Pete Townshend, "Pinball Wizard" on Letterman, June 17, 1993 (stereo)

You Tuber Sandspock33 surreptitiously captured the World's Most Dangerous Band's music breaks plus Pete's performance and uploaded them here:
• Paul Shaffer Band 'THE...
• Paul Shaffer WHO SONGS...
Here is the broadcast version of Pete's "Pinball Wizard" plus his sit-down with Dave, in full and in glorious stereo.

[@1212Maps]

Ten years later he was back on Letterman and said that guitar he used here (in '93) was worth $10,000...and that it was auctioned off the next day for charity...and someone paid $75,000 for the bits and pieces of guitar.

[@davemiller498]

True. He and Roger are a big part of the children's cancer trust (?) in England. My all time favorite band.

[@JimWelsh-f6l]

@davemiller498 they also give to the American teenage cancer charity. I am not sure but I think they started the teenage cancer charity. Saw the who 5 times going way way back in the 70s. I became a who freak back in the 60s. The greatest rock band ever ever.

[@rickacton7540]

its called money laundering...

[@JimWelsh-f6l]

@@rickacton7540 so you are saying that Pete Townshend is dealing drugs . why else would he be hiding his income. don't get it what you mean.

[@rickacton7540]

@@JimWelsh-f6l huh? i didnt say that at all. #ESLclasses

[@partyboi8773]

What an amazing talent Townshend is: wrote the song, shreds on acoustic guitar, and "What the hell, one of the all-time great rock vocalists Roger Daltrey isn't here, so I'll just sing this one solo" -- and absolutely slays it.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

When this aired, the song was 25 years old. Some 30 years have passed since this aired--and still the song holds its own.

[@bobazivkovic7072]

I watched 2,15 hours concert in Croydon, '69...Mind blowing! I got out of Croydon Fairfield Hall absolutely dizzy or better say ,dazed and confused'..What a wall of music hitting you in head and brain....But Pinball Wizard was..can't compare it to anything else!

[@JM-io6966bili]

Long Live Pete . Long Live Rock .

[@bralph82]

The era of Dave’s band playing with legends is a forgotten jewel.

[@tomscott3]

no, i vividly remember

[@stupoc6715]

That's why they called them "The world's most dangerous band".

[@rockbassrules]

The idea of growing up a fan of all the great legends then becoming a musician then having the luck of jamming on Nat’l TV with those same legends blows my mind to no end.

[@JimWelsh-f6l]

@@stupoc6715 The greatest rock and roll band ever ever. THE WHO saw the WHO 5 TIME'S AND my ears are still ringing and I love it.

[@marshallross3373]

Had to be a treat for those guys to play along with Pete. He even smashed a beautiful guitar. How many guitars have died at the hands of P. Townshend?

[@johnt7630]

Always loved the opening riff of Pinball Wizard.

[@TheBircat]

Suspended chords: God's gift to Pete Townshend.

[@jamescaseymusic]

It's a real eye opener of an intro as it really teaches you how you can play a melody while strumming if you're picky about chord positions.

[@davidallen346]

I wished he'd give me that Gibson J-200 guitar before smashing it 😫

[@andyhestekin1195]

Speaking of that riff... The fast strumming part in the intro is of course great but if you listen to the song "4th of July, Asbury Park" (Sandy) by the Boss you here the strumming of the acoustic rythym guitar speed up a when Bruce mentions "the wizards play down on pinball way" and if I'm not mistaken and I'm sure I am, it seems to me that the acoustic guitar is mimicking that Pinball Wizard intro riff. It could be an intentional homage or I could be simply making this connection in my head only. I have never looked up anything about this but it's my working theory. 🖖

[@jasfan8247]

Always loved those endings.....😇

[@renebrown7394]

Pete shredded the shit out of that acoustic…then smashed the hell out of it🤘🏻

[@theo9952]

Yes and that was really ugly. I mean I wouldn't care so much about a mass produced SG electric but that was a Gibson J-200 for pity's sake !

