Pete Townshend On How He Got His Trademark Windmill Move | Letterman
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- Опубліковано 4 тра 2022
- The Who's guitarist talks Rolling Stones, his struggle with tinnitus and more.
(From "Late Show," air date: 11/19/12)
#PeteTownshend #TheWho #Letterman
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In the 90's while working as an Industrial Pipefitter and Welder I got a pretty bad burn. During a visit to the plastic surgeon who was overseeing my wound healing I noticed a picture of Pete on his wall and it was autographed. I asked him are you a big Who fan? He said that he wasn't particularly but a few years back he had gone to Champaign IL to see them at the UFO. While doing his "Windmill" Pete laid the heal of his hand wide open striking the bridge of the guitar. Blood went everywhere and the show was halted. They asked if there was a Doctor in the house and this man came forward, treated his wound and stitched him up good enough to finish the show albeit limping along a bit. He said he had a nice visit with the man and in gratitude Pete gave him the Autographed Picture that was Signed Thank You for Stitching me up.
Did you ask the Doc why he had a "nice visit" with a pedo?
Townshend is a genius. You think of Tommy, Quadrophenia, and Lifehouse which became Who's Next album. The vision and drive of the man was incredible.
Plus no guitarist out there with his balls licks playing carrying on like a gymnast
forget about it
Well put mate, brutally destructive on his equipment, but the polar opposite when it comes to human rights and compassion.
Especially Quadrophenia he reached a hight not many pop artists or artists in general have
He watches child abuse material. Find someone else to admire.
It is impossible for me to separate the sound of The WHO from the arc of my youth beyond childhood. "The Seeker" "I Can See For Miles" and "Join Together" were the lead-in to "Tommy," and then came the summer of Who's Next and having a driver's license. Turning tires and making time. Sometimes we really all of that.
Pete was the first guitarist Michael Jackson reached out to play a guitar solo on Beat It. Pete said he was the wrong guy and recommended Eddie Van Halen.
Pedos have contact with each other. Who'da thunk it?
Humble Pete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s kind of strange seeing as they are both into young boys you’d think Pete would jump at the opportunity
@@willissudweeks1050 💀 fowl
@@bird20040 Lol I forgot I said this
Pete is one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Yeah, too bad he’s a gay wad
Absolutely.
lyrics wanting to 'bite boys in secret'? low life no talent degenerates blow up drums and jump around with very few known songs. Used his credit card to have babies raped so he could watch the videos made of the babies being raped.
A genius. A legend. Some of the greatest music ever recorded.
His contributions to rock are SO underrated. The story of his contributions to the Marshall amp is very compelling.
An absolute genius….
The entire group is without a doubt the best of all time.
There are only a couple of bands even capable of that combination of power and finesse. Heart didn't have the legs, Aerosmith's material doesn't measure up, Sabbath's too dark, the Beatles needed bigger cojones, that leaves the Stones and ...?
I love how Dave brings out a different side of his guests. They talk about what the two of them are interested in, more so the guest, and they toss aside the standard form questionnaire. As in Dave's interview with Burt Reynolds the guests open up about things we would never learn anywhere else. Thanks Dave for always being Dave.
yeah , your right on the Money Greg , One of pete's best laid back interviews
Unlike Jimmy Fallon who’s just an ass kisser.
Dave brought out the defensive side in the women guests he touched sexually. The who guitar smasher funded the raping of babies so he could watch the babies being raped.
Yet he's really intelligent and still street smart and funny No one was like David Letterman and we miss him so much today ... God do I ever ....
@@lfader No talent degenerates touch women like he and weinstien do. His producer was using the young interns and he was also. Then he used an intern his producer was using and got blackmailed and used his audience/tv show to admit it as if it was a joke but it was real and he used his wife for 20 years. who guitar smasher funded the raping of babies.
2:39 I've joked with Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi about Black Sabbath's contributions to my mild hearing loss as I age. Geezer responded, "Don't sue us, man!" and I laughed and said that I'd have to talk to Pete Townshend, too. Thanks, "Live at Leeds"!
Pete Townsend ❤ Found The Who in my dad's record collection when I was 13 and have loved them since
Me I started listening to THE WHO in 1980. Been collecting the who ever since. To me
THE WHO are. The greatest rock band in the history of rock music. The words and music get to me everytime.. power and volume!!!!
They genuinely like each other. How fun.
That is among the most respectful interviews I ever saw Dave give.
