Ten years later he was back on Letterman and said that guitar he used here (in '93) was worth $10,000...and that it was auctioned off the next day for charity...and someone paid $75,000 for the bits and pieces of guitar.

@davemiller498

2 ай бұрын

True. He and Roger are a big part of the children's cancer trust (?) in England. My all time favorite band.

@user-zr9bh7nq3m

26 күн бұрын

@davemiller498 they also give to the American teenage cancer charity. I am not sure but I think they started the teenage cancer charity. Saw the who 5 times going way way back in the 70s. I became a who freak back in the 60s. The greatest rock band ever ever.

I might be 73 this SONG is as GREAT as the day it was recorded!

When this aired, the song was 25 years old. Some 30 years have passed since this aired--and still the song holds its own.

@bobazivkovic7072

Ай бұрын

I watched 2,15 hours concert in Croydon, '69...Mind blowing! I got out of Croydon Fairfield Hall absolutely dizzy or better say ,dazed and confused'..What a wall of music hitting you in head and brain....But Pinball Wizard was..can't compare it to anything else!

The era of Dave’s band playing with legends is a forgotten jewel.

@tomscott3

Жыл бұрын

no, i vividly remember

@stupoc6715

Жыл бұрын

That's why they called them "The world's most dangerous band".

@rockbassrules

9 ай бұрын

The idea of growing up a fan of all the great legends then becoming a musician then having the luck of jamming on Nat’l TV with those same legends blows my mind to no end.

@user-zr9bh7nq3m

5 ай бұрын

@@stupoc6715 The greatest rock and roll band ever ever. THE WHO saw the WHO 5 TIME'S AND my ears are still ringing and I love it.

@marshallross3373

2 ай бұрын

Had to be a treat for those guys to play along with Pete. He even smashed a beautiful guitar. How many guitars have died at the hands of P. Townshend?

Always loved the opening riff of Pinball Wizard.

@TheBircat

3 жыл бұрын

Suspended chords: God's gift to Pete Townshend.

@jamescaseymusic

3 жыл бұрын

It's a real eye opener of an intro as it really teaches you how you can play a melody while strumming if you're picky about chord positions.

@davidallen346

2 жыл бұрын

I wished he'd give me that Gibson J-200 guitar before smashing it 😫

@andyhestekin1195

2 жыл бұрын

Speaking of that riff... The fast strumming part in the intro is of course great but if you listen to the song "4th of July, Asbury Park" (Sandy) by the Boss you here the strumming of the acoustic rythym guitar speed up a when Bruce mentions "the wizards play down on pinball way" and if I'm not mistaken and I'm sure I am, it seems to me that the acoustic guitar is mimicking that Pinball Wizard intro riff. It could be an intentional homage or I could be simply making this connection in my head only. I have never looked up anything about this but it's my working theory. 🖖

@jasfan8247

2 жыл бұрын

Always loved those endings.....😇

NOBODY smashes a guitar like Pete Townshend.

@ConglomerationCat

2 жыл бұрын

Completely agree... Many others have but it doesn't have the same spontaneous energy and passion that he does.

The guitar becomes priceless when it's in 1000 pieces.

@davidhale9672

6 ай бұрын

Guessing the band and crew each went home with a piece.

@ricaard

4 ай бұрын

Not to me.

@jdenino6022

3 ай бұрын

He said he glues them back together.

@blakkat4126

2 ай бұрын

$75,000 at an auction.

Pete shredded the shit out of that acoustic…then smashed the hell out of it🤘🏻

@theo9952

Жыл бұрын

Yes and that was really ugly. I mean I wouldn't care so much about a mass produced SG electric but that was a Gibson J-200 for pity's sake !

@phenixreturns

10 ай бұрын

a nonsense in 2023 for this beautiful and expensive guitar many would like to have

@georgeprice4212

3 ай бұрын

Y’all do realize that the guitar, because it was played by Townshend, was sold at auction for big money? And, that was the ONLY way Pete agreed to destroy it!

What an amazing talent Townshend is: wrote the song, shreds on acoustic guitar, and "What the hell, one of the all-time great rock vocalists Roger Daltrey isn't here, so I'll just sing this one solo" -- and absolutely slays it.

That album has fascinated me for 40 years… It never fails to bring me out of my doldrums..

@jamesian-allen8725

2 жыл бұрын

Tommy is a work of art !

