Tommy as Himself
- 2021 Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go! as Self (archive footage)
- 2008 The Who - At Kilburn 1977 as guitar
- Soon THE WHO Live At The Chicago Amphitheater 1979 as Himself
- 1968 Monterey Pop as Self - The Who
- 2004 Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? as Self
- 2023 Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd as Self
- 1994 The Who: Maximum R&B Live as Himself
- 1999 Classic Albums: The Who - Who's Next as Self
- 2004 The Who: Live in Boston as Himself
- 2014 Led Zeppelin Played Here as Self (archive footage)
- 2017 The Who: Rock in Rio 2017 as guitar
- 2007 Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who as Self
- 2011 Acoustic at the BBC as Self
- 1998 Listening to You: The Who Live at the Isle of Wight as Himself
- 2021 Classic Albums: The Who Sell Out as Himself
- 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - The Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as Self
- 1979 The Secret Policeman's Ball as Himself
- 2008 Beat Club: The 40th Anniversary Edition as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation as Self
- 2013 Quadrophenia: Can You See the Real Me? as Himself
- 2022 The Who: One Band's Explosive Story as Self - The Who Member
- 2000 The Beatles Revolution as Self
- 1966 Carousella as himself
- 2012 The Who: Live in Texas '75 as Himself
- 2006 The Passing Show: The Life and Music of Ronnie Lane as Himself
- 2000 The Who & Special Guests: Live At The Royal Albert Hall as Self - Lead Guitar / Vocals
- 2006 The Who: BBC Electric Proms as Himself
- 1985 White City as Pete Fountain
- 2013 The Who: Sensation - The Making of Tommy as Himself
- 2014 The Who: Sensation—The Story of Tommy as Himself
- 2016 Night Flight: Born Again as Self
- 2006 The Who: Quadrophenia Live With Special Guests as Pete Townshend
- 1999 The Who - Who's Next 1971-2023 as Self
- 2015 The Who: French TV Archives 1965-1967
- 1994 A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who as Self
- 2006 The Who – Broadcast In Roundhouse Electric Proms 2006
- 2009 The Who: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 as Himselft
- 1982 The Secret Policeman's Other Ball as Self
- 2004 One For The Road: Ronnie Lane Memorial Concert as Self
- 2007 Dear Mr. Fantasy - A Celebration for Jim Capaldi as Himself
- 1999 Pete Townshend - Letterman Compilation 1985-1999 as self
- 1985 Pete Townshend - South Bank Show Documentary as self
- 2003 Brian Wilson: On Tour as Self
- 1967 The Lost Paths as Himself
- 1996 Pete Townshend - Live at Fillmore West, April 30th, 1996 as guitar, vocals
- 2022 The Who Hits 50! Live
- 2015 Classic Quadrophenia as Self
- 1982 The Who: Live at Shea Stadium 1982 as Self
- 2014 Lambert & Stamp as Himself
- 2002 Pete Townshend: Music from Lifehouse
- 1973 Jimi Hendrix as Self
- 2014 Woodstock: Untold Stories Revisited as Self
- 2002 Monterey Pop - The Outtake Performances as The Who
- 2009 Woodstock: Untold Stories
- 1985 The Who at Live Aid
- 2005 The Britpop Story 'It Really, Really, Really, Could Happen' as Self (archive footage)
- 1982 Video EP: Pete Townshend
- 2015 The Who: Live in Hyde Park as Himself - guitarist, vocals
- 2014 Lennon or McCartney as Self
- 2006 The Who: Live at Lyon as Himself (Guitars, Vocals)
- 2023 The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley
- 2004 Police Protecting Children - Internet Paedophilia as Self
- 1969 Heads as Self
- 1984 The Who: Live from Toronto
- 2014 Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall as Self
- 2003 Mayor of the Sunset Strip as Self
- 2008 The Who: Live at the London Coliseum 1969 as Himself - guitars, vocals
- 2006 The Who: Tommy Live With Special Guests as Self
- 2009 Rachel Fuller presents: In the Attic with Pete Townshend & Friends as Self
- 2006 An Ox's Tale: The John Entwistle Story as Himself
- 2017 The Who: Live at the Isle of Wight 2004 Festival as Self
- 2001 Being Mick as Self
- 1996 The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus as Self - Guitar
- 1981 Concerts for the People of Kampuchea as Self
- 1965 Seize millions de jeunes: Mods as Interviewee
- 2017 The Who: Tommy Live at The Royal Albert Hall as Himself – guitars, vocals
- 2015 Jean-Michel Jarre: A Journey into Sound as Self
- 1985 Live Aid as Self
- 1983 The Who Rocks America 1982 as Himself
- 2018 Bad Reputation as Self
- 1970 The Who – Live At Tanglewood 1970 as Himself
- Soon The Who - Live at the Silverdome as Himself
