Born in Chiswick, London just ten days after the German surrender in 1945, Townshend grows up in a typical middle-class home. His parents, Cliff and Betty Townshend, are both musicians, and as a child he accompanies them on dance band tours. Townshend starts playing guitar at 12. He goes to art school and, after several stints in local semi-professional bands, forms the rock group "The Who" in 1963 with singer Roger Daltrey, bass player John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. "The Who" start out as the ultimate, violent anti-establishment band; they soon gain notoriety for ear-splitting live performances, smashing their equipment on stage and wrecking hotel rooms, leaving havoc everywhere they go. As the group's mastermind and main songwriter, Townshend later establishes himself as an eminent musical auteur and the thinking man's rock guitarist after penning such now legendary concept albums as "Tommy", the abandoned "Lifehouse" and "Quadrophenia", which combine the energy of rock'n'roll with the orchestral and thematic ambitions of opera. After Keith Moon's accidental death in 1978 and a few unconvincing farewell tours with new drummer Kenney Jones, "The Who" break up. The 80's find Townshend struggling with his identity as an aging rock godfather, fighting drug problems and increasing hearing troubles. In 1989, he roars back with a 25th anniversary tour of "The Who", later a Broadway revival of "Tommy" (an eventual Tony winner) and several other ambitious musical, theater and film projects. Widely known as the windmilling, leaping about guitarist for "The Who", Townshend is also a premier songwriter, accurately self-reflective lyricist and inspired multi-media entrepreneur. Both "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia" were made into energetic films. "The Kids are alright", the band's biography movie, is interesting not only for "The Who" fans, but also from a filmmaker's point of view. Townsend's haunting songs have been used on the sountrack of countless pictures. He stands out as one of rock music's most gifted and influential artists who has, despite being forever tied to the rebellious image of his youth, decided to somehow grow old with dignity.


Has three children: Emma (born in 1969), Aminta (born in 1971) and Joseph (born in 1989). Daughter, Emma, is now a recording artist in her own right. His mother Betty was a singer. When he was a young boy, his parents separated and left him with his maternal grandmother, who was clinically insane. Officially left The Who in late 1983, one year after the band completed its "farewell" tour. At the time of the tour, the band had said they would continue to record and play live sporadically, but after rehearsing new material the following year, Townshend decided it was time to pack it in. They continue to play live and even tour on occasion, as bands often do after breaking up. Overcame serious drug and alchohol addictions in early 1982, in what was called a "miracle cure." Best known songs penned by Townshend include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Tommy, Can You Hear Me?", "See Me, Feel Me", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Behind Blue Eyes", "Baba o' Riley", and "Who are You?" Kicked Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock when Hoffman interrupted The Who's performance to complain about the festival and to make a speech about imprisoned radical John Sinclair. When The Who appeared on "The Simpsons" (1989) in 2000, Townshend was actually played by his brother, Paul. He was awarded the 1997 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Outstanding Musical Production of 1996 for Tommy performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre with John Entwistle. The Who were voted the 29th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone. According to Dave Marsh in "Before I Get Old," Pete started to learn the guitar, but soon gave it up to learn to play the banjo for a Trad Jazz band he was in (the Confederates). It was only after he got into a fight with the band he was playing with that he again took up the guitar. The cousins in the movie Tommy, who babysat for the young Tommy was an insight from Pete's childhood. His mother, who was quite promiscuous, made Pete call the men she brought home, uncle. The Who won the British Phonographic Industry Award for Outstanding Contribution in 1988. The TV series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000) and its spin-offs "CSI: Miami" (2002) and "CSI: NY" (2004) all use songs by Townshend/The Who as their theme songs: "Who are you", "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley". Helped Eric Clapton kick his heroin addiction. To repay Townshend, Clapton agreed to appear in Tommy (1975). First noted rock musician to donate his service to Amnesty International, playing three songs at its 1979 benefit show The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979). Is the best friend of Roger Daltrey, and the two are the only surviving members of The Who. Has guest appeared as lead guitarist on recordings of Elton John, David Bowie and Mick Jagger among others.