[@phenixreturns]

a nonsense in 2023 for this beautiful and expensive guitar many would like to have

[@georgeprice4212]

Y’all do realize that the guitar, because it was played by Townshend, was sold at auction for big money? And, that was the ONLY way Pete agreed to destroy it!

[@SlowRide723]

​@@theo9952 boo hoo

[@jacobjones5269]

That album has fascinated me for 40 years… It never fails to bring me out of my doldrums..

[@jamesian-allen8725]

Tommy is a work of art !

[@MattSmith-iq1ld]

@@jamesian-allen8725 Won a Tony Award, and Oscar and a Grammy. The play performance is incredible. It just keeps touring the world.

[@WallyPost]

After having grown up listening to The Who and seeing them in concert 5 times ... listening to that "riff" and the entire tune ... will always bring tears to my eyes.

[@bretttownsend6495]

More like 53 years ago

[@partyboi8773]

The whole album, and this song in particular. If I'm playing the CD in the car, I can't just listen to it once -- 3 times on repeat, minimum.

[@TPR64suvpac]

It's been awhile since I seen this performance, it was superb acoustical performance of pinball wizard,.

[@rickferrari9042]

One of the best classics ever written

[@hughdismuke4703]

Pete always has great stories to tell. His interviews are just as fun as his shows.

[@pnaylish1004]

I went to see Psycho Derelict and there was technical problems with the presentation and Pete was pissed. He stopped the whole Derelict thing and went into about an hour of old Who stuff and it was FUCKING AWESOME! He let all that frustration out into his playing. Incredible performance.

[@thomasriley5830]

What city was the show in?

[@pnaylish1004]

@@thomasriley5830 I believe it was Great Woods in Mansfield Ma. It was a long time ago and I was drunk but I still remember it was awesome and how pissed off he was. I think he made a statement about if someone wanted to pay $100 they could watch him beat the shit out of someone backstage. (Referring to whoever was responsible for the technical problems). Maybe it was just me but I think everyone at that concert was psyched when he ripped into the old stuff. I should have been disappointed the show was screwed up but it turned out to be the exact opposite.

[@thomasriley5830]

@@pnaylish1004 Your story sounded so familiar to me… it turns out I know why!! My guitar teacher (I live in mass and he does too) saw Pete at the same show! He told me about how the show went horribly wrong with technical difficulties, and when Pete realized it couldn’t be salvaged he ripped into magic bus strumming as hard as possible and the band joined in. He said they did all Who songs and what should have been a disaster turned out to be an amazing night. My guitar teacher had backstage passes and said when he went back stage, Pete was having a meltdown at some poor guy in the room over and he overheard the whole thing. My guitar teacher second guessed wanting to meet Pete… but he said when Pete entered the room he had calmed down and was cordial. He has a picture with him too. Small world!!

[@pnaylish1004]

@@thomasriley5830 thank God you wrote this! The older I get the more I wonder how accurate my memory is. Your guitar teacher is a lucky guy. I would have loved to have been backstage after that fiasco. Just like your teacher, I would have been apprehensive but the emotions were high and that’s when the best shit happens! Thank you for posting this!

[@keefriff99]

@@pnaylish1004 Great story! I live in CT and saw the Who in Mansfield back in 2002 (I believe it was the Tweeter Center at the time), just after John Entwistle died. It was only their fifth show after his passing, but they carried on like pros. It was a notable show in that they played I Can See For Miles for the third and final time between 1989 and 2014 (the other two times being in 1990 and 1997). I can remember Pete saying, “We’re only gonna do this song once this tour, and I’m not playing it again…” or something to that effect.

[@MagnumMuscle1000]

I always loved Pete's voice. Underrated singer.

[@richardkay2000]

Yes! In fact on some songs I prefer his voice to Roger's.

[@dantheman1534]

@@richardkay2000 he does sing quite a bit on Who records. Interestingly, he can sing extremely softly as he started on Pinball and very deeply/roughly as exhibited later. Check out album Endless Wire

[@theblackstoneproject9917]

I wholeheartedly agree. Never got why people knock him as a vocalist....then again, being in the same band as Roger Daltrey will cause even a great vocalist to be overshadowed.

[@robertmerkler2751]

I always said the same. Some of The Who’s best songs are sung by Pete.