- 2014 The Who: Quadrophenia - Live in London
- 1973 Sound of the City: London 1964-73 as Self
- 1970 Woodstock as Self - The Who
- 2019 The Night That Changed Rock
- 2007 The Who: Fragments Fan Club DVD as Himself
- 2005 Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today as Self
- 1993 Pete Townshend Live in New York Featuring Psychoderelict as Himself
- Soon The Who: Vancouver 10/8/2006
- Soon The Who: Philadelphia 11/25/2006
- 2006 The Who: Philadelphia 9/12/2006
- 2006 The Who: Monte Carlo 7/15/2006
- 2007 The Who: Fresno 2/25/2007
- 2006 The Who: Nyon 7/20/2006
- 2007 The Who: Dublin 6/29/2007
- 2006 The Who: Grand Rapids 12/5/2006
- 2006 The Who: Werchter 6/30/2006
- 2007 The Who: Atlantic City 3/9/2007
- 2007 The Who: Lisbon 5/16/2007
- 2006 The Who: Palm Springs 11/11/2006
- 2007 The Who: Cheshire 6/23/2007
- 2012 12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief as Self
- 2005 The World's Greatest Gigs
- 2006 The Who: Brighton 6/18/2006
- 2006 The Who: Hampshire 7/3/2006
- 2006 The Who: Liverpool 7/5/2006
- 2008 VH1 Rock Honors: The Who as Self
- 2006 The Who: Liverpool 7/6/2006
- 2006 The Who: Glasgow 7/9/2006
- 2006 The Who: Metz 7/18/2006
- 2006 The Who: St. Polten 7/22/2006
- 2006 The Who: Ulm 7/23/2006
- 2006 The Who: Bonn 7/11/2006
- 2006 The Who: Lyon 7/17/2006
- 2006 The Who: Dublin 7/8/2006
- 2006 The Who: Locarno 7/14/2006
- 2011 The Who: Purple Hearts and Power Chords
- 1989 The Who | Live, Featuring the Rock Opera Tommy as Self - Guitars & Vocals / Mr. Walker / Mrs. Walker / Narrator
- 2005 The Who | Tommy and Quadrophenia Live as Self - Guitar, Vocals
- 2004 Live Aid
- 2021 Mick Fleetwood and Friends: Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac as Self
- 2019 The Who: The Night That Changed Rock as Self
- 2006 The Who: Zaragoza 7/29/2006
- 2006 The Who: Madrid 7/27/2006
- 2006 The Who: Wantagh 9/13/2006
- 2006 The Who: Boston 9/16/2006
- 2006 The Who: Holmdel 9/21/2006
- 2006 The Who: Baltimore 9/23/2006
- 1993 The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb as Voice
- 2015 It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC as Self (archive footage)
- 1987 Jimi Plays Monterey as Self (archive footage)
- 2007 The Who: Stockholm 7/6/2007
- 2025 The Session Man as Self
- 1996 1996 VH1 Honors
- 2018 Come Together The Rise of the Festival
- 1982 All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes as Self
- 2023 The Who: Who's Next - Life House Super Deluxe Edition
- 2026 Billy Idol Should Be Dead as Self
- 2020 The Shadows At Sixty as Self
- 2026 The Who: Quadrophenia Super Deluxe Edition
- 2025 The Rock Prophet: The Story of Link Wray as Self
- 2008 Smashing Pumpkins: If All Goes Wrong as Self
- Soon The Story of Quadrophenia as Self
- 2012 London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony: A Symphony of British Music as Self
- 2026 Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes as Self
- 1989 The Simpsons ( 1 episode ) as Pete Townshend (voice)
- 1964 Top of the Pops ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1976 The Secret Policeman's Ball ( 15 episodes ) as Self
- 2006 VH1 Rock Honors ( 1 episode )
- 1999 Where Are They Now? ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1978 The Kennedy Center Honors ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1975 Les Rendez-vous du dimanche ( 1 episode ) as Self - The Who
- 1967 Omnibus ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2014 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1974 Rockpalast ( 1 episode ) as Self (guitar vocal)
- 1987 Na siehste! ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1997 Behind the Music ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1997 Classic Albums ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1971 Great Performances ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1989 MTV Rockumentary ( 1 episode )
- 1974 Rockpalast ( 1 episode )
- 2025 Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World ( 3 episodes ) as Self
- 2015 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2015 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ( 1 episode ) as Self - Musical Guest
- 1977 The BRIT Awards ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1993 Late Show with David Letterman ( 1 episode ) as Self - Guest
- 1964 Seize millions de jeunes ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1996 TFI Friday ( 1 episode )