@MattSmith-iq1ld

Жыл бұрын

@@jamesian-allen8725 Won a Tony Award, and Oscar and a Grammy. The play performance is incredible. It just keeps touring the world.

@WallyPost

Жыл бұрын

After having grown up listening to The Who and seeing them in concert 5 times ... listening to that "riff" and the entire tune ... will always bring tears to my eyes.

@bretttownsend6495

9 ай бұрын

More like 53 years ago

@partyboi8773

5 ай бұрын

The whole album, and this song in particular. If I'm playing the CD in the car, I can't just listen to it once -- 3 times on repeat, minimum.

It's been awhile since I seen this performance, it was superb acoustical performance of pinball wizard,.

One of the best classics ever written

So awesome! Huge credit to the band for being able play along so well! Those guys had to learn more songs than probably any other band in history.

I went to see Psycho Derelict and there was technical problems with the presentation and Pete was pissed. He stopped the whole Derelict thing and went into about an hour of old Who stuff and it was FUCKING AWESOME! He let all that frustration out into his playing. Incredible performance.

@thomasriley5830

2 жыл бұрын

What city was the show in?

@pnaylish1004

2 жыл бұрын

@@thomasriley5830 I believe it was Great Woods in Mansfield Ma. It was a long time ago and I was drunk but I still remember it was awesome and how pissed off he was. I think he made a statement about if someone wanted to pay $100 they could watch him beat the shit out of someone backstage. (Referring to whoever was responsible for the technical problems). Maybe it was just me but I think everyone at that concert was psyched when he ripped into the old stuff. I should have been disappointed the show was screwed up but it turned out to be the exact opposite.

@thomasriley5830

2 жыл бұрын

@@pnaylish1004 Your story sounded so familiar to me… it turns out I know why!! My guitar teacher (I live in mass and he does too) saw Pete at the same show! He told me about how the show went horribly wrong with technical difficulties, and when Pete realized it couldn’t be salvaged he ripped into magic bus strumming as hard as possible and the band joined in. He said they did all Who songs and what should have been a disaster turned out to be an amazing night. My guitar teacher had backstage passes and said when he went back stage, Pete was having a meltdown at some poor guy in the room over and he overheard the whole thing. My guitar teacher second guessed wanting to meet Pete… but he said when Pete entered the room he had calmed down and was cordial. He has a picture with him too. Small world!!

@pnaylish1004

2 жыл бұрын

@@thomasriley5830 thank God you wrote this! The older I get the more I wonder how accurate my memory is. Your guitar teacher is a lucky guy. I would have loved to have been backstage after that fiasco. Just like your teacher, I would have been apprehensive but the emotions were high and that’s when the best shit happens! Thank you for posting this!

@keefriff99

2 жыл бұрын

@@pnaylish1004 Great story! I live in CT and saw the Who in Mansfield back in 2002 (I believe it was the Tweeter Center at the time), just after John Entwistle died. It was only their fifth show after his passing, but they carried on like pros. It was a notable show in that they played I Can See For Miles for the third and final time between 1989 and 2014 (the other two times being in 1990 and 1997). I can remember Pete saying, “We’re only gonna do this song once this tour, and I’m not playing it again…” or something to that effect.

Oh man I remember seeing this as a kid staying up to watch letterman and Conan and thinking it was the most awesome thing ever. Nobody ever said "I should probably play something from my new album" then launched into a classic.

@VideoAmericanStyle

2 жыл бұрын

I got the sense he wasn’t thrilled about having to play a classic (maybe at the producers’ suggestion) instead of the new material he wanted to share. The guitar smash wouldn’t have worked following a song no one had heard before.

@richardfurlott4243

Жыл бұрын

No one for sure !

@johntucker9782

7 ай бұрын

He had Tommy playing on Broadway at the time, which he was promoting, I’m pretty sure he picked the song.

I always loved Pete's voice. Underrated singer.

@richardkay2000

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! In fact on some songs I prefer his voice to Roger's.

@dantheman1534

2 жыл бұрын

@@richardkay2000 he does sing quite a bit on Who records. Interestingly, he can sing extremely softly as he started on Pinball and very deeply/roughly as exhibited later. Check out album Endless Wire

@theblackstoneproject9917

2 жыл бұрын

I wholeheartedly agree. Never got why people knock him as a vocalist....then again, being in the same band as Roger Daltrey will cause even a great vocalist to be overshadowed.