[@damamae950]

and cute as hell, even tho he never thought so

[@salsabil44]

I met Pete once, in the gents toilet of a night club in Edinburgh. There I was all alone, minding my own business having a pee, when in walks Pete Townsend to stand alongside me at the urinal. As I looked up I nearly collapsed with shock. What do you say to a rock legend? ´Alright Pete?´I says, trying to remain cool and continue peeing at the same time. ´How was the gig?´ ´Yeah good, thanks´ he replies. To cut a long story short, my gf and I ended up being invited to join their entourage for free drinks back at their hotel round the corner, at about 3am, where PT was going round the tables with a tray of sandwiches. Unfortunately, before leaving, my 22 year-old self had to spoil the evening by asking him for an autograph...

[@michaelashe5265]

So awesome! Huge credit to the band for being able play along so well! Those guys had to learn more songs than probably any other band in history.

[@leonardodic3po607]

A genius musical mind with the playing skill to match. Legendary. Unique. Generational talent.

[@joelingojoelingo6560]

Not really. Basic chords.

[@asensibleyoungman2978]

@@joelingojoelingo6560 It's not the number of notes or the difficulty of the chords, it's what you do with them that matters. A guitar virtuoso like Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen could never write a masterpiece like this.

[@bobazivkovic7072]

@@joelingojoelingo6560 and only 8 basic notes! But ..there should be one to combine them properly! That's what Pete does!

[@BruceCSnow]

I saw it when it originally aired 30 years ago. Holds up magnificently. Thanks Pete, Dave, Paul & the band.

[@mauricecaldwell6941]

His rhythm is so clear and strong🔥

[@MattSmith-iq1ld]

Keith Richards = "He's the best acoustic guitarist and rhythm player that our country has ever produced. He literally plays rhythm and lead at the same time."

[@WallyPost]

@@MattSmith-iq1ld Townshend is the most brilliant composer/guitar player in the history of Rock and Roll. The Who made "watching" Rock and Roll en vogue.

[@luisamendes8181]

I’d had never seen this interview before. It’s getting more difficult to find new the who information for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING 🥰

[@TheGravygun]

I saw them in the front row 89 on my 21st birthday. Very, very good. Cannot say enough.

[@DominiqueGarofalo]

NOBODY smashes a guitar like Pete Townshend.

[@ConglomerationCat]

Completely agree... Many others have but it doesn't have the same spontaneous energy and passion that he does.

[@johnbuie966]

That's because he invented it!

[@leokimvideo]

The guitar becomes priceless when it's in 1000 pieces.

[@davidhale9672]

Guessing the band and crew each went home with a piece.

[@ricaard]

Not to me.

[@jdenino6022]

He said he glues them back together.

[@blakkat4126]

$75,000 at an auction.

[@KingofCrusher]

Oh man I remember seeing this as a kid staying up to watch letterman and Conan and thinking it was the most awesome thing ever. Nobody ever said "I should probably play something from my new album" then launched into a classic.

[@VideoAmericanStyle]

I got the sense he wasn’t thrilled about having to play a classic (maybe at the producers’ suggestion) instead of the new material he wanted to share. The guitar smash wouldn’t have worked following a song no one had heard before.

[@richardfurlott4243]

No one for sure !

[@johntucker9782]

He had Tommy playing on Broadway at the time, which he was promoting, I’m pretty sure he picked the song.

[@TacomaPaul]

Pete's "accident" happened in the Tacoma Dome. He was sent to Tacoma General Hospital. One of my nurse friends treated him. She has a picture with him. That's cool. ;-)

[@KevyNova]

I wish there was video of it.

[@rp9760]

Don! My man. Thanks for the post. Had a collection of these but they were lost in various moves. Thanks for preserving them.

[@asensibleyoungman2978]

A masterpiece. I get shivers when the main opening riffs kicks in and also when he sings 'from Soho down to Brighton.' The only downside is when he wrecks beautiful instruments. That's on a par with strangling your granny after she's cooked you your favourite meal.

