Pete Townshend from The Who: Farewell tour doesn’t mean the end

John Wilson speaks to Pete Townshend, songwriter and guitarist of
British rock band The Who about the band’s farewell tour of the
US.


Through his powerful stage presence and pioneering use of
technology, Townshend transformed The Who from a hobby wedding
band to one of the biggest and loudest outfits of the 1960s and
1970s.


His artistic approach created tension with singer Roger Daltrey,
the band’s only other surviving member. Sixty years after first
coming together, the pair completed their farewell tour of Italy
earlier this year and are currently saying goodbye to America.


Townshend says he is proud of his influence, even if his rock and
roll generation put his parents out of work, who were both
musicians in more traditional wartime dance bands. He also
reveals the inspiration behind his infamous smashing of guitars
may have just been one big misunderstanding. The Interview brings
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Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Alex Loftus and Edwina Pitman
Editor: Nick Holland Thank you to the This Cultural Life team for
helping to make this programme.


Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the
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(Image: Pete Townshend. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for
Desert Trip)