Pete Townshend's Best Bits

[UniversalCaitlin]

This man is a fucking badass. I love him.

[EpiLPstandard]

what an abuse of fine equipment ... even though he's legend, it hurts a bit seeing all of that. I automatically imagine my guitars being smashed up and it is disturbing.

[SteelSkin667]

@EpiLPstandard The thing is, over the years he became more and more conscious of the value of the equipement he smashes. So these days he actually switches for a cheap chinese knockoff of a strat right before the last song and smashes that instead of the expensive Fender.

[SteelSkin667]

@SteelSkin667 My bad. It's actually Ritchie Blackmore that does that. Pete keeps smashing the real thing!

[MichaelHansenFUN]

1:40 woodstock different camera angle...

[majinbunda]

i feel so sad watching this, even thou i love the who!

[GrisuVoStammham]

In my opinion, Pete is the best guitar player after Jimmy Hendrix (R.I.P) and Eric Clapton, or maybe No2 together with Clapton ;)

[phlipashiz]

@MsGo69 are you high? townshend is a friggin legend!

[grgharrison9]

@MsGo69 he is one of the greatest guitarist this world has ever created

[grgharrison9]

one word: LEGEND 

[johanjegenberg]

hello Ivè just read å 600 pgs bigraphy on the subject. and I know as a follower thru the years how much the man has been thru as a person.... I wan`t to send my regards to Karen Townshend and of course to Roger.... and Meher Baba keeping this incredeble genius alive

[Dontwant2thinkofuser]

@MsGo69 Pete Townshend doesn't know how to play?

Really dipshit?

[zeppelinrocks100]

pete townshend wouldnt buy guitars, he'd steal them

[MystExia]

he is the most hated guitarist of all time, voted by all the guitar makers in the world.

[faltenpitt]

@MystExia No, he is the most loved guitarist of all time, voted by the guitar makers in the world. Bacause Pete always buy a new guitar..!!

[qdog568]

Pete's the shit!! Fuck the haters!!

[anm1107]

sorry pete i m a great fan of you but i can t accept this. think about guys like me who care about their expensive guitars

[juan13579run]

@anm1107 jaja is autodestructive art friend....and pete is the master

[carsonLILL]

I almost cried when he killed the SG

[carsonLILL]

So much anger...dang...

[MrFlowdo]

He just could give the guitars to me, instead of smashing them into peaces!:)

[LordCharles2nd]

Townshend is in the news this morning preaching about morality.This after watching several different kiddy porn videos and insisting it was for research,the fucking nonce wants his guitar smashing over his head,.

[MyQuesnel]

I wonder if it was frustration he was living with before he came out of the closet. No disrespect what so ever, just speculation. Anyone with an opinion on that?

[UglyGamer961]

Will he ever play the same guitar twice? Nope. Time to call the guitar rights activists.

[massimo52185]

è lui....la storia-certo oggi non ha senso, ma era il suo marchio, poi ripreso da ritchie blackmore-è fantastico....il messaggio rivoluzionario delle masse giovanili che nel bene e nel male hanno fatto storia e ci hanno sempre rappresentato nella loro musica

[alwaysRocknRoll4ever]

Pete Townshend is responsible for raping guitars for over 50 years now

[keithsa41]

@ 2:10 Pete looks like he shit his white pants.......cracking the guitar... Classic!

[theykillkenyubusters]

what an idiot. instead of breaking the fender stratocaster he could give it to me!

[magicalmysterytour4]

Fucking amazing.

[juanchoplazas]

this is a real fool man. dump!

[England5is5the5best]

Pete's up there with the great's of showbusiness=Gary Glitter,Michael Jackson,Billy Preston,Chris Langham

[Drewski2112]

@England5is5the5best Fuck you. You're too blind to read the facts.

[England5is5the5best]

@Drewski2112 You is stupid ameriikkkan,Pooski!

