Townshend was born in Chiswick, West London, at the Chiswick Hospital, Netheravon Road, in the UK. He came from a musical family: his father, Cliff Townshend, was a professional alto saxophonist in the See more

Guitars
Throughout his solo career and his career with the Who, Townshend has played a large variety of guitars – mostly various Fender, Gibson, and Rickenbacker models. He has also used Guild, Takamine See more

In 1967 Townshend had begun to explore spirituality. Townshend swiftly absorbed all of Meher Baba's writings that he could find; by April 1968, … See more

1961–1964: the Detours
In late 1961, Entwistle joined the Detours, a skiffle/rock and roll band, led by Roger Daltrey. The new … See more

Townshend was born ten days after Nazi Germany surrendered in the Second World War and grew up in the shadow of reconstruction in and around London. According to … See more

Although known for his musical compositions and musicianship, Townshend has been extensively involved in the literary world … See more

Relationships
Townshend met Karen Astley, daughter of film composer Edwin Astley, while in art school. They married on 20 May 1968 and moved into a three-bedroom townhouse in Twickenham in outer south-west London that overlooked the See more