Pete Townshend @ SXSW 2007

[michaelpilot1000]

Now Townshend is at the centre of a police investigation into British users of US-based pay-to-view child pornography sites. The millionaire rock star has admitted paying to access one of the websites but has claimed he did so "purely to see what was there".

[Doitchampions]

LEGEND

[SuperWhofan1]

@SKINmodHEAD, he is a great guitarist!

Plays a flamenco style guitar that has never been seen in rock before. He is original and that is what rock is all about, not who can play technically the best. Those guitarists are a dime a dozen and never stand out or write anything worth remembering.

Doubt your 15 year cousin can play and strum like Pete and have his passion or taslent for music or lyrics.

[amr7037]

i love the who solo stuff but ijus dont get why so many silly musicals i meen wats it all about,reg phyco derelict@white city and all i dont get i wonder if petes a freemason i mean unless u follow dees guys from dee start then u get what there saying now,or simply im dumb but dee endless nonsense recent stuff was boring@miserable i mean wats wid alldee silly moosicals plees help,wats it all about alfie?

[SterlingRe]

The overall skill of a musician is to complement his fellow band members to allow for great music. Therefore Pete is a very good guitarist. Pete also did some amazing acoustic work which is easy to overlook. The lead versus rhythm talk is ludicrous. You don't need to be ripping off runs to be a lead guitarist.. Unbelievable songwriter, great vocals, good guitarist, and his solo albums are so good they rival some of the Who's stuff. Pete is the very definition of a Rock Legend.

[FrameBassman]

This acoustic guitar is cool!!

[texadillo53]

Pete was a great writer, but in his own words he picked Ray Davies as the best song writer.

[lonelyboylv]

Did some idiot just say that Peter Green was a beter songwriter? Thats laughable. Must be a German.

[TORGHOOVER]

Solos do not alone make a great guitarist. Shredding does not alone make a great guitarist. Pete is a great guitarist. The best right hand in the buisness. His chords are more impressive than most guys shreds, and he used feedback berter than anybody. And no one in hard rocks gets such a sweet acoustic sound as PT.

[nogingerfool]

Nonce

[MrTrajan69]

Pete Townshend is the greatest "ALL AROUND", singer/songwriter/producer/mus­ician/showman/performer only Paul McCartney comes close. Pete can play any instrument.

[dersh65]

No need to go through all that...Pete is a Musical Genius...period.

[williheckaslike]

Absolutely stunning guitar playing....One of the greatest, is our Pete....

[playidd76]

True legend.

[lekezenman]

Time for un-blinding yourself , commentors , so-called fans-of:

THE WHO is not an agresiverock-band,it' the surface...and they give it to you, coz you seem to see , let-alone UNDER-stand nothing else...

The WHO, sir , is - purely financially spoken that is - the most Pounds-giving-away -to-charity -band of the UK!

Clear-up yourself...enjoy THE music...

[mrtamberineman123]

NOT A BAD PERFORMANCE, still not quite as good ERIC CLAPTONs solo performances.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE WHO but i never quite got Pete.

[dersh65]

If you love the Who, you get Pete. Pete IS the Who. He is the Mozart of our times.... a musical genius!!

[mrtamberineman123]

HE WAS NOT THE WHO YOU ASSHOLE.

He played a big part as the songwriter like John did with his unique and effective bass playing.

.

Personaly i just dont like him, BUT I CAN STILL LOVE THE WHO.

[lemmy351]

Townshend songwriter yeah, but he wrote pracatically all the whole WHO catalogue also musically & lyrically, all the concepts & storeis /rock opera's, opera inspired movies(apart from about 6 or7 tracks from Entwhistle) which is, it has to be said, what made the WHO stand out from other bands of there era. Also early keyboard and synth programming Won't Get Fooled Again, Baba O'Reilly. Townshend did alot along with writing the lyrics, but thats my view. I love John Entwhistle!

[dersh65]

I love Johnny too....I was sad as hell when he died. But Pete is a fucking musical genius!!!!

[mrtamberineman123]

He is a songwriting and composing genious, but he is a crap guitarist who cant do solos.

