Fact #95376
When:
Short story:
The Detours Jazz Group, featuring future leader of The Who, Pete Townshend, support The Ron Cavendish Orchestra at The Town Hall, Acton, West London, UK.
Full article:
Cliff Townshend (father of Pete Townshend, and a musician in his own right) : How could I dwell in the past when I had the group rehearsing in the back room. I must confess that there were times when wondered if all their hard work was going to get them anywhere, but it just goes to show how wrong one can be. Their enthusiasm was every bit as genuine as mine had been in my early days. They really do deserve their success. (Source : interview by Freddy Clayton in 1973)
Pete Townshend : There's no doubt that if he hadn't been a musician and hadn't understood our early problems and disappointments, the chances are we might never have gotten off the ground. Still, everyone needs a bit of luck somewhere along the line, and having dad around was ours. Don't forget Mum. She had something to do with all this too. (Source : interview by Freddy Clayton in 1973)
Pete Townshend : When I first started singing with a group, I used to go up on stage and forget that I was Pete Townshend who wasn't a success with the ladies, and all of a sudden I'd become aware that there were little girls giggling and pointing at my nose. And I'd think, "Sod 'em - they're not gonna laugh at me!" And I'd get angrier still. My whole absurdly demonstrative stage act was worked out to turn myself into a body instead of a face. Most pop singers were pretty, but I wanted people to look at my body, and not have to bother looking at my head if they didn't like the look of it.
(Interview with Ray Connolly, Dec 1967)
Betty Townshend (Pete's mother) : I used to ride them around in a little yellow van and cart all their gear about. I helped as much as I could because I could see the potential. I used to hear them upstairs making all that noise. I told Cliff "I'm going to try to help them because the only way of gettin' rid of them is to help them." Seeing that they don't live here forever.
I didn't hang around and wait for them, though. Mainly I used to deliver the goods, come home, and then go back and pick them and the gear up. Very seldom did I want to stay with the noise.
I got in touch with all the people I knew in the business, and practically all of them gave them jobs.
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Pete Townshend : There's no doubt that if he hadn't been a musician and hadn't understood our early problems and disappointments, the chances are we might never have gotten off the ground. Still, everyone needs a bit of luck somewhere along the line, and having dad around was ours. Don't forget Mum. She had something to do with all this too. (Source : interview by Freddy Clayton in 1973)
Pete Townshend : When I first started singing with a group, I used to go up on stage and forget that I was Pete Townshend who wasn't a success with the ladies, and all of a sudden I'd become aware that there were little girls giggling and pointing at my nose. And I'd think, "Sod 'em - they're not gonna laugh at me!" And I'd get angrier still. My whole absurdly demonstrative stage act was worked out to turn myself into a body instead of a face. Most pop singers were pretty, but I wanted people to look at my body, and not have to bother looking at my head if they didn't like the look of it.
(Interview with Ray Connolly, Dec 1967)
Betty Townshend (Pete's mother) : I used to ride them around in a little yellow van and cart all their gear about. I helped as much as I could because I could see the potential. I used to hear them upstairs making all that noise. I told Cliff "I'm going to try to help them because the only way of gettin' rid of them is to help them." Seeing that they don't live here forever.
I didn't hang around and wait for them, though. Mainly I used to deliver the goods, come home, and then go back and pick them and the gear up. Very seldom did I want to stay with the noise.
I got in touch with all the people I knew in the business, and practically all of them gave them jobs.