@robertmerkler2751

Жыл бұрын

I always said the same. Some of The Who’s best songs are sung by Pete.

@damamae950

Жыл бұрын

and cute as hell, even tho he never thought so

I saw them in the front row 89 on my 21st birthday. Very, very good. Cannot say enough.

I saw it when it originally aired 30 years ago. Holds up magnificently. Thanks Pete, Dave, Paul & the band.

His rhythm is so clear and strong🔥

@MattSmith-iq1ld

Жыл бұрын

Keith Richards = "He's the best acoustic guitarist and rhythm player that our country has ever produced. He literally plays rhythm and lead at the same time."

@WallyPost

Жыл бұрын

@@MattSmith-iq1ld Townshend is the most brilliant composer/guitar player in the history of Rock and Roll. The Who made "watching" Rock and Roll en vogue.

I like how his vocal just fits right in there sonically.

@dantheman1534

2 жыл бұрын

amazingly....he does that a lot

A genius musical mind with the playing skill to match. Legendary. Unique. Generational talent.

@joelingojoelingo6560

Жыл бұрын

Not really. Basic chords.

@asensibleyoungman2978

Жыл бұрын

@@joelingojoelingo6560 It's not the number of notes or the difficulty of the chords, it's what you do with them that matters. A guitar virtuoso like Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen could never write a masterpiece like this.

@bobazivkovic7072

Ай бұрын

@@joelingojoelingo6560 and only 8 basic notes! But ..there should be one to combine them properly! That's what Pete does!

Long Live Pete . Long Live Rock .

Pete always has great stories to tell. His interviews are just as fun as his shows.

A masterpiece. I get shivers when the main opening riffs kicks in and also when he sings 'from Soho down to Brighton.' The only downside is when he wrecks beautiful instruments. That's on a par with strangling your granny after she's cooked you your favourite meal.

@victorlamb6094

Жыл бұрын

I believe they auctioned that broken guitar for charity and it brought $70,000

@victorlamb6094

Жыл бұрын

I was a little off. I checked it actually brought $168,000!

Pete's "accident" happened in the Tacoma Dome. He was sent to Tacoma General Hospital. One of my nurse friends treated him. She has a picture with him. That's cool. ;-)

@KevyNova

2 жыл бұрын

I wish there was video of it.

Great interview and performance. Down to earth guy.

Ah... the days when music was truly good

I met Pete once, in the gents toilet of a night club in Edinburgh. There I was all alone, minding my own business having a pee, when in walks Pete Townsend to stand alongside me at the urinal. As I looked up I nearly collapsed with shock. What do you say to a rock legend? ´Alright Pete?´I says, trying to remain cool and continue peeing at the same time. ´How was the gig?´ ´Yeah good, thanks´ he replies. To cut a long story short, my gf and I ended up being invited to join their entourage for free drinks back at their hotel round the corner, at about 3am, where PT was going round the tables with a tray of sandwiches. Unfortunately, before leaving, my 22 year-old self had to spoil the evening by asking him for an autograph...

I’d had never seen this interview before. It’s getting more difficult to find new the who information for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING 🥰

Don! My man. Thanks for the post. Had a collection of these but they were lost in various moves. Thanks for preserving them.

This performance really makes me smile. Pete is just having the best time.

It would be sad indeed if anyone in the world couldn't see the brilliance of this Rock Opera and the immense talent of this incredible band!!

To those wondering about what happened to the smashed Gibson J-200 . . . The Hard Rock Cafe won the auction and the proceeds were donated to charity. It's on display at the Las Vegas location.

@paulsavage5057

3 жыл бұрын

There's no such thing as "Charity!" in a Capitalist System of Greed and Economic Imperialism!!

@willissudweeks1050

3 жыл бұрын

Oh cool next time I’m there maybe I’ll go there just to see it.

@willissudweeks1050

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for saying

@YouzTube99

3 жыл бұрын

@@willissudweeks1050 Cheers, mate! Enjoy!

@jimgray1094

3 жыл бұрын

@@paulsavage5057 gotta be tiring living in your world

Perfect guitar destruction move, you can tell Pete is a professional at doing that 🤘

@moosecat

11 ай бұрын

Kids...don't try this at home...

He crushed the guitar! I hope he never gets old 😂

Genius. My main influence as a guitarist through his aggression, his physicality and onstage authority - no one, or more, could restrict Pete Townshend on a stage forever his.