[lemmy351]

Thats the point about Pete, he's good in a different way. Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton are all good in the same way, there good at blues scale pentatonic rooted lead guitar. I never liked the Who at all cause the solos didnt match up to these other guy's . & then I moved on & got bored of blues started listening to Jazz & then got into the Who cause there was more depth in the writing & musical ideas. I started not to notice his lead playing. He does sound crap at lead at times live.

[dersh65]

It's not all about the technicality. It's about feeling. If you've ever seen Pete in concert, you'd know what I mean.

[dersh65]

I love the Ox...greatest bassist of all time.

I love Moonie..Greatest drummer of all time.

Roger...greatest rock singer of all time.

Pete... The Master...No one can compose a song like him. A great guitarist, songwriter, showman..There is no one better...PERIOD!!!!!

[mrtamberineman123]

What about Jimmy Page hes a much better guitarist and songwriter?

What about Peter green hes also a much better guitarist and a better songwriter.

Anyway i guess its all down to personal opinion in the end, neither of us are right and neither of us is wrong, you like Pete i dont.

But we still both love the Who.

[dersh65]

It was actually Page/Plant that wrote the songs. Page is a great guitarist, but songwriting goes to Pete all the way. He's in the process of writing a new rock opera due to come out in 2010. Can't wait. The man never disappoints.

Peter Green shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath. Was never a big Fleetwood Mac fan.

How about Jimi Hendrix?

[SKINmodHEAD]

Fuck yeah, dude!

Pete Townshend is not a good lead guitarist at all. He's a great rhythm guitarist, but I mean...so is my 15 year old cousin!

I think Page blows him out of the water as far as PLAYING goes...but I have to disagree with you with saying Page writes better songs. Townshend is clearly a better songwriter.

The Who is one of my favorite bands, Townshend is one of my favorite rock icons, one of my favorite guitarists too...but to say he's a "great guitarist" is RIDICULOUS.

[PindamonhaMAN]

@SKINmodHEAD lol at a 15 year old beeing a better strummer than Townshend

[jennincl]

@SKINmodHEAD

If you can repeat this comment after listening to Young Man's Blues from Live at Leeds at full volume, then you might need therapy.

[manaledo]

One of the best

Checkout Lobelia Sound Clover

comment if you please

[travasjf]

this song is awesome, this stumming is pretty good. Especially in the 2001 Dvdthat the who released.

[manaledo]

Pete Townsend is a guitar genius he made a mistake an error of judgement he was scapegoated by the gutter press at the time who didn't report all the facts of the case. He has been a tireless campaigner against abuse of children and saw the potential danger of the internet years before many others. Feenybro clearly has some issues and i believe requires our sympathy.

[DoubleIntruder]

If he was against it though why would he give his credit card details & pay for access to child pornography?

He only came up with the "research" story after they had caught him..

Do you think he would have gone public & said he'd been doing all this research if they didn't manage to trace his name to illegally paying for & viewing child pornography?

Did he ever release that book he was supposedly researching?

[manaledo]

Before i repy let me say that what he did was clearly stupid and my comments are based on what i have read. I'm not sure if he "paid" for anything he certainly didn't download any images.

You assume he came up with the research excuse.

He wrote extensively and spoke about child abuse prior to being "caught". I believe he is still working on his autobiography.

I'm not gong to bother with any further comments as you have probably already made your mind up?

[hottemperwind]

Idiots like Feenybro just want attention. They don't know anything and want the whole world to be impressed by their ignorance.

[manaledo]

What about LObelia Sound?

[lemmy351]

I agree with you ryan49321 ,Pete's done alot of good,alot more good than harm. I've been listening to the WHO since the early days, Pete's written great music for over 40 yrs, I'm not gonna stop listening to his music now & define him by 1 stupid thing that he did.Most people comprehend a guy like Townshend is already punished from having his arrest public knowledge,that is the NEGATIVE side of being 'Rich & powerfull',everyone knows about it,he'll never escape that.That IS punishment in my eyes

[ryan49321]

No matter what, if he did or didnt, hes a fucking guitar guru. Hes done more good on this planet

[alvin01]

Oh no! please dont be angry with me fannybro, cause if you get angry and call me a pedo lover that means then u are right about everything boo hoo.U dont know that I 'buy' any excuse any more than I know who u are.Yeah, u must be right,its ME, I'm letting Pete get away with 'IT'.Yeah 'IT'.& so u feel u need to point out to me(the 'dipshit')'P.Townshend was put on sex offenders register'....so how is he getting away with it? u hysterical Dipshit. Townshend was made face his actions in public.

