Pete Townshend

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LEFT: Bob Dylan at Live Aid during Live Aid Concert - July 13, 1985 at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ()CENTER: Pete Townshend of The Who performs on stage at Live Aid in Wembley Stadium on July 13th, 1985 in London, United Kingdom. RIGHT: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin performs at Live Aid at Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 13, 1985.
For Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page and Bob Dylan, Live Aid was a case of bad vibes for a good cause

By Gary Graff Published

We look back at a few of the big guitar moments from the global music event, held 40 years ago on July 13

Guitarists
LEFT: Pete Townshend of The Who performs live on stage during the The Who Hits 50! Tour at The O2 Arena on March 22, 2015 in London, England. RIGHT: Noel Gallagher of Oasis performing at Ancienne Belgique (AB), Brussels, Belgium, 23rd March 2000.
Pete Townshend on the Oasis song that made him weep

By Phil Weller Published

Oasis are kicking their reunion into gear, and Townshend is among those delighted to see them playing live again

Guitarists
American blues guitarist and singer Buddy Guy performs live playing a Fender Stratocaster guitar on the American Folk Blues Festival tour in London in October 1965.
Buddy Guy on his unconventional means of discovering the joys of feedback

By Phil Weller Published

The guitarist said the absence of stages in Chicago's juke joints brought musicians and audiences together, resulting in a lesson in the joys of feedback

Guitarists
Pete Townshend performing live onstage, in 2009, playing Fender Stratocaster guitar, doing 'windmill' arm
Pete Townshend explains the correct way to do the windmill guitar strum

By Christopher Scapelliti Last updated

As the guitarist explains, the windmill is fraught with danger, including fingernail tears and hand lacerations

Guitarists
The Who, Pete Townshend in concert circa 1969 at the Isle of Wight Music Festival, England at the Various in Various,
Pete Townshend declared war at Woodstock when Abbie Hoffman interrupted the Who in the middle of their biggest gig

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

The preeminent festival of peace and love was anything but when one of the era's biggest political activists cut in on one of its most powerful rock acts

Guitarists
Roger Daltrey (left) and Pete Townshend of The Who perform on stage during a tour of the United States in September 1979.
Pete Townshend on Roger Daltrey’s career-changing decision that took the guitarist out of his comfort zone

By Christopher Scapelliti Last updated

When the Detours came to an end, the newly knighted singer decided he was unhappy in his role, forcing Townshend out of his comfort zone

Guitarists
A screengrab of Michael J. Fox in the prom dance scene from Back to the Future
Gibson launches hunt for the 'Back to the Future' guitar that inspired John Mayer and Coldplay's Chris Martin

By Phil Weller Published

Used by Michael J. Fox in the film's dance scene, the guitar set a litany of greats on the road to playing, but it hasn’t been seen since 1985

Guitars
Pete Townshend drapes a flag of the United States over his shoulders at the Iconic Images Gallery in London during a special announcement about The Who. Picture date: Thursday May 8, 2025.
Pete Townshend's latest comments offer a cryptic clue about the Who's future

By Phil Weller Published

The band is set to play its final U.S. shows this year. Recent statements suggest those may not be the last

Guitarists
LEFT: 1976: (Clockwise from bottom left) Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, John Hartman, Patrick Simmons, Keith Knudsen, Tiran Porter and Michael McDonald (center) of the rock and roll band "The Doobie Brothers" pose for a portrait in 1976. RIGHT: Pete Townshend performs with The Who at the Omni Coliseum on November 24, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Doobie Brothers’ Patrick Simmons on the night Townshend picked up a guitar after a gig with the Who

By Gary Graff Published

The Doobies’ extended lineup — the first with both Michael McDonald and Tom Johnston — is getting ready to hit the road in June

Guitarists
INDIO, CA - OCTOBER 16: Musicians Pete Townshend (L) and Roger Daltrey of The Who perform onstage during Desert Trip at The Empire Polo Club on October 16, 2016 in Indio, California.
Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey don’t see eye to eye on his guitar-smashing past 

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

As the Who prepare for the final tour, all bets are off on whether or not Townshend will return to his guitar-trashing ways

Guitarists
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