[GoodbyeRubyTu3sday]

As he said this is self-destructive ART!

I agree...THIS IS ART!!

[SnugglySara]

PETEY!!!!!!!!!

[moneyquickeasy]

This is dumb. Why destroy perfectly good instruments for the fun of it? You could just give it to one lucky audience member

[ruffles272]

all for show

[D0oD0oBrain]

@moneyquickeasy rock n roll.

[Ramonajunie3]

@moneyquickeasy because he's freaking pete townshend

[BobMillahhh]

I love the way half of the guitar smashings were him as an old man.

[stewgotz1]

..and that me' friends..is the end of the show..why? becuz' me' fookin' gee'taah is dead.

[ufolive1]

blackmore dose it the best

[tallon1138]

Circleone513 apparently you are not quite old enough to remember why he did it in the first place, it should be enough the cost of the equipment they destroyed was more than a lot of bands ever or will ever make in profit. It was The Who's own personal rebellion and act of defiance. Often imitated but never equaled. One of the very things that sets them apart.

[spacewithace1997]

Just think he wasn't some sissy that used those fake break away guitars he use the real things

[applecore9008]

wat a tough guy

[CircleOne513]

OK, let me preface this, I love The Who, and Pete is one of my favorite guitarists, but, I always kind of hate him when he destroys perfectly good pieces of equipment. Plus; it was cool the first couple times he did it back in the 60's, but now....it feels kinda lame and forced? Anyone? Is it just me?

[iamyourgod1988]

@CircleOne513 It does a bit to be honest, Pete's a legend.

He was one of the guitarists that first started to use Marshall amps, an amp company I really like, make great amps.

[filleone]

@CircleOne513 It's just a gimmick now

[CircleOne513]

@filleone So sad and so true

[metaframe2k]

02:47 Very nice ^^

[bassharmonica1]

in one of the last clips, did I see the son of Ringo Starr or something, case the drummer's nose was HUGE(and he kinda looked like young ringo.)

[PfcObrieski]

@bassharmonica1 yes, it's Ringo's son, Zak Starkey. He has been playing with the Who since '96

[VertigoWombat]

Barbarian 

[nobchop65]

What a fucking Dick.

[dbuttaccio]

On that guitar bounce at Woodstock - it wasn't really a smash up - he tosses it into the crowd or the pit in front of that stage - where is that guitar today? I am surprised nobody has ever asked about it or that it has never surfaced in say a Woodstock or rock n roll hall of fame due to that fact that Woodstock was such a historic event.

[gunn2040]

happy birthday pete

[BakiTheWhoFan]

Happy Birthday You Legend!!! :)

[klaritavital]

Hummm...I don´t like when they broke the instruments...it´s a shit!

[ejdbk]

wow,and i am still saving up for a fender p bass which i will get next year because i don't have enough money

[IdyFfid]

@ MrJenoptem, what would be entertaining or fun about that?

[focky1972]

1:40 to 2:00 OMG thats the sound of an SG in pain. :(

[ntn777]

now thats my friends is what I call a real rockstar!

[jelledegitaarman]

he could also just have given them to me

[MrJenoptem]

mean old bastard... instead of breaking the guitar he could have auctioned it for charity. 

[MouseCloth]

Idiot

[igSgtPepper]

Notace how the strat busts a lot more easily than the Les Paul. (its because the les pauls thicker)

[155016492]

no podes hacerle eso a una guitarra... me siento horrible por dentro..

[zairosup]

@155016492 simplemente porque el es grande, un idolo, alguien a quien seguilre sus pasos.

[Faddo94]

Thumbs up if you think that a spot with pete that try to smash a guitar but he can't it may be the world's best spot ever!!!!

[dadowdsta1]

Honestly, I feel that a guitar is a good stress reliever. If Pete has the itch to smash a guitar, then let him do it. There's plenty more guitarst out there that do that, yah I also feel there's a part that pisses a nice chunck of money down the drain, if there's a guitar to go smashin' it's either a Rogue or Squire. Don't be bustin' a Fly'n V er somethin'.