As someone who also suffers from tinnitus, it’s comforting to hear even these two guys deal with it. It’s such a frustrating condition, especially once you realize it isn’t going away.
AS someone who has had it for over 40 years, you do eventually stop noticing it.
I hear ya....oh wait, no I dont!
My first week with tinnitus was like Letterman said: looking for that motherf.. machinery. I literally walked my street up and down to find that bastard neighbor XD
You get used to it, learn to eat certain foods so it doesn’t get worse, and sleep next to a high-velocity floor fan at a ridiculously loud setting. Letterman‘s first reaction to tinnitus is normal. You freak out in territory doctors don’t know anything about. If you want to anger your American doctor, complain about tinnitus.
Letterman did what weinstein did with young women that worked there. Townsend paid for babies to be raped so he could see them being raped.
Pete is sometimes called a pretentious bastard, but for me he has to be one of the true greats of rock….. albums like Quad are a must for anybody who wants to hear the very best.
Genius
I must say that's my favorite album. Tommy is good but I like Quadrophenia so much better.
Who in rock isn’t a little pretentious? I think you’re allowed to be if you’re Pete Townshend
Weird, I find him the opposite of pretentious. Nick jagger, is pretentious
@Stanly Stud He was just “researching”
@Stanly Stud touché
I love when Mr. Townshend opens up.
I remember when this interview was aired. Pete is hilarious. I didn't think I'd want to watch it again but it's still like a hilarious unfolding story.
Hey fake, we know you are fake because he's not humorous whatsoever and he paid online to see babies being raped.
At the return concert to Cincinnati after 43 years, they donated the box office to scholarship funds in the names of the 11 that died at their concert here in 1979. Pete in his normal dry humor stated, since he wasn't being paid, he didn't plan to work very hard tonight. Then he proceeded to shred for 2 hours.
@@patrickhenry4675 So he could rush back online and use his credit card to see more babies being raped?
They got on very well...could have listened for much longer. Great interview! Love Dave, Love The Who!
I still love Roger Daltry! Damn he was hot!
@@BarryRerack147 The two fakes in the leaving neverland doc proved to us they lied about being abused by Michael Jackson.
Glitter, watkins, R Kelly are proven child abusers.
you love a man who viewed children being abused....
@@BarryRerack147 there's ALWAYS one of those guys, guys like YOU who always got to look at the downside of things.
I went to an Iron Maiden concert, my ears starterted ringing and never stopped. That was in 1992.
yup. front row for the The Who started my tinnitus. Followed that up with a zillion more shows, cutting grass, chain saws, etc. Now I always wear ear protection in hopes it doesn't get worse.
My dad says he saw The Who and Leslie West's Mountain back to back nights at a small venue in Toronto in the late 60's. He says the shows were great but he wishes he could get his hearing back. Apparently Zeppelin played the same venue during that period but my dad sat that one out.
Thank You Dave! What a delightful interview and fantastic memories. Love The WHO!!! I LOVED the Superbowl halftime show. Possibly my favorite of the halftime performances!!
I would add Tom Petty along with The Who both great shows.
I read in a bio of the Who that the guitar destruction started by accident. Pete was pushing his Rickenbacker up towards the ceiling as either a stage move or he was trying to get some feedback that way, and the guitar's headstock hit the ceiling and it broke, and Pete then began smashing it because he noticed that the break got attention. Afterwards, of course, the smashing of the guitars got the band even more attention. He says here it was an art school thing -- maybe the real story is a bit of both.
Today’s late night talk shows have Nothing compared to Letterman’s shows. Watch and enjoy people.
I heard the Who for two weeks in my head after the first time i saw them . Yes they were loud and wouldn't have them any other way
Go who?
@@shawnmaher5011 Wha...?...
Saw the mighty WHO in 1975 twice. The greatest live band ever..
That had to have been a crazy show. Do you have a lot of memories of it, or does it seem like a surreal dream (perhaps both)?
Saw The Who at the Cow Palace in the 70s when Moon passed out and Bill Graham brought up a drummer from Iowa Unforgettable
Maybe the Beatles in Hamburg were the best.
@@revolve830 Not even close
@@ontologicallysteve7765 led zeppelin would blow them away
Saw them just a few weeks ago and it was a fantastic show. I'm always fascinated by the interviews with him and Rodger Daltrey.
He actually DID smash Tommy Smother's acoustic guitar, in fact, the smashing sounds occur as the title appears on screen in "The Kids Are Alright" film.
he did smash it but you could tell Tommy Smothers was a bit disoriented by the explosion.