[feenybro]

ohh btw, the MJ comparison is completly valid.

Mj was allowed to get away with his crime due to his power and money.

Townsend is the same

Look at any other person charged with the same offence with similar evidence to townsend.

they are in prison, and for good reason.

Your whiney baseless counter claims only serve to prove what a pedo loving nobjockey you truly are.

Pete Townsend was added to the Sex offenders Register for his crimes.

[alvin01]

feenybro: SEE WHAT I MEAN, NOW I'M A PEDO AM I? So how many others? yeah I know ur answer, ANYONE WHO DOESNT CALL TOWMSHEND A PEDO MUST BE A PEDO THEMSELVES,even if they just want to listen to his music.Calling me names hiding behind ur computer,if there is a way to discuss this face 2 face with u I will do it. I already know he was added to the register. EVERONE fucking knows it INTERNATIONALLY. And everyone knows he didnt abuse anyone, life goes on. Ur psychotic posts speak volumes.

[feenybro]

I called you a Pedo lover ,and yes you are

youve already proven that with your sympathy for pedo pete and his delusional stories about research. (if you want to do that, you go to the social work dept or police, thats the correct channels)

no one buys that B S excuse

And you're just a little Fanny who allows him to get away with it by supporting his shit pedo music in complete denial about his murky past..

good luck with that pedo lover

YES PEDO LOVER!!

You get that DIPSHIT

[HowardIrwin]

Ignorant Twat

[Mugsycache14567]

You write:

Look at any other person charged with the same offence with similar evidence to townsend.

He was never charged. End of argument.

[alvin01]

He was charged with accessing an illegal website ,thats why he was put on the sex offenders register. He was investigated forensically & that porved he did not download any images. He co-funds 2 high profile anti-abuse organisations for a long time.PLENTY of ordinary /non-celeb people convicted of actually posessing illegal images do not go to Jail. They are featured in daily newspapers every single week. They are put on the register. The punishment partly public exposure.

[feenybro]

Actually he was you fucking pedo parasite AND he was put on the Sex Offenders Register for his crimes

You daft deluded twat

Suffering from Michael Jackson syndrome?

Empathise with the pedo pete's mind do you?

Cant accept the FACT that he knowingly gave his credit card details and paid for kiddie porn?

Seems ur the one that has problems absorbing the truth

im out of here before the pedo Pete defence bandwagon jump on this.

Fuck Townsend and u, he is a ped0

[Adaiga]

I was there!

[95cooks]

This guy is fantastic as a player-- way under-rated -- and as a songwriter. What an excellent song this is.

[juninhoratone]

Gênio

[juninhoratone]

Gênio

[Andyteetwo]

Let me be stormy, let me be calm

Let the tide in

[pier23ca]

Peteophile rocks.

[nonmodernpierre]

That's pretty rich coming from you. Anyone who wants to know more about pier23ca (Pierre Johnson) click on his website in his profile to see what a whacko he is . But do this after you paste what is below into google (remember to include the commas). It is his entry on the register of sex offenders.

"Pierre Johnson" +"460939"

[alvin01]

you must have hit a nerve there cause pier23ca closed his account! I love Pete ,alway's will , couldnt care less what anyone say's about him, the publics neurosis and immaturity about what they think they know about Townshend is laughable. Here is a guy that had a very public media frenzied investigation into ALL downloads on ALL his computers,& he did access a site, and he DID notify the(anti-abuse) internet watch organisations about it. And he did NOT download any images. Pete is genuine.

[johnjarvo]

No smoke without fire boyo...

[alvin01]

'smoke&fire' ,an acceptable comment for sure, but its the premise that a person seeing an image of this type of porn MAKES them a peadophile (cause someone on youtube who hates Townshend says so & wants it to be so)No-one should expose themselves to these images but there are judgements on Townshend here that are complete Hysteria & it has become witch hunting.

[igypsy]

Finally someone commmoneting on youtube with a frank and accurate portrayal of events, keep it up, its refreshing.

