Pete townshend took these ideas and wrote the story of jimmy, a mod boy in 1965 with four different personalities each based on one of the four members of the who. Who i am signed by pete townshend and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The whos pete townshend breaks nine year silence on child. Pete townshend released his autobiography who i am in october 2012 through book publisher harpercollins. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial.
Having read petes incredible autobiography, who i am, and enjoying its frankness and honesty i am eagerly awaiting his first novel. Pete townshend has had an enormous impact on the world of music for over 50 years as a composer, guitarist, singer, pianist, producer, electronic music pioneer, author, and as the creative force behind legendary rock band the who. Pete townshend book describes insane attempt to expose internet child abuse this article is more than 7 years old. Pete townshends book who i am is given a look, as the guitarist delves into issues that fans want to know about. I cant blame him for wanting to do different things and have a. As the main songwriter and creative force behind the who, townshend has been through hell and back as a rock star. One of rock musics most intelligent and literary performers, pete townshendguitarist, songwriter, editortells his closestheld stories about the origins of the preeminent. His musical knowledge and writing ability was and is unparalleled, and his taste for rebellion renowned. In the second decade of the new millennium pete townshend has deservedly ascended to a place of honour at rocks high table, a grandee who commands enormous respect in the world of music. In his memoir, who i am, townshend delves into the conflicts of. Pete townshend talks about his book who i am, his arrest. Written by pete townshend, audiobook narrated by pete townshend. Born the month world war ii ended in europe, he grew up among a family of musiciansmost notably his father, cliff townshend, a bandleader who had a minor solo hit in 1956.
With eloquence, fierce intelligence, and brutal honesty, pete townshend has written a deeply personal book that also stands as a primary source for popular. Then welcome pete townshends emotionally wrought and selfflagellating autobiography. It was published by harpercollins in october 2012 in both book and ebook. Pete began writing his memoirs in the 90s, and tested early drafts of some of the chapters in his blog pete townshend who he. He explains that he found it difficult to write, and i found it difficult to read. I kept thinking how i wished pete would have spent the same time creating new music, versus a book. He presented the story as a longform work with four distinct themes that would be interwoven throughout. The whos pete townshend breaks nine year silence on child pornography scandal. Pete townshend on his novel the age of anxiety and the. World cafe townshend talks about his debut novel, how it relates to.
Ive listened to his music countless times, but have only read the book once. Intensely intimatecandid to the point of selflacerationtownshends tone is less lofty than anyone would have expected, just as this book is more honest. I dont feel qualified to render an opinion really, because this was not my type of book. As he predicted decades ago, he did wind up with a life worth writing about. Who i am pete townshend ebook harpercollins publishers. But it relies too much on creativity, metaphorical stuff, and poetry to suit me. The defining guitarist of a generation, pete was the powerful creative force behind the who, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Pete townshends autobiography was commissioned in 1996. The driving force behind the legendary band the who, townshend revolutionized rock with his guitar and pen. Have you listened to any of pete townshends other performances before. In the case of who i am, the book has done nothing to dampen my admiration for pete townshend the musician and musical innovator, and as for pete townshend the person, apart from his confusing views on love and marriage which, given the strange and dysfunctional marriage of his parents, which involved his mother having a longtime boyfriend on. He tells his own story with humor and selfdeprecation. Pete townshend s biog is not for the faint of heart. After all his years of musical confessions, pete townshend still has secrets to get off his chest.
Pete townshend on creativity, the age of anxiety and the. Pete townshends who i am could be the most conflicted rock memoir of all time townshend is vulnerable and candid in a quest to explore his defects and contradictions. Who i am first edition, first impression by townshend, pete isbn. Its not that he has led an uninteresting life far from it. Pdf pete townshend who i am download full pdf book. This probably makes pete townshend a good person, but it makes who i am a dull memoir.
Also talks about getting abused when young, his grandmother, mum and wife. Pete townshend guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the who tells his story. Pete townshend has always been rock n rolls reluctant warrior. I live in mississippi and tomorrow i am flying to dallas to see the who in concert. Its june 1964, and pete townshend, the son of a bigband clarinetist and saxophonist, is playing a cacophonous rock gig in west london. By the way, the best tale of rockstar ribaldry in who i am has nothing to do with pete townshend and everything to do with peter noone, the cherubfaced herman from bad oldiesstation staple hermans hermits. Pete townshend on creativity, the age of anxiety and the whos new record. The authors nature was to keep a low profile about his abundant good deeds. It was a good book from start to finish and very wellwritten by the author. Pete townshend book describes insane attempt to expose. Live from the nypl recorded live at the new york public library, celeste bartos forum, october 8, 2012. Townshend as a who and pete townshend fan from the very beginnings of the band, his childhood through to present journey is as compelling as the musical genius hes become. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Pete townshends who i am could be the most conflicted rock memoir of all time.
The cover for the age of anxiety by pete townshend has arrived. In 2012 harpercollins published petes long awaited autobiography who i am, a typically forthright memoir of his life inside and outside of the who. The book has a great cast, although apart from the retelling of some well known anecdotes i would liked to have learned more about his band mates,still it wasnt, their book in truth. The most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story. Pete townshends the age of anxiety book cover revealed. His philanthropic work is likely greater than that of bono. Pete townshend guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the. I am trying to reconnect with this indian master that i adored so much when i was a young man, and im finding this book challenging. Townshends biggest concepts were usually too advanced for both his bandmates and his fans, and the sections in the book devoted to the lesser ones the lifehouse, white city and psychoderelict. I finished reading who i am by pete townshend last night. Who i am is a memoir by rock guitarist and composer pete townshend of the who. Pete townshend talks about his autobiography who i am, his father, mood swings,tommy, post war generation and his aunt.
There are three passages in his autobiography which made me laugh out loud in particular. The book chronicles townshends upbringing in london, the formation and evolution of the who, and his struggles with rock stardom and drugs and alcohol. Lewis jones on the selfpitying memoirs of pete townshend, who i am. Townshend comes across a a very honest figure who doesnt,shy away from the truth about himself and his weaknesses,of which there appear to have been many. I am not a paedophile by ben taylor, crime correspondent rock star pete townshend has admitted paying to enter an internet site advertising child. Townshend proudly feels that quadrophenia is the best work he ever produced. It was published by harpercollins in october 2012 in both book and ebook format, plus an unabridged 15cd audiobook read by townshend. One of rock musics most intelligent and literary performers, pete townshend guitarist, songwriter, editortells his closestheld stories about the origins of the. His longawaited memoir is intensely intimate, candid to the point of selflacerating. Based on my knowledge of pete townshends life, it seemed that he drew on his own life experience, and his approximate age, etc. One of rock musics most intelligent and literary performers, pete townshendguitarist, songwriter, editortells his closestheld stories about the origins of the preeminent twentiethcentury band the who, his own career as an artist and performer, and his restless life in and out of the public eye in this candid autobiography, who i am. Uk print newnew signed by the author sticker on dj signed by pete townshend on title page in his debut novel, rock legend pete townshend explores the anxiety of modern life and madness in a story that stretches across two generations of a london family, their.
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