That major surprise explosion on the stage really threw everyone out of whack.
I remember seeing it and you see Pete instantly grabbing his ear and sticking his finger in it.
Only on the Smothers Brothers show
@@michaelszczys8316 allegedly Betty Davis was on the front row and she fainted.
You are right, I remember seeing Pete do that on the Kids Are Alright movie, which shows the Smothers Brothers episode. Listening to Pete talk here, though, I wonder if it's possible that he has no recollection of doing it as the explosion from Keith's drums may have caused him to have a concussion which could have affected his memory of the incident.
@@danielbesser4602 I remember seeing the
' Kids Are Alright ' movie and as I recall that was largely a movie about the escapades of Keith Moon who Alice Cooper calls ' the world's greatest ever rock drummer ' and also refers to him as a ' walking insane asylum '.
First time I noticed my tinnitus I was sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night. Dead silence except for the ringing in the center of my head. Took me a while to realize what it was. Now I have to run a fan on high to get any sleep or I’ll go insane.
I have it too…mild/moderate I’d say. It’s from well over 100 concerts with no ear plugs (including the Who)…I’ve learned my lesson now but the damage is done.
I usually sleep with podcasts running in the background to drown it out.
I'm lucky bc mine is just a very faint high frequency sort of sound, and only periodically. I really feel for the ppl who have that ringing or white noise/static sound. Have you guys seen Dr Berg's remedy video?
ua-cam.com/video/3MDO8KB3zjk/v-deo.html
Me too I sleep with a fan or a buzzer.
Try a no ad eight hour tinnitus masking rainstorm. They are on UA-cam.
@@jasonkeith9317 or a buzzer?
I recently listened to (over several days) all 17 hours of Pete's audiobook version of "Who I Am." It's a great book, whether in print/Kindle or on Audible. He pronounces his last name "town's end."
That's exactly how it's pronounced...
you are the first person i've come across who listened to the audiobook. i had read the book but hearing it in pete's voice meant much more. i found you while trying to track down someone's comments about "town's end" being interested in pedophilia. i get to write something complimentary to you before tearing into that person like mike tyson. thanks.
The windmill guitar effect was originally a Chuck Berry thing, along with his duck walk, which was later imitated by Angus Young with AC/DC. Both Keith Richards and Pete Townsend also used the windmill effect on stage too. I saw The Who in 1977 with Keith moon at Wembley stadium, London, in the rain…
And Jimi Hendrix too, I think is Who he "stole" it from.
As well as Jimi was keen on smashing guitars (first I believe) and even lit at least one on fire while on stage.
Chuck Berry... one man ... one tune... one move...
@@paulpower7018.. Hardly! When Jimi landed in England his first stop was to check out what Townshend had for a sound set up and then demanded he have the same. And totally ripped off The Who's stage performance. It's no secret that he did these things!!
@@paulpower7018 nope..Pete was first at smashing. And Jimi never did a windmill...but he did many other gimmicks
Very nice - Pete's in a really good mood for a change!
Never saw The Who live but I was lucky enough to be alive when all their hits appeared over the years. One of my all time favourite bands. I still listen to Tommy, front to back, a few times a year.
Do you like the film version of it? It's one of my favorites
Veterans Stadium, Philly, 2x
HOOK LINE & SINKER
Like Cosby i never liked them. You couldn't not know that his particular child abuse want was to see babies being raped at least.
Why is the Ukraine president an actor that once played the part of the president? Why are the allies allowing one of themselves to attack again? lest we forget. U.S and U.K - 'forget what?'
@@chiefscheider Wow, you triggered a ton of crazy good memories w/your comment ... The Mini Cinema Uniondale LI, NY ... Tommy @ midnight. Always have been a huge WHO fan. Where did the time go?
I saw them live once in 1975. Yes, they were quite loud. I think my ears are still plugged up.
Great interview!
I saw The Who in '82. Haven't been the same since.
I traveled from Glasgow to London to see the Who in October 1989 and back then Townsend was playing acoustic because of his hearing loss.
Mr Townshend is often an historical revisionist. He did indeed take Tommy Smothers' guitar and smash it up. The guitar was a prop without strings. This footage is not in any way obscure, it opens the title sequence of The Who film The Kids Are Alright.
Pete heard birds, my tinnitus allows me to hear crickets, even in the winter.