[@victorlamb6094]

I believe they auctioned that broken guitar for charity and it brought $70,000

[@victorlamb6094]

I was a little off. I checked it actually brought $168,000!

[@YouzTube99]

To those wondering about what happened to the smashed Gibson J-200 . . . The Hard Rock Cafe won the auction and the proceeds were donated to charity. It's on display at the Las Vegas location.

[@paulsavage5057]

There's no such thing as "Charity!" in a Capitalist System of Greed and Economic Imperialism!!

[@willissudweeks1050]

Oh cool next time I’m there maybe I’ll go there just to see it.

[@willissudweeks1050]

Thanks for saying

[@YouzTube99]

@@willissudweeks1050 Cheers, mate! Enjoy!

[@jimgray1094]

@@paulsavage5057 gotta be tiring living in your world

[@americanpancakelive]

This performance really makes me smile. Pete is just having the best time.

[@mrsullyrox]

I like how his vocal just fits right in there sonically.

[@dantheman1534]

amazingly....he does that a lot

[@turk5832]

It would be sad indeed if anyone in the world couldn't see the brilliance of this Rock Opera and the immense talent of this incredible band!!

[@richardfurlott4243]

I might be 73 this SONG is as GREAT as the day it was recorded!

[@GaryMarkley-h3z]

INDEED!

[@bobgordon236]

Same ! 73 !

[@john.wick.111]

Ah... the days when music was truly good

[@sweetitis]

Gives me goose bumps ! What a performer

[@Dunwyche]

Now that's the Pete I know and love.

[@shaneconnelly7943]

Negative creep u are

[@villll]

que

[@juju2345]

That guitar has been smashed 389,974 times on KZbin. 🍄wonderful

[@fredosantanas2154]

Perfect guitar destruction move, you can tell Pete is a professional at doing that 🤘

[@moosecat]

Kids...don't try this at home...

[@andrewstubbs822]

Genius. My main influence as a guitarist through his aggression, his physicality and onstage authority - no one, or more, could restrict Pete Townshend on a stage forever his.

[@Hammer757]

God he was and is so awesome! Fucking brilliant!

[@leighparkboy]

Absolute genius

[@BaccarWozat]

This was awesome to see first-run.

[@Nosirrah2112]

Beyond a Legend. Pete IS ROCK and ROLL

[@paulcampbell6377]

OMG, my favourite acoustic smashed to bits.

[@JimWelsh-f6l]

That is the greatest man in rock and roll. A MUSICAL genius pete Townshend. Pete has always stayed true to rock and roll. he wasn't about a top 10 hit

[@marktheelf53]

You are absolutely RIGHT!!!

[@richardfurlott4243]

Pete is the definition of a ROCKER !

[@JimWelsh-f6l]

@richardfurlott4243 Pete Townshend is ROCK AND ROLL. No one in rock can come close to THE WHO. Saw the who 5 times and the only other band I believe comes close to THE WHO is Bruce Springsteen saw Bruce 4 times. And green day reminds me of the who.

[@johntucker9782]

Townsend...the greatest rock star of all time.

[@moatasemkassab4517]

But also a... CP charged person XD

[@sebastianfigueroa3288]

@@moatasemkassab4517 nope. was cleared of charges related to child pornography on May 7, 2003

[@da324]

@@moatasemkassab4517 Charged doesn't mean guilty, fuckwad! You could work for the mainstream media.

[@rodneyjordan6745]

Too many skilled musicians to make that assertion. Prince, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Ric Okasic, James Hetfield, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Joan Jett, John Mellencamp, Freddie Mercury, Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger are (were) incredible artists and are on equal footing with Townsend.

[@jeffbogue3718]

@@rodneyjordan6745 nope. Joan Jett... Not even in the same category

[@mediaglue6820]

Amongst the best ever. Totally underestimated.

[@LucaNesi-ei4zy]

He crushed the guitar! I hope he never gets old 😂

[@alicegrant3731]

Oooo that Gibson electro acoustic was beautiful.... I nearly cried at the finale 😢

[@misternewoutlook5437]

Pete looks so delighted when Paul and the band start playing Pictures of Lily at the break.

