Pete Townshend | Guitar World

Bassist John Entwistle of the rock and roll band "The Who" performs onstage in February 1975.

"Bewildering technique that went way beyond any standard root/5th ideas": Listen to John Entwistle’s isolated bass on My Generation

By Nick Wells published 30 May 23

“You can’t talk about classic bass playing without mentioning The Who and Live at Leeds”

Nervosa perform in the music video for their song, Endless Ambition

From all-star extreme metal to riffs built entirely around ring modulators: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Matt Owen, Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Matt Parker published 30 March 23

Round out March in style with a playlist of killer six-string showings from Nervosa, Empire State Bastard, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Grentperez, CLT DRP, Enforcer, Charlie Cunningham and more

Group portrait of British rock band Free backstage in 1972. Left to right are singer Paul Rodgers, bassist Andy Fraser,drummer Simon Kirke and guitarist Paul Kossoff (1950 - 1976).

Andy Fraser: “It was me trying to impersonate Pete Townshend, who was, to me, the all-time greatest chord king”

By Nick Wells published 17 March 23

How Free’s worst ever gig inspired one of the most iconic bass solos in rock

Amps used by Pete Townshend and The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia for sale on Reverb

By Sam Roche published 5 July 22

Townshend’s signature Hiwatt CP103 amp head and Garcia’s customized Fender Bassman “Chrysler” combo are available now, though you’ll need deep pockets...

Pete Townshend performs with The Who in Buffalo, New York on July 18, 1989

Pete Townshend: "I was at an art school where the course was dedicated to breaking the rules, and I just drafted that into my work as a guitar player"

By Alan di Perna published 19 May 22

In this candid 1994 GW interview, The Who's six-string creative mastermind discusses his time with Page and Hendrix, Marshall stacks, his aggressive playing style, and more

Pete Townshend says he was planning to quit The Who before Keith Moon died

By Matt Owen last updated 9 May 22

The revelation comes in a Guitar World-exclusive excerpt from Townshend’s Audible Original, Somebody Saved Me, which arrives today (May 6)

Pete Townshend (left) and John Entwistle

Pete Townshend says the death of John Entwistle forced him to become a better guitarist

By Matt Owen published 15 February 22

The loss of Entwistle's nontraditional bass sound saw Townshend branch into new sonic territory with The Who, and put greater emphasis on soloing and practicing

The Who announce 29-date The Who Hits Back North American tour

By Matt Owen published 7 February 22

The comprehensive tour will be divided into two legs, and see the iconic rock outfit visit Madison Square Garden, Hard Rock Live and the New Orleans Jazz Festival

Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix

Roger Daltrey says Jimi Hendrix “stole Pete Townshend’s stage act completely”

By Matt Owen last updated 18 November 21

The claim, which was made in good humor, was followed by the observation that Buddy Guy was the true originator of guitar-playing stagecraft

The Who Amazing Journey documentary artwork

The Who’s definitive documentary, Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, can now be streamed for the first time on The Coda Collection

By Matt Owen published 13 July 21

A Guitar World exclusive clip ushers in the news, and sees Townshend and Daltrey recall the early gigs that contributed to the band's famed gear-smashing reputation

Pete Townshend of The Who performs on the opening night of the bands North American 2017 tour headlining Day 8 of the 50th Festival D'ete De Quebec (Quebec City Summer Festival) on the Main Stage at the Plaines D' Abraham on July 13, 2017 in Quebec City, Canada

Pete Townshend says he "invented the guitar tech"

By Richard Bienstock published 7 May 21

The Who legend talks finding the person to not only change his strings, but tune the guitar as well

Pete Townshend reveals his love for Thundercat's latest album, It Is What It Is

By Sam Roche published 16 February 21

“It’s so absolutely incredible, kind of like Sgt. Pepper's – it's been an obsession”

Aclam has introduced the Pete Townshend-inspired Windmiller

Aclam recreates Pete Townshend’s “clear fuzz dirge” tone with the Windmiller Preamp

By Richard Bienstock published 21 January 21

Achieve maximum R&B with new pedal based on the Who guitarist’s vintage Grampian 636 unit

Pete Townshend performing live onstage, smashing guitar against amplifier

Those guitars Pete Townshend smashed onstage with the Who? He glued them back together in order to smash them again

By Richard Bienstock published 15 October 20

“As long as the neck didn’t break you could glue the body back,” frontman Roger Daltrey explains

Pete Townshend, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Jackson

Pete Townshend reveals how he first connected Eddie Van Halen and Michael Jackson in tribute to late guitar legend

By Michael Astley-Brown published 7 October 20

The Who guitarist says he was asked to play on Thriller, but suggested EVH instead

Photos from the Peter Green tribute concert in London on 25 February 2020

The Peter Green tribute concert: 10 guitar highlights from David Gilmour, Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, Pete Townshend and more

By Scott Rowley last updated 27 February 20

We went to Mick Fleetwood & Friends’ celebration of Peter Green's music and this is what we learned

Footage of David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Kirk Hammett and more rehearsing for Peter Green tribute concert released

By Richard Bienstock published 25 February 20

“It’s important to recognize the profound impact Peter and the early Fleetwood Mac had on the world of music,” says Mick Fleetwood

Pete Townshend would smash a guitar again - but only for charity

By Richard Bienstock published 11 November 19

"I haven't smashed guitars for a long time - for me, it was an expression of youth,” the Who legend says

Pete Townshend: get the guitar sound and style

By Alex Bruce last updated 28 October 22

How to nail The Who icon's tone and playing approach

Guitar's biggest names tell us what really happened at Woodstock

By Alan di Perna published 1 October 19

Carlos Santana, Stephen Stills, Pete Townshend and more recall the trials and tribulations behind their era-defining performances