The lead player for The Who smashed a Rickenbacker at the Railway Tavern in Harrow and Wealdstone in September of 1964 and that moment remains one of the most iconic in rock history. According to TheWho.net, Townshend destroyed more than 35 guitars in 1967, alone.
Who smashed the guitars in the WHO?
guitarist Pete Townshend
This piece of performance art inspired guitarist Pete Townshend of the Who, who was the first guitar-smashing rock artist. Rolling Stone Magazine included his smashing of a Rickenbacker guitar at the Railway Tavern in Harrow and Wealdstone in September 1964 in their list of “50 Moments That Changed Rock & Roll”.
Why did the who smash guitars?
As singer/guitarist Paul Stanley explained in a 2016 interview, “The idea of almost ritualistically smashing a guitar is something so cool and touches a nerve in so many people that it seemed like a great way to put a period or to dot the ‘I’ or cross the ‘T’ at the end of a show, that this is finite, that this is over
Did the Who smash their instruments?
The story of guitar damage, of course, starts with Pete Townshend, The Who’s world-smashing guitarist. The first time he broke a guitar on stage, it was basically an accident—working on a stage with a low ceiling, he cracked the headstock on his Rickenbacker, then decided to follow through with the destruction.
How many guitars did the WHO destroy?
According to TheWho.net, Townshend destroyed more than 35 guitars in 1967, alone. The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, is also known for destroying his drum set, but that’s another matter entirely. Check out a clip of Townshend destroying an acoustic here below.
What did Pete do with his guitar for the WHO’s finale at Monterey?
Picking up the chunks of the broken guitar, Pete Townshend threw them out to the crowd, at which time Rabius caught the piece of the body with the pick guard, pickups and control knobs.
Did Kurt Cobain smash guitars?
Cobain was known for smashing up guitars beyond repair, as you can imagine, he went through a LOT of guitars. One of the first guitars he bought (seen in photo to the right) was a Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3. It was likely manufactured between 1974 and 1977.
Why did Clapton switch to Stratocaster?
In 1970, Clapton switched from Gibson electric guitars to Fender Stratocasters, largely due to the influences of Jimi Hendrix and Blind Faith bandmate Steve Winwood.
Who started guitar shredding?
Allan Holdsworth was ripping up the fretboard from the late 1960s/early 1970s; playing mind bogglingly fast legato licks and lines which still stump modern players today.
Who caught the WHO guitar at Woodstock?
Townsend’s red Gibson SG Special was immediately retrieved by a roadie and this can be seen on a bonus disc in the Woodstock 40th Anniversary DVD set. In July 2006 the guitar was on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in London.
Did Jimi Hendrix break his guitar?
Early in 1967 he accidentally cracked one of his guitars backstage and decided to wreck it as part of his act. Audiences liked it so he found creative ways to trash his instrument. But unlike Townshend, Hendrix continued to create music as his burned his guitars.
Why do guitarists destroy guitars?
There are multiple reasons to smash a guitar on stage. Anger is frequently involved, as with Nirvana when Kurt Cobain smashed up his Mustang out of frustration at a malfunctioning monitor, Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge violently ending a disastrous awards show performance or Armstrong’s rage at being cut off.
Who is the best guitar shredder of all time?
The World’s Greatest Shredders
- Eddie Van Halen. Ed is the obvious first choice here, since the genre wouldn’t exist without him!
- Joe Satriani. If Eddie Van Halen brought shred guitar to the radio, Satch brought it to the radio with no vocals!
- Yngwie Malmsteen.
- Tosin Abasi.
- Steve Vai.
- Al Di Meola.
- Paco De Lucia.
- Marty Friedman.
Who owns the most valuable guitar?
Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster ($2,000,000)
This iconic guitar attained its iconic price when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (known to be quite a guitar player on his own merit) bought it for a cool $2 million back in 1998.
Who owns the biggest guitar collection?
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has spent 25 years assembling the world’s leading collection of rock ‘n’ roll, American history and pop culture artefacts.
Why did Pete Townshend destroy his guitars?
Pete in Melody Maker : “I smashed up two guitars at the end of the show, because one I was using had recently been repaired and broke as I came on stage, so I played another one I use for recording.
Why did Jimi Hendrix burn his guitar at Woodstock?
With that in mind, Hendrix began hunting around backstage during the Dead’s set for some lighter fluid. As Hendrix would later explain: “I decided to destroy my guitar at the end of a song as a sacrifice. You sacrifice things you love. I love my guitar.”
What happened to Jimi Hendrix’s white Stratocaster?
If you ever visit Seattle, a trip to the city’s Museum of Pop Culture is well worth your time – as here you’ll find the iconic white Stratocaster Jimi Hendrix used during his performance at Woodstock. The guitar in question was purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who purchased it for a cool $2 million.
Why do rock stars destroy their guitars?
As random and pretentious as it may seem, it was actually a form of protest against the destruction of human life and landscapes, caused by the Vietnam war. Of course, there are a lot more trivial reasons to destroy a musical instrument.
What was Kurt Cobain’s last guitar?
The D-18E Was Likely the Last Guitar Cobain Ever Played
The Sky-Stang was a Sonic Blue custom model Mustang with a bridge humbucker fitted by Cobain’s guitar tech Earnie Bailey.
What did Kurt Cobain call guitar?
Jag-Stang
Arguably the greatest anti-hero in the history of electric guitar, Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) always liked Fender Jaguar and Mustang guitars, and it was his idea to fuse them into a single instrument, the Jag-Stang.