Why Pete Townshend Used to Smash His Guitars: From Rebellion to Performance Art

Pete Townshend, legendary guitarist of The Who, has long been associated with his iconic and aggressive onstage act of smashing guitars. But in a recent interview with The New York Times, Townshend opened up about the deeper reasons behind the spectacle — and it all traces back to his troubled relationship with his father.

“I was a geeky young kid with a big nose who wanted to be an artist or a journalist — not play in a rock band,” Townshend said. Despite his father being a talented musician, he didn’t support Pete’s early aspirations. “He didn’t believe in me and allowed my grandmother to buy me a fucking old guitar that I couldn’t play,” he recalled.

For Townshend, the guitar soon became more than just an instrument — it became a symbol of rejection. “Some of my guitar-smashing antics probably started because it had become a symbol of the way my father had not considered me worthy of a decent instrument.”

Finding Purpose in Noise

Although he initially had little interest in rock music, Townshend discovered its emotional power after writing The Who’s breakout hit, “I Can’t Explain.” Following a performance at the Goldhawk Social Club, a group of five boys and a girl approached him and said the song captured their feelings exactly.

“That’s just it — we don’t have the words. We can’t explain. We want you to write more songs like this,” they told him. The moment was transformative.

“I realized I’d been given a fantastic job — to speak for this audience,” Townshend explained. “Those early Who songs, like ‘My Generation’ and ‘Pictures of Lily,’ were about giving people a sense that they weren’t alone. So for me, rock music was hugely important.”

The Burden of Legacy

Today, as The Who continues to tour — possibly for the last time — Townshend is acutely aware of the disconnect between past and present. He spoke candidly about how artists can become trapped by their own legacy.

“The swindle starts when you become a property and no longer belong to your fans,” he said. “You belong to record companies, promoters, and managers. The audience worships you for what you’ve done years before — they’re not interested in anything new.”

This realization has colored how Townshend and bandmate Roger Daltrey see their current performances. “For Roger and I, it’s difficult to do anything other than feel like we’re a Who tribute band,” he admitted.

As the band weighs its future, Townshend’s reflections reveal a man still grappling with the meaning behind the music — and the cost of becoming an icon.