[hamajuggle]

Dude what the fuck... that's so stupid... I can almost feel the guitar's pain...

[FyreTiger2K]

#50 greatest guitarist of all time

[MrDunkJunk]

Another thing.. al the guitars he ruins are fucking expensive!!!!

I mean he ruins 5000 bucks worth of guitars @ every show..

[bensimps123]

@MrDunkJunk and he makes about 5000 million a show so your point?

[MrDunkJunk]

At 0:59 if I would've hit that cymbal with his hand he would cut off his own fingers.

The man is pretty dangerous.

And in the first guitar smash he gets hit in the head with his own equipment flying around the stage.

[steadfastcoward]

No bloody amp smashing? Come on! Where's all the fun?

[WannabeLyricist]

By best bits, I'm guessing you mean as in 'guitars in bits'...lol! :)

[el0chino]

I SO wanted him to do this in last year's superbowl halftime.. :-/

[EminemFan202]

Only Pete Towshend can make smashing a guitar an art, if someone from nowadays were to do it it would be gay.

[danning1]

@EminemFan202 Yeah, I know what you mean. It's kind of like saying "motherf--ker" is only funny if done by black comedians.

[MaceAce64]

wow broken 87 guitars on stage

this guy is awesome

[Linkdarkness]

I feel pain for the guitars.. I'm fucking serious

[findlaymcarthur]

WHAT A PEDOPHILE PETE IS ...

[accadaccasuperstar]

@findlaymcarthur that bullshitting ur saying is actually quite funny. get out of ur mum's basement u moron

[TheHandsomeCrab]

Have you forgotten so quickly that this guy is a paedophile?

[RCproductionspoop]

@TheHandsomeCrab Dude he is not a pedophile those were made up he was doing research on a book or something

[gunn2040]

@TheHandsomeCrab hes actually not he was trying to stop people from doing that but someone made it up and sorry to break the news to you about that, i know it turned you on : )

[PBANDSNOW]

@gunn2040 Why does he thinks hes a pedo?

[gunn2040]

@PBANDSNOW some people are desperate to get attention

[geridg]

hard to smash a Les Paul or SG. Very solid. Think he gave up at end of Woodstock show and just through it to the crowd.

[Darthymerej]

I bet he cannot do that today now that he is old heheheh. Pete townshend a legend and my typical Dad hehehe

[Darthymerej]

I bet he cannot do that today now that he is old heheheh

[TheInternetTroll100]

PeteTownshend is a music god. Pete's one of the greatest songwriters. Pete's the craziest guitar nut you will EVER have on stage. He's is the best guitar move inventor. He made our Hendrix a good boost. He and the Who put a real important change to the history of rock and roll. One of the most inspirational guitarists out there. unbeatable rhythm guitarist. and he was a GENIUS. he was a gift from God Himself, looks like he was born for this and he was, where would we be without Mr. Townshend?

[punkadelicfuzz]

i agree i dont like SG's that much but they get the best tone everything from sunshine of your love to AC/DC

[adampower1973]

Wow! Now that is talent! I typed in 'Pete Townshend at his best' ...and I got this video. He really looks... and is built like the guy you 'wouldn't fuck with'. I bet the roadies and sound guys love him!...and himself and his attitude in interviews is 'so' appealing! Also... like 'billions' of guys' he can play lead guitar like the guy next door...Unbelievable!

[SpiirytStarrchild]

1:00 I'm pretty sure he just beheaded somebody.

[gunn2040]

@SpiirytStarrchild hahaha yeah 

[DaFlameMastuh]

@hatemorethanyou999 and angus young

[lmTheWalrus]

Pete is the god in this art.

[YouCube7]

How akward will he be if the guitar wont break?

