From the voice of a generation: The most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who . . .
. . . wanted The Who to be called The Hair.
. . . wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer.
. . . became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor.
. . . smashed his first guitar onstage, in 1964, by accident.
. . . invented the Marshall stack, feedback and the concept album.
. . . inspired Jimi Hendrix's pyrotechnical stagecraft.
. . . is partially deaf in his left ear.
. . . stole his windmill guitar playing from Keith Richards.
. . . followed Keith Moon off a hotel balcony into a pool and nearly died.
. . . did too much cocaine and nearly died.
. . . drank too much and nearly died.
. . . detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died.
. . . was embroiled in a tabloid scandal that has dogged him ever since.
. . . planned to write his memoir when he was 21.
. . . published this book at 67.
He is one of the greatest musical talents Britain has ever produced. But even as the principle songwriter and lead guitarist for The Who, it would be unjust to define Pete Townshend's life simply through his achievements with bandmates Daltrey, Moon and Entwistle.Noting that he has sold over 100 million records over a fifty-year period goes some way to quantifying his accomplishments, but numbers only scratch the surface of his contribution to popular culture.An avid student of his profession, during his career he has been credited with the creation of the concept album, worked as a literary editor, developed scripts for television and the stage, and written songs that have defined a generation. The thinking man's rock star with a dedication to his craft unlike any other in the business, he continues to inspire new generations of performers and writers with a continuing commitment to his art.Now, in one of the most eagerly awaited autobiographies of recent times, this icon tells about his incredible life and elaborates on the turbulences of time spent as one of the world's most respected musicians - being in one of rock's greatest ever bands, and wanting to give it all up.Incredibly, as a man who has achieved so much, this truly unique story of ambition, relentless perfectionism and rock and roll excess will be regarded as one of his greatest achievements.