Pete looks so delighted when Paul and the band start playing Pictures of Lily at the break.

@Frank.E.Valley

4 ай бұрын

As someone once said, "Pictures of Lily" is one of the best necromasturbatory songs every written

@misternewoutlook5437

4 ай бұрын

@@Frank.E.Valley Probably the only one.

This was awesome to see first-run.

Oooo that Gibson electro acoustic was beautiful.... I nearly cried at the finale 😢

Fuckin guitar God there !..Wow where did 17yrs go ?...Thanks for the vid,fantastic performance, great video 👍

@isaiahfayerweather6893

3 жыл бұрын

You mean 27 lmao

@kjc6272

Жыл бұрын

Guitar King.,. not God. He is not a lead guitarsit.. rhythm. Guitar Gods.. go to Hendrix, Clapton, Iommi, Page, Gilmour, EVH, etc...

Fantastic as always

Now that's the Pete I know and love.

@shaneconnelly7943

3 жыл бұрын

Negative creep u are

@villll

3 жыл бұрын

que

Absolute genius

That is heartbreaking seeing a Gibson SJ200 smashed to pieces like that. 😭

@shermansherbert2570

2 жыл бұрын

Lol that was a balsa prop if I have ever seen one. Whats amazing is it played pretty well. Have you ever tried smashing a guitar? It actually takes a lotttt of force.

@ErikDeMann

2 жыл бұрын

@@taxesdeathandtrouble.1886 I read that in the voice of The Critical Drinker..

@1953streeky

2 жыл бұрын

I can only stare at a Gibson like that in the window it's not fair oh well that's fame and fortune

@shermansherbert2570

2 жыл бұрын

@@1953streeky lol it was a smash prop! It was a fake!

@sirandrelefaedelinoge

2 жыл бұрын

​@shermansherbert2570 Pete doesn't smash "fake guitars". THAT would be SO fake

I've never seen that before,that was awesome!!!

OMG, my favourite acoustic smashed to bits.

God he was and is so awesome! Fucking brilliant!

stunning performance.

I remember this fondly from the night it broadcast. Little did we realize we were witnessing the zenith of the medium.

I heard him talk recently about him in early years, smashing his guitars and gluing them back together, cheap ones, so he could use them in latter shows. I guess he won't be glueing that one back together. Rock & Roll.

Fantastic stuff👊👊👊👊

credit to the guitarist hitting the whammy bar at the end there, fucking excellent

PRESERVE this video! Its classic. I really like the old boy. Love to meet him & sit & chat a bit.

He impaled his hand at the Tacoma Dome. Man, what a bummer because the show was going great. Poor Pete! Fortunately Roger stepped up and treated the crowd to an intimate solo set with his guitar to close out the show. I had no idea he was that good a player.

Awesome jam

That Pete Townsend sure plays a mean guitar! 🎸

Beyond a Legend. Pete IS ROCK and ROLL

I love the man and his music, BUT HE CAN NEVER BORROW MY GUITAR.

Auto destructive art he called it, sheer agony for me.

That's some amazing right hand guitar work for sure

When the song started, I thought “wow that’s a beautiful sounding guitar! Is that a 12 string? No, it just sounds amazing!” Then he smashed it and I was like WTH GD it, why Pete why? Lol

@moosecat

11 ай бұрын

The guitar was being auctioned off for charity, and, as Pete Townshend himself said, a guitar played AND smashed by Pete Townshend is worth more than one he simply played.

Excellently committed to record

That is the greatest man in rock and roll. A MUSICAL genius pete Townshend. Pete has always stayed true to rock and roll. he wasn't about a top 10 hit

@marktheelf53

5 ай бұрын

You are absolutely RIGHT!!!

@richardfurlott4243

26 күн бұрын

Pete is the definition of a ROCKER !

@user-zr9bh7nq3m

26 күн бұрын

@richardfurlott4243 Pete Townshend is ROCK AND ROLL. No one in rock can come close to THE WHO. Saw the who 5 times and the only other band I believe comes close to THE WHO is Bruce Springsteen saw Bruce 4 times. And green day reminds me of the who.

Dave told Colbert that that's what me misses most about doing the show... getting to see his favorite bands and musicians.