[@Frank.E.Valley]

As someone once said, "Pictures of Lily" is one of the best necromasturbatory songs every written

[@misternewoutlook5437]

@@Frank.E.Valley Probably the only one.

[@bathsheba56]

The Who has been, always, an aggressive band, determined through Townshend's vision to break though, which they did. This isn't necessary, Pete. You are already a preeminent artist. Your music has changed my life!

[@jontucker1925]

I've never seen that before,that was awesome!!!

[@HHH-ye1ro]

Great interview and performance. Down to earth guy.

[@deborahswanson3457]

Effing love you, Pete!!! 💜💜💜

[@jwbsweet]

Fuckin guitar God there !..Wow where did 17yrs go ?...Thanks for the vid,fantastic performance, great video 👍

[@isaiahfayerweather6893]

You mean 27 lmao

[@kjc6272]

Guitar King.,. not God. He is not a lead guitarsit.. rhythm. Guitar Gods.. go to Hendrix, Clapton, Iommi, Page, Gilmour, EVH, etc...

[@ruiseartalcorn]

A rock god!!!

[@patmazzotta868]

I heard him talk recently about him in early years, smashing his guitars and gluing them back together, cheap ones, so he could use them in latter shows. I guess he won't be glueing that one back together. Rock & Roll.

[@robertcroft1]

That is heartbreaking seeing a Gibson SJ200 smashed to pieces like that. 😭

[@shermansherbert2570]

Lol that was a balsa prop if I have ever seen one. Whats amazing is it played pretty well. Have you ever tried smashing a guitar? It actually takes a lotttt of force.

[@ErikDeMann]

@@taxesdeathandtrouble.1886 I read that in the voice of The Critical Drinker..

[@1953streeky]

I can only stare at a Gibson like that in the window it's not fair oh well that's fame and fortune

[@shermansherbert2570]

@@1953streeky lol it was a smash prop! It was a fake!

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

​@shermansherbert2570 Pete doesn't smash "fake guitars". THAT would be SO fake

[@danielerickson5175]

Never gets old! And of course, his bandaged hand… From ROCKING… Pete, Townsend! An icon

[@OlafProt]

I saw The Who at the first Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Albert Hall in London 2000, and when he played Drowned solo acoustic I'd never seen anything like it. He really was at his second peak here, the voice still fully intact and playing with incredible attack. Paul and the band back him SO fucking well.

[@maestromecanico597]

I remember this fondly from the night it broadcast. Little did we realize we were witnessing the zenith of the medium.

[@RobertSchenewerk]

I seen the who in the 70s nobody smashes a guitar like 'ol' Pete.☮️🎵

[@josephfroude6056]

That Pete Townsend sure plays a mean guitar! 🎸

[@MARIEFONG-q7q]

PRESERVE this video! Its classic. I really like the old boy. Love to meet him & sit & chat a bit.

[@lennon1482]

credit to the guitarist hitting the whammy bar at the end there, fucking excellent

[@rickmarone2382]

Awesome jam

[@ustheserfs]

Auto destructive art he called it, sheer agony for me.

[@dantheman1534]

One insanely talented genius. LEGEND

[@keithrickson8522]

When the song started, I thought “wow that’s a beautiful sounding guitar! Is that a 12 string? No, it just sounds amazing!” Then he smashed it and I was like WTH GD it, why Pete why? Lol

[@moosecat]

The guitar was being auctioned off for charity, and, as Pete Townshend himself said, a guitar played AND smashed by Pete Townshend is worth more than one he simply played.

[@carlodave9]

He impaled his hand at the Tacoma Dome. Man, what a bummer because the show was going great. Poor Pete! Fortunately Roger stepped up and treated the crowd to an intimate solo set with his guitar to close out the show. I had no idea he was that good a player.

[@CarolRademacher]

I love him

[@tonybates7870]

If he'd only written I Can See For Miles he'd be a genius, let alone the rest.

[@melissamoore521]

Amen to that!

[@petermitchell8763]

Ummm… “I Can See For Miles” was written by Townshend. You might be thinking of “The Hawker” written by Sonny Boy Williamson and performed on “Tommy”/

[@craigkerr2764]

@@petermitchell8763 I think you misread. I believe he means if “I can see for miles” was the only thing he wrote, he would still be a genius. Thankfully he continued after that one.