I've had tinnitus for all of my life. I thought it was normal. I've also been digging The Who since I was 12 years old. I'm 49 now, and I have a '56 Gold Top with P-90s and a 100W Marshall. It's a great set up for playing Won't be Fooled Again.
Legend for sure.
A true ledjend and a pioneer of rock .
Pete is all that Rock-n-Roll embodies. Glad he made it this far because he got better with age.
An absolute legend
Great band. Saw them three times. Great book.
Tampa in the early 90s saw the Who in Tampa Stadium (the old Big Sombrero). As God is my witness during 'Love Reign O'er Me' a small cloud flew over the stadium, dropped a misty rain on us and disappeared after the song ended.
Great sound in that stadium by the way. Because of its unique shape there was no echo chamber.
I only saw them one time. But it was at Woodstock - so I can't complain!
Love Reign O'er Me...Possibly the most magnificent contemporary song ever written.
@@jondoe8889 wow. Woodstock! I saw in Atlanta in 88 and then again in the 20 teens not sure what year. Entwisle was go and it was a different vibe. Congratulations on woodstock!
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
@@timesquare5473 William Wordswoth , of course .
"The first time I noticed I had tinnitus it was quite alarming".........exactly!
Good interview great band The Who
Just getting into The Who now and ordered his book a few days ago so this is a nice “coincidence “!!
“Who I am” a damn good book
This guy is one of THEE greatest songwriters EVER.
Nobody knows most of his songs because he couldn't write a really good song. Loud volume, distortion and smashing instruments up is what the less talented at musical creation do.
He showed a very low talent level throughout his albums.
He paid to see babies being raped. Letterman did what Weinstein did to many young women. You are another fake.
Pete is amazing!
'97, Pete Townsend put his hand on the tremolo bar, and he put it right through his hand.
In '97... my girlfriend at Tacoma General, put 3 stitches on Pete's hand and wrapped it up.
That's KINDA funny ! ;-)
1989
Sad that in the next 10-20 years most of our 60"s rock idols will be passed. Pete Townshend was one of a kind!
Suffered this since 17 until my left ear gave out. I grew up with and still worship The Who. Small price to pay for hearing AWESOME 24x7.
I love Pete talking about Moon and that look on his face...
Pete is a legend ... wrote fantastic songs ...
Thanks for the heads-up.
When I was a teenager in the 70s The Who were it was at for me. So neat to see this interview, and others like it. As Pete and Roger reminisce about what it was like. To bad we will never get the same perspective from Keith, or John.
PT. Outstanding chap!
Townshend is a GREAT storyteller.
" That was bowling... "🤟🤟🎸
Some people have a hard time explaining rock 'n' roll. I don't think anyone can really explain rock 'n' roll. Except Pete Townshend, but that's okay.
Miguel I concur with your sentiment 100%
Australia.
Yes indeed, thank you!
He Can't Explain. He wrote a song about it...
As quoted from Jeff Beebe of the band, Stillwater.
I think I can explain it. Rock was about "not being cautious".
thanks for the music pete
Great clip!
Legend.
Love Pete’s solo albums
Letterman's interview was superb and Pete was utterly entertaining. I wish Colbert would take notes.
The Smothers Brothers segment is available on YT and if you've never seen it, you should check it out. That boom was no joke (and indeed, Pete went immediately to his hair with both hands!)
Letterman is a class act, the BEST American host, lets guests speak, unlike some I could name. You know of who I speak
Delivery is everything:
"Do you know what I'm talking about?"
"Yes. I do."
Probably wrote the most successful songs ever in rock history.
Cool legit story, no drama
Luv the BRITS!!😁👍🏻👍🏻
'Like Paris before the war...'
Nice. DL. Nice. 👏
2:54 Subtitles said Smallest Brothers Show- then at 5:52 we get the Healing Club ( Ealing) Hilarious!
NEVER HAVE SEEN THEM, HOWEVER I CAN PLAY ALL THEIR SONGS. WOULD BE GREAT TO DISCUSS LITERATURE WITH PETE ONE DAY.
I HAVE DEAR CLOSE FRIENDS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO LOVE TO READ AND PLAY A STRATOCASTER AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE. SINCERELY.
Saw 'The Who' shortly after Pete impaled his hand on his Whammy Bar doing the windmill. What a trooper!
I'll bet his hand is as damaged as his hearing is.
Then he searched for pictures of babies being raped. Using his credit card online. Letterman did what Weinstein did but used his show to not be perceived the way weinstein is.
@@lynnturman8157 Not as damaged as the babies he paid to have raped for him to see.