[johnjarvo]

Townshend's music with the Who was the biz, but he swims in dangerous water. Outspoken he may be, but sometimes he's a Prat. Why doesn't he retire quietly; these days he has nothing relevant to say and he lives on past glories...Shame...

[feenybro]

yeah alvin01 and its dipshits like YOU that allow pedos like townsend to operate and get away with bullshit excuses.

He was charged and is on the sex offenders register for using a credit card to pay a pedo site.

FACT

By registering at such a site he already downloaded images just by browsing but no images were found on his machine by the time police got the machine

Sound like the actions of someone innocent?

Giving money to ring leaders of pedo sites not crime enough for you?

[alvin01]

And its dipshits like you defining who IS & who IS NOT a pedo so freely that tabloids cater for & love. U & ur Michael Jackson comparisons when Jackson had children sleeping in his fucking bed for yrs. As did Glitter.FACT he used his credit card to access that website.FACT I HAVE FUCK ALL TO DO WITH WHAT TOWNSHEND OR ANYONE GETS AWAY WITH.Fact:Townshend's correspondence with the abuse watch charity was produced in court.The same chairty changed there opinion(statement)on him when shown the facts

[feenybro]

he was charged you fukwit and added to the sex offenders register.

Any of this getting through you pedo loving trogladite?

No i guess not

Praying on children and giving credit card details to a pedo ring isnt crime enough for you?

Your posts speak volumes about you alvin pedo lover.

no charity changed any opinions, infact they stayed right out of it as he was put on the SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER AND CHARGED WITH THE CRIME...

FACT

Shove it up yer pedo loving arse alvin.

[msturn1975]

I didn't know you were a perv! That explains everything

[CrossroadsConnection]

Just so everyone is clear, Townshend was cleared of the charges brought against him...

[johnjarvo]

Yeah, but what the hell was he doing there in the first place...the silly old git...

[afar1]

Not so.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender.

[feenybro]

Just so your clear dipshit

Pete Townshend: Although he was not prosecuted, the rock legend was cautioned and put on the sex offenders' register in 2003 for looking at child pornography on the internet

The man is ON THE SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER

FACT

get over it

just like Micheal Jackson, he's rich and powerfull.

And he has assholes liek you trying to change the truth

Guess what

Hes a pedo and is on the register for it.

[KatManDoTwo]

Pete Townshend is the most articulate and interesting guy I've ever heard talk. I'd pay for a CD of his interviews. Also, he sure is a great musician

[eamonncake]

The reason he was researching child porn is because he was molested by his granny, and is obviously a hung up about it. All the people who investigated him confirmed he definitely did not download any images.

[dickcheney420]

The effect if child abuse pours out of Pete's music. I am surprised he wasn't hung out to dry, I am glad to see he is getting a chance to still play

[briteness]

Being charged with downloading child porn is a bit like being charged with being a witch in the past. The test for whether a person was a witch was to submerge them in water for a long time. If they lived, they were a witch. There was no way to win.

It is sad that some people automatically find Pete guilty because he was charged, although he was found innocent in a court of law.

[hottemperwind]

He was never charged and never brought to court. He was cautioned.

[alvin01]

who let him off?? He was put on the register and was in a major BBC documentary over it? He wasnt let off.He didnt download any images.Thats why he didnt go to jail. Another well known Rockstar DID , & he did go to Jail.You think we need you to think for us. I've been to 2 WHO concerts this year. I love Pete ,Roger/ The WHO & will continue to support them.

[hottemperwind]

Kingsberj1 is a annoying troll wanting attention. Piss off.

[Lifeislikeabeanstalk]

And on the 7th day God created . . . . Pete Townshend. Fucking incedible!!! Thanks for putting this up.

[softmints2]

yes, he made a mistake in getting invlolved with child pornography, but I dont see how this affects his music??

[hottemperwind]

It's also important to remember the only reason he did get involved was to try and help to remove it from the internet. His motives were purely innocent.

[jaydecay123]

Fuck you man the Who's music plays a major part in peoples everyday lives.

[SgtDeath75]

pfft, it's gonna take a whole boat load more than some juvenile moron on youtube named "mikehunt" telling me to not like the who for me to not like them.

[alvin01]

It was proved by police forensice he did not download even 1 photo.The anti-abuse charities he has worked for & help start up, supported his integrity in court. Stop making him out to be something more sinister .