[@natural1952]

Just like if The Who had only recorded "Behind Blue Eyes" and then gone away, they would still be considered a super group.

[@noahreaves8235]

@@natural1952 oddly there’s a lot of people think Limp Bizkit wrote Behind Blue Eyes because of their very bad cover

[@shaneconnelly7943]

Fantastic stuff👊👊👊👊

[@carlubambi5541]

Fantastic as always

[@blitztim6416]

What a legend Pete is. He’s damaged that hand before and continued to play as it bleed. A real bad ass. And brilliant!

[@karlfonner7589]

I saw his psycho derelict tour in 93 in Berkeley - One of his best concerts ever! he did a good of face-to-face. I thought he would be snobby, But he was a really nice man

[@nazfrde]

Dave told Colbert that that's what me misses most about doing the show... getting to see his favorite bands and musicians.

[@shaunloynds5317]

stunning performance.

[@foto21]

Imagine your guitar being more valuable at auction because you broke it than it would be in one piece. That's being a legend.

[@TonyBurke100]

But is it really a Gibson or a $1200 Sigma either way it still has the same power.

[@jzen1455]

@@TonyBurke100 Townshend later mentions it was a $10,000 guitar the was later sold at an auction for charity for $70,000

[@georgeprice4212]

@@jzen1455higher….$168,000!

[@georgeprice4212]

@@TonyBurke100a real Gibson.

[@otisspunkmeyer9339]

It was for teen cancer right

[@chrischapel9165]

As a rabid Who fan growing up in the 70s , I was proud to say in my hometown of Flint Mi , where the Who on Keith Moons bday was performing and staying at the HoJo on Bristol rd and Moon drove a car into the pool and trashed their rooms.

[@jeffbayne15]

That "Late Night Band" does one Helluva Job with this!!!

[@andrewstubbs822]

That's the best, most complete, destruction of a guitar I've ever seen by Mr Pete Townshend!

[@johntucker9782]

I think he selects his amps based on the sharpness of their corners.

[@pbeaty8425]

Totally brilliant.

[@MattNeubauer]

I was at the show in the Tacoma Dome (outside Seattle) when he skewered his hand on the tremolo bar. My parents taped the news and showed him being taken out on a stretcher. As mentioned in another comment, Psychoderelict is underrated and worth a listen, I think.

[@TonyBurke100]

In an interview he said that his greatest fear was not being unable to play after he skewered his hand it was his inability to write that frightened him.

[@XOY321]

Pure class.

[@crazyotto1338]

That's some amazing right hand guitar work for sure

[@daletraylor8094]

OMG… that hurts me bad!!!

[@jerry_fishguy]

Pete is awesome. Virtuous!

[@danieldravot341]

Most people would be happy to write one thing as great as Pinball Wizard. For Pete it’s one song from one album from a fifty year career. “I remember throwing punches around and preaching from my chair . . .”

[@ricaard]

I love the man and his music, BUT HE CAN NEVER BORROW MY GUITAR.

[@GaryMarkley-h3z]

word (lol)

[@surfgod509]

Brilliant 👏

[@davetysdal5442]

Awesome!!

[@natevm7888]

Epic performance 👏

[@TomasLjung-jj5dp]

Did you know Kit Lambert said to Pete smash the guitar on stage also Kieth did something by his drum kit funny stage performance must say Bravissimo ☆☆☆☆☆

[@ldrobarts]

Greatest musician of all time

[@chuckhurlocker2180]

Excellently committed to record

[@stree145]

Townsend is a legendary talent

[@coophandluke3697]

Saw the who april 1 1980 in Frankfurt while stationed in hiedleberg, liked them before the show, after it was over, totally convinced the most powerful rock and roll band ever!!!!!!!

[@leh3827]

I love to see him smash those damn guitars.

[@mattchu2480]

Always is my best favorite band. Including every members at Kith Moon still alive.

[@pinanti]

Legend

[@mortylevitt622]

Wow......that's rock n roll