When and where did that happen?
@@standinsilence
Pete injured his hand in Tacoma in 1989.
Saw every great band cept the Beatles. The Who were the best live band I ever seen with Moon and Entwhistle. Thin Lizzy was in the same ball park
The Who were the best live band I have ever seen.I saw Zeppelin live several times but they were never as good as the Who.I also saw the Beatles live and they were the worst live band I ever saw.
@@jakethomas3205 Where did you see The Beatles? Beatles were a great live band in the early days but the loud screaming made it had for them to play when they made it big.
@@garyolshan4177 I saw them in the Capitol Theatre,Cardiff, Wales.U.K.I was escorted by my Mum as I was very young.Obviously they were great songwriters but as a live band I was not impressed.
I don't think The Who back in the old days would had have Grand Funk Railroad open a show for them.
@@dennisholiday1868 I saw the Who live many times and no-one came close to them live not even Zeppelin who I saw many times.If you were around in those days you would no that Grand Funk Railroad were not even in rhe running!
Steve Martin "got" his tinnitus on "Three Amigos" shooting pistols.
I remember this. Was psyched to see one of my musical icons on Letterman.
(what's up with the index finger flicking on Pete's right hand @8:13 ?)
It's a nervous tic. A lot of people have a nervous tic, even rock music icons.
History's books will show that Pete was, and is, the actual rock'n'roll visionary above all else. And bloody amazing raconteur. (4:50 actually Pete, you did.). 6:15 If you watch early Stones performances you see Keith do it a few times..or close.
Pete Townshend, John Lennon and David Bowie are the three greatest artists ever IMHO.
Louder, more brandy, louder, louder! - I can dig it.
Legend! 🙏🏻
That was a great interview. I’m not the biggest fan of Pete as a person, but he was very charming here.
Agreed.
I can't believe he claimed that he didn't smash Tommy's guitar after the drum explosion. He clearly did-it's all in the opening clip of "The Kids Are Alright".
Oh yeah, the drums exploded on Pete. Dude's hair was on fire and he still proceeded to smash the living hell out of his guitar....💨
The guitar he smashed after the explosion was Tommy Smothers'. You can tell it was just a prop because it was a cheap acoustic and had no strings.
This interview was from 2012. 10 years ago but he still looks good
Pete Townshend is really cool... I remember learning to play Pinball Wizard as a kid, I always loved playing that tune
Pete used to say,its not guitar playing, its bowling
Actually Pete DID smash Tommy Smothers Guitar that day... he must have forgot.
He's a big star, yeah, but he is under-rated as a songwriter and overall talent, actually. He wrote almost all of the Who's songs, over 100 of them, and brought them to life in such a big way. Listen to that early stuff--those songs are just fantastic. And regarding his technical skills on guitar, he is fairly low on the list of big-name players. He didn't let that get in the way of making some great, great music, in a class by itself. I never saw them live, dammit, but their live records are the bomb, even before they've been sweetened in the studio. Their crude bootlegs are fabulous.
I thought it was through bowling that Pete got the idea for his windmill ‘technique’
Apparently, Link Ray invented the 'windmill' move...and the power chord.
Wrong
Just adore Pete. What a great guy
So which three classic concept albums would you rather hear: "Sell Out", "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia" by The Who or "The Village Green Preservation Society", "Arthur " and "Lola Vs. Powerman And The Moneygoround Pt. 1" by The Kinks? An extremely touch decision, but I'm curious as to what people will say (I'm assuming the answers will probably lean toward The Who, seeing as how this is a Townshend interview clip).
I've noticed A LOT of inconsistency in Pete's story telling. I guess old age. He did indeed smash Tommy Smoother's guitar.
$10,000 guitar.
Pete Townsend smashes it to pieces
$75,000 guitar
Gotta love it LoL!
he did smash the guitar
Actually, Pete did remember to smash Tommy Smothers’ guitar- it was just delayed. 😆
Smothers looked completely shell shocked from the explosion and did struggle gamely with Townshend before his guitar was destroyed.
Well cuz it's a HIT!
My friend got tinnitus years ago, I suggested to him it was exposure to a virus which he ridiculed but at that time my son got German measles and so did his girlfriend’s daughter, anyway he seen a doctor about the ringing and the doctor asked him have you been exposed to a virus?
he funded the raping of babies and watched the videos online.
I thought I was the Bali Table King but I handed my pinball crown to him.
SMART DUDE ....
The great one