Pete Townshend Says His Dad Was “Really Pleased” About His Success with The Who, but “Just Didn’t Get Rock ‘n’ Roll”

Pete Townshend, The Who’s founding guitarist and principal songwriter, recently took part in a video interview with the Toronto Sun to chat about his upcoming box set, Pete Townshend Live: In Concert 1985-2001. During the conversation, Townshend revealed some interesting details about his relationship with his late father, Cliff.

Cliff Townshend, who died in 1986 at age 70, was a professional jazz saxophonist who played in the Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra. The legendary rocker was asked what his dad thought about Pete’s successful career as a rock musician.

“I bought him his first house. I bought him his first decent car, I bought him his holiday home in [Spain’s] Balearic Islands,” Townshend noted. He then said with a hearty laugh, “He was really pleased with me.”

The 79-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer continued, “He was a handsome man. He was a lovely man. He was a fabulous guy, but he just didn’t get rock ‘n’ roll.”

Townshend then explained that he’d once had a conversation with his father that gave insight into why he had a negative opinion about rock music.

As he recalled, “[My father] said, ‘Pete, you guys with your big amplifiers … can fill a ballroom with just three of you … making the music, and a singer. For us, it’s 20 people. … [W]e can’t do what you do. You are putting us out of business.’ He didn’t say it in anger. He didn’t say it with resentment, but he stated it as a fact, and it turned out to be a fact.

Townshend Said His Dad Indirectly Helped Inspire His Love of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Having said that, Townshend noted that his father was indirectly responsible for Pete becoming a rock ‘n’ roll fan himself.

“[H]e did help me to get to my first rock ‘n’ roll movie, which was Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock, with my buddy Jimpy,” Pete pointed out. “[W]e were 11 years old, and my dad organized the tickets. And then he organized the tickets for us to go and see Bill Haley live in London when we were 12. So, he helped.”

Townshend Recalled Performing with His Dad on TV

Townshend also shared that he and his father once performed together on a BBC talk show hosted TV presenter Michael Parkinson. Pete noted that the clip, which show him “being a bit jazzy with my dad,” can be viewed on YouTube. According to the site, the episode aired in March 1981.

About the Pete Townshend Live Box Set

The Pete Townshend Live: In Concert 1985-2001 box set will be released on Friday, July 26. The 14-CD collection features audio from nine different solo concerts Townshend played at various venues spanning from 1985 through 2001.

The box set comes packaged with a 28-page featuring rare photos and memorabilia, sleeve notes by archivist Matt Kent, and a new interview with Townshend.

Pete Townshend Live: In Concert 1985-2001 is available for pre-order now.