I seen the who in the 70s nobody smashes a guitar like 'ol' Pete.☮️🎵

One insanely talented genius. LEGEND

I love him

The Who has been, always, an aggressive band, determined through Townshend's vision to break though, which they did. This isn't necessary, Pete. You are already a preeminent artist. Your music has changed my life!

Pure class.

Lovely Peter.

I was at the show in the Tacoma Dome (outside Seattle) when he skewered his hand on the tremolo bar. My parents taped the news and showed him being taken out on a stretcher. As mentioned in another comment, Psychoderelict is underrated and worth a listen, I think.

@TonyBurke100

Жыл бұрын

In an interview he said that his greatest fear was not being unable to play after he skewered his hand it was his inability to write that frightened him.

I always loved Townshends humor and his singin!

Townsend...the greatest rock star of all time.

@jeannedarc7533

3 жыл бұрын

But also a... CP charged person XD

@sebastianfigueroa3288

3 жыл бұрын

@@jeannedarc7533 nope. was cleared of charges related to child pornography on May 7, 2003

@da324

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeannedarc7533 Charged doesn't mean guilty, fuckwad! You could work for the mainstream media.

@rodneyjordan6745

2 жыл бұрын

Too many skilled musicians to make that assertion. Prince, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Ric Okasic, James Hetfield, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Joan Jett, John Mellencamp, Freddie Mercury, Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger are (were) incredible artists and are on equal footing with Townsend.

@jeffbogue3718

2 жыл бұрын

@@rodneyjordan6745 nope. Joan Jett... Not even in the same category

Never gets old! And of course, his bandaged hand… From ROCKING… Pete, Townsend! An icon

I saw his psycho derelict tour in 93 in Berkeley - One of his best concerts ever! he did a good of face-to-face. I thought he would be snobby, But he was a really nice man

That's the best, most complete, destruction of a guitar I've ever seen by Mr Pete Townshend!

@johntucker9782

7 ай бұрын

I think he selects his amps based on the sharpness of their corners.

Epic performance 👏

Brilliant 👏

Effing love you, Pete!!! 💜💜💜

OMG… that hurts me bad!!!

Great !!!!!! Magic!!!!!!!

As a rabid Who fan growing up in the 70s , I was proud to say in my hometown of Flint Mi , where the Who on Keith Moons bday was performing and staying at the HoJo on Bristol rd and Moon drove a car into the pool and trashed their rooms.

I love to see him smash those damn guitars.

What a great guest

I loves it...!

Genius!

That was nothing short of brilliant

Imagine your guitar being more valuable at auction because you broke it than it would be in one piece. That's being a legend.

@TonyBurke100

Жыл бұрын

But is it really a Gibson or a $1200 Sigma either way it still has the same power.

@jzen1455

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyBurke100 Townshend later mentions it was a $10,000 guitar the was later sold at an auction for charity for $70,000

@georgeprice4212

11 ай бұрын

@@jzen1455higher….$168,000!

@georgeprice4212

3 ай бұрын

@@TonyBurke100a real Gibson.

@otisspunkmeyer9339

2 ай бұрын

It was for teen cancer right

Legend

Man, he can play!

Iconic!!!!!!!

If he'd only written I Can See For Miles he'd be a genius, let alone the rest.

@melissamoore521

2 жыл бұрын

Amen to that!

@petermitchell8763

2 жыл бұрын

Ummm… “I Can See For Miles” was written by Townshend. You might be thinking of “The Hawker” written by Sonny Boy Williamson and performed on “Tommy”/

@craigkerr2764

2 жыл бұрын

@@petermitchell8763 I think you misread. I believe he means if “I can see for miles” was the only thing he wrote, he would still be a genius. Thankfully he continued after that one.

@natural1952

2 жыл бұрын

Just like if The Who had only recorded "Behind Blue Eyes" and then gone away, they would still be considered a super group.

@noahreaves8235

2 жыл бұрын

@@natural1952 oddly there’s a lot of people think Limp Bizkit wrote Behind Blue Eyes because of their very bad cover

Chills.

Great!!!

@theo9952

2 ай бұрын

There is nothing great about pointless vandalism on stage.

Epic!

Saw the who april 1 1980 in Frankfurt while stationed in hiedleberg, liked them before the show, after it was over, totally convinced the most powerful rock and roll band ever!!!!!!!

Pete…!!! Awesome.

Wow......that's rock n roll

Pete is awesome. Virtuous!

love you Pete!!!!!!!!