[gaankak08]

why did you smash your guitars, give them to me mate

[lmTheWalrus]

Smashing Gibson !?

[hatemorethanyou999]

Good riddens SGs suck!

[TheCottageConnection]

@hatemorethanyou999 what..they're the best

Robby Kriger has one

Jimmy Page

The list goes on

[TheCottageConnection]

10 people are knob heads

[blistersonmythumbs]

nah, he looked up kiddy pornno tho

[craigrichardellioott]

I love the who and Pete with a passion. But Jimi did it first and who gives a shit any way. Play the right fuckin notes! There are so many guitarists that are worlds beyond these ass holes! I love there music but the eminence front is a put on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ballsmccoy]

@craigrichardellioott When the Who were starting out, 1964, playing in small clubs, Pete was on such a small stage that when he raised his guitar head it got caught in the sheet rock ceiling and broke. So out of embarrassment and because the audience was laughing he started smashing his guitar -- over the next gigs people would come see the band just hoping to see the band break up their gear. THAT'S HISTORY.

[blistersonmythumbs]

hes still a paedo

[accadaccasuperstar]

@blistersonmythumbs like u i guess

[blistersonmythumbs]

@accadaccasuperstar not like me no.. i don't watch sickening porn, although well done for searching through weeks and weeks of comments to try and findn someone to reply to, you sad sad boy

[geoff1121]

he will do well in a zombie apocalypse

[EaglesStir]

He's a great guitarist, but it really kills me to see him do that to his guitars!

[england6is6the6best]

Good old uncle ernie?,You should all be ashamed for promoting this paedophile.

[accadaccasuperstar]

@england6is6the6best u faggot. he isnt a paedo. now get out ur mums basement before i embed my sg in your head

[Pulsar205]

You do all realise this is mental. Pete's a great guitarist but anyone can do stupid things for the audience.

[gunn2040]

roger still kicks ass

[gunn2040]

nooooooooooooo not the strat nnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooo

[1399jn]

btw its pete townsend not townshend

[gunn2040]

@1399jn no its townshend

[kinksbeatlesstones]

That Strat seems a bit heavier than it used to for poor old pete!

[Heisenberg85]

Les pauls are crap.

[superlou1s]

@Heisenberg85- Only if you find one that's crap. That are thousands of amazing Les Pauls out there- they can be spectacular guitars. I personally prefer SG's-  gotta love that neck joint.

[brandinator22]

@Heisenberg85

haha like

[SherwinDawson1]

at :40 i was like: no no not the les paul!

[youallstare]

"and this is why we cant have nice things" haha the man can play a guitar and smash it well :)

[soccerlu08]

as someone who is trying to save up to get a good guitar (Gibson SG), this hurts to watch. I read in an article back in the day he smashed a Gibson that would be worth over 50K today. And in total he has smashed close to $1 million dollars worth in guitars

[nkmcfrln]

@soccerlu08 the sg specials that pete was using during the tommy era were budget priced and that was one of the reasons that he used them. he stopped using them when he couldn't find them any more and gibson changed the spec of the special. did you buy yourself an sg yet? did you get a classic? that was the new spec that pete didn't like. there is only one guitar that pete ever regretted smashing - that he didn't intend too - and he claims all the others wouldn't be of any real value today.

[soccerlu08]

@nkmcfrln oh ok, well knowing that they wouldn't be considered collectibles now does make me feel a little better. I ended up not getting an SG, I got a used Epiphone Sheraton II which I freaking love!

[nkmcfrln]

@soccerlu08 that's good. if your still interested in an sg sometime down the road you should check out the classic if you haven't already. aside from the bridge and the tuners i don't thing there is any real difference between what pete was using. pete's sg specials came with Bigsbys that he removed. if you look at the woodstock footage you can see where they were mounted.