[69keithmoon]

Fuck you JacquesZupp

[HenryPonds]

Lennon and McCartney wrote most of their SONGS alone do you really think Paul had anything to do with I AM THE WALRUS or John with YESTERDAY?? NOW...PTISGOD!!!

[Mugsycache14567]

Hi Henry..Is your face still like a curant bun? Dig the reference!

[theseeker515]

Pete is one of the greatest of all time, personally I think he is the greatest, more so than some of the other so called greats.

[JDChicago]

What woth noting is that whereas Lennon had McCartney Page/Plant

Jagger/Richards...Gilmour/Wate­rs...were legendary duos

Pete Townshend was more singularly responsible for the Who..

He "set up" everyones parts...including producing tracks and sound.

So In that way...Peter Townshend... stands by himself.

[GenmaSaotome]

All true. But let's not overlook how incredibly talented Entwhistle was on Bass and while Moon wasn't quite as broad a talent as Pete & John -- limiting The Who in some ways -- he was really, really good at what he could do.

[55qwerty]

You're right Lennon/McCartney

Jagger/Richards...Gilmour/Wate­rs... Townshend did it by himself...like Dylan...

[gibblespeak]

pete, you thought you'd got away with your child porn 'research' didnt you?how big is the book now? and full of pictures no doubt

[naleyan]

i think u will find accusing people of peadophilia is the governments standard way of keeping people from speaking. But unfortunately morons like u buy it along with all the other bullshit govs tell u , so fuck off & die I hope u get cancer fuck head

[gibblespeak]

by your own definition you must be below standard then loud mouth.

[carlychalmers]

he admitted entering the site with a credit card and he really didnt mean no harm and didnt download anything he was trying to get research for the book he wanted to be published this year and finds child porn disterbing and he excepted the caution because he shouldnt of even entered the site an he even between the ages 5 an 6half he was sexualy abused by a ill nan so fuckin leave him alone, watch ur fuckin mouth dick ed

[gibblespeak]

give us all a break.he used his credit card on a child pornography site for fucks sake whats wrong with you? he cant make that dissapear can he now?

[wat50ers]

What the hell does that have to do with this song?

[texasblakewfo]

He could be playing with a thumb pick because this song has a lot of finger picking.

[Rolltide1993]

your boring

[Zebonka]

lifehouse

[ejg4]

Pete seems to be playing with a thumbpic here. Anyone know about this? The thumbpic is difficult to strum with, I find, but Pete sure has got it down - fingerpicking in the beginning adds a lot to the song.

[naleyan]

we will only truly appreciate this man when hes dead

[slaveofgils]

why do you say that

[governorgilf]

I think he means that his legacy and contributions won't be fully recognized by most people until he's dead. I'm often amazed at how many people don't realize his talent and impact on music. He was so young when he started, and has had an amazing career with so many great songs and visions.

[jackmccarl]

pete townshend music at seeqpod dot com it's a great search engine for pete townshend and other favorites...

[Mattmcd1]

I should've gone down to see him...

[Tuningspork]

It's not a boring song, it's quite fantastic, and I had a great time seeing him do it live in 2004. That said, I'd rather see a video of one of the other songs he performed, especially I Can't Reach You.

[captaingiggles]

Pete Townshend is a gifted songwriter and guitar player. Hearing him play acoustic is great. I prefer him playing power chords on electric,but this is still music to my ears. Those critics who say 'boring' are themselves boring as they have nothing to really offer in a subjective way.

Long live rock&roll!

Captain.

[stratosdweller]

Boring? What kind of critique is that? Sounds like someone who doesn't like the music in the first place. If you know about Townshend, if you know his history, if you can relate to the song, it isn't boring

[ron956]

This is EXTREMELY BORING.

[fasima]

Hoping that 'I CaAn't Reach You' would appear on Youtube byt somone.... Drowned is nice but pretty much boring over played now...

[longliveWHO515]

Drowned is amazing especially when pete plays it solo on acoustic.... for shame.

[HenryPonds]

I to would love to hear/see a alternate version of I Can't Reach You!...but as a WHO collector I can tell you that there is only 1version out there anywhere anyway anyhow the original Quick 1 version.