[nkmcfrln]

I appreciate your comment, you little fucking dork. That's a real raw, sexy, fluid version of 'Heartbreaker' you've got going there. Did your pantywaist, nerd, lawyer of a coward dad, buy you all the gear to play in your rec room? I'm sure that a kid from your background can relate to the violence of the Who's stage performances in their prime, Petes' lyrics and the especially the lead singer.

[bassaholicpong]

i rather let him smash my face instead of those Eric Clapton Fender.

[darthesgoobis123]

our rythym guitarist pulled a pete when we were playing wont get fooled again to our school shame wee we're only half way through he had to borrow a school guitar which he also smashed so we all got detention (but we got laid :P)

[LockedPig]

Guitar KiIler

[guitarist0123]

... there were no guitars harmed in the making of this video

[crysisgamer81]

@guitarist0123 i bet they were..

[nkmcfrln]

i did the pete townshend at woodstock bit at some girls party with her guitar. everyone screamed!

[TasOMW]

@nkmcfrln good for you

[gunn2040]

@nkmcfrln i think i would have hugged you

[nkmcfrln]

@gunn2040 that's nice. i actually smashed the girls' guitar and she was cool with it. somebody ran her long distance up to over $5,0000 over one summer, so what's a guitar?

[gunn2040]

@nkmcfrln haha cool she must be awesome

[nkmcfrln]

@gunn2040 she's irish, just like you!

[gunn2040]

@nkmcfrln col haha where does she live im not acting like a peado or anything im just wondering if you dont want to say ill understand

[gunn2040]

@nkmcfrln haha cool thats awesome where does she live, im not acting like a peado or anything i was just wondering and if you dont want to say then ill understand

[nkmcfrln]

@gunn2040 I'm in Canada. I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. That's how I know her. I was friends with her younger brother. I moved, but she still lives there.

[gunn2040]

@nkmcfrln cool thats awesome

[thewhochilipeppersU2]

@nkmcfrln haha nice work :D

[albertttful]

fantastique

[beatlegirl456]

Man, Pete still has that spirit :D

[smokemygranny]

Pete Townshend has done more for charity and charitable events than 95% of other showbiz/stars and he has paid his dues more than once. so calling him an asshole and cussing him for mashing up his own guitars is pathetic, if it bothers people so much, just think how much work he gives to the wood industry.

[Norbancs]

@smokemygranny ,,just think how much work he gives to the wood industry" -> just think how many trees he kills :D

Even he could not smash a solid sg at 1:55 :D

[MusicIsDeadToday]

@smokemygranny I'd also like to add, They should type in The Who if they don't want to see instruments being smashed. There is a reason I called them "The explosive Who"

[Fenderwolf95]

@avi5952 Did you just call the greatest songwriter of our generation an "assholeee"? D:

[JoshGoldie]

In the early carrer of the who, when they used to smash the place up after a gig they would actually end up in debt as they owed more money than they were earning :P fucking ledgends

[SallyStrat]

If he diddent want those guitars he could have just given them to me!

[Deram67]

could some one please tell me what performances those are of Pete smashing his guitar in his later years. I would really like to know.

[gamemaster905]

Eat that Rihanna!

[logonazo]

i hope lady "fake" gaga see this

[CleansWithRag]

That is how you truly rock out.

[brandinator22]

i would never smash my guitar, but i just love townshend's acts XD

[LeeJTurnock]

I smashed up a guitar once, it was a cheap Rickenbacker copy and thoroughly deserved it. The only downside is that I cut my hand on a flying piece of perspex and got blood all over my clothes...still, the audience seemed to like it!

[heythinkaboutit]

a guitarist must love his instrument

[CleansWithRag]

@heythinkaboutit

He does. It's not his guitar he's smashing.

[cjstixnstrings]

pretty cool but i noticed u said he is the rock god. WRONG!!!!!!!! pete townshend has absolutely no talent compared to jimi hendrix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jimi is the ROCK GOD!!!!!!!

[skynyrd0]

did he shit his pants?!?!?!