Simon Townshend
- Rock
- new wave
- hard rock
- acoustic
- Musician
- songwriter
- record producer
- Vocals
- guitar
- mandolin
- keyboards
Simon Townshend (/ˈtaʊnzənd/; born 10 October 1960) is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter.[1] He is the younger brother of the Who's guitarist Pete Townshend,[2][3] and is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members. Simon Townshend has also performed with numerous other acts including Pearl Jam, Dave Grohl and Jeff Beck.[4]
Early life
Townshend was born in Chiswick, London, the same area and town where older brother Pete Townshend was born. He grew up into a musical family. He was the youngest of three sons born to Cliff Townshend, a professional saxophonist in The Squadronaires, and his wife, Betty Townshend (née Dennis), who had an early career as a singer. By the time he was born, his father's career as a jazz musician was winding down, while Pete became successful as the primary songwriter of the rock band The Who in the mid-1960s.
In 1974 Townshend released his debut single, When I'm a Man, at the age of 13. Nine years later, in 1983, he released his first solo album, Sweet Sound, followed by Moving Target in 1985. In 1989, he also appeared on his brother Pete Townshend's fifth solo album, The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, singing on the short song "Man Machines" and an alternative version of "Dig".
In 1994, he toured with The Who's lead vocalist Roger Daltrey on the Daltrey Sings Townshend tour.
Career
In 1996, after starting his own record label and production company, Stir Music, Simon Townshend released several other albums including studio and live performances. He joined The Who as a second guitarist for their Quadrophenia Tour in 1996 and 1997.[5] He later rejoined the band as a full touring member in 2002 and has played with them on each of their tours since. Simon Townshend also joined Casbah Club in 2004, which included Bruce Foxton (bass guitarist for The Jam) and Mark Brzezicki (drummer for Big Country) and Bruce Watson (guitarist for Big Country), where he functioned as lead guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter.[6]
In 2006 Simon Townshend joined the European leg of The Who's tour, playing a support set with Casbah Club as well as performing with The Who (see The Who Tour 2006-2007). Simon Townshend played rhythm guitar, mandolin, and performed backing vocals.
He played a modified Fender Stratocaster with P-90 pick-ups. Simon Townshend also uses a signature guitar designed and developed by JJ Guitars in addition to their Retro Lux model.
His first credited collaboration with The Who involved participation as one of the supporting choralists for Ken Russell's film adaptation of Tommy which was released in 1975.
He also had contributed backing vocals to The Who's Endless Wire album in 2006.
On 11 August 2009 Simon joined Pearl Jam onstage at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London for a performance of "The Real Me" from The Who's Quadrophenia album.
In the autumn of 2009, he embarked on a tour of the US with Roger Daltrey and the No Plan B band. The band continued touring in the spring of 2010, playing a number of dates in support of Eric Clapton. Further tours in 2011 and 2012 followed, with the band performing a complete version of Tommy.
In February 2012, he began his own tour of the UK, in support of his new album which has been credited as his most impactful solo recording to date "Looking Out Looking In", which London's Daily Express rated 5/5, calling it "utterly compelling" and naming Simon Townshend "a genuinely original talent."[4]
His live band for this contained Tony Lowe (guitar), Phil Spalding (bass), and Greg Pringle (drums), His live shows have been variously described as "supercharged" (New York Times), "irresistible" (Washington Post) and a "catharsis" (Los Angeles Times). Billboard labelled him "impressive" and Goldmine affirmed, "truly enjoyable listening." In short, as London's Gig Guide said, "you would be a fool to miss him."[4]
In the late summer and autumn of 2012, he played with The Who on the Quadrophenia and More tour, which included a performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. In July 2014 at Milton Keynes Bowl he again joined Pearl Jam on stage to perform his song “I'm the Answer.”
From 2014 to 2016, Townshend joined The Who on their 50th anniversary tour, The Who Hits 50!.[7] In 2018, he toured with Roger Daltrey, performing Tommy with local orchestras in the United States.
Discography
Studio albums
- Sweet Sound (1983, Polydor)
- Moving Target (1985, Polydor)
- Among Us (1996, Rising Records)
- Animal Soup (1999, Stir)
- Venustraphobia as Casbah Club (2006, Stir)
- Looking Out Looking In (2012, Eagle Rock Entertainment)
- Denial (2014, Stir)
Compilation albums
- Simontownshendis (2002, Stir)
- Scraps (2000)
Extended plays
- Ages (2000, Stir)
- Something New (2011, Stir)
Live albums
- Bare Bodies Bare Assets (2000, Stir)
- Animal Soup Live at the Astoria (2005, Stir)
Singles
- "When I'm a Man" (1974, Warner Bros.)
- "Janie" (1975, Warner Bros.)
- "Turn It On" (1976, Warner Bros.)
- "Ready for Action" (1980, WEA)
- "Another Planet" (1980, WEA)
- "I'm the Answer" (1983, Polydor)
- "So Real" (1983, Polydor)
- "Sweet Sound" [Promo] (1983, Polydor)
- "Barriers" (1985, Polydor)
- "Meet You" (1985, Polydor)
- "Broken Heart" (1987, Dignity Records)
- "Walking in Wonderland" (1988, Dignity)
- "The Way It Is" [Promo] (1996, Rising)
- "Bare Essence" (2013, Stir)
Personal life
Simon Townshend is married to Janie Townshend,[8] with whom he has three children. His song "Girl in New York" was written for her.
References
- ^ "Among Us - Simon Townshend | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 9 September 1997. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ "Home". The Who. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ "HP Blogs - The HP Blog Hub - The HP Blog Hub". Communities.hp.com. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ a b c "Joe's Pub at The Public". Joespub.com. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived 22 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Official Website for Music and News!". Casbah Club. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ Knopper, Steve (3 March 2016). "Simon Townshend has a brother 'Who' you might know". chicagotribune.com. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Simon Townshend - Inside and Outside of Quadrophenia".
External links
- Official homepage
- Simon Townshend's weblog
- JJ Guitars page devoted to Simon Townshend
- v
- t
- e
- My Generation / The Who Sings My Generation
- A Quick One / Happy Jack
- The Who Sell Out
- Tommy
- Who's Next
- Quadrophenia
- The Who by Numbers
- Who Are You
- Face Dances
- It's Hard
- Endless Wire
- Who
- Live at Leeds
- Who's Last
- Join Together
- Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
- BBC Sessions
- Blues to the Bush
- Live at the Royal Albert Hall
- Live from Toronto
- View from a Backstage Pass
- Greatest Hits Live
- Live at Hull 1970
- Quadrophenia Live in London
- Live at the Fillmore East 1968
- Magic Bus: The Who on Tour
- Direct Hits
- Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy
- Odds & Sods
- The Story of The Who
- Phases
- Hooligans
- Who's Greatest Hits
- Rarities Volume I & Volume II
- The Singles
- The Who Collection
- Who's Missing
- Two's Missing
- Who's Better, Who's Best
- Thirty Years of Maximum R&B
- My Generation: The Very Best of The Who
- Encore Series
- The Ultimate Collection
- Then and Now
- The 1st Singles Box
- Greatest Hits
- The Who Hits 50!
- Ready Steady Who
- Won't Get Fooled Again
- Wire & Glass
- Tommy
- The Kids Are Alright
- Quadrophenia
- Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
- Tommy
- The Kids Are Alright
- Quadrophenia
- Who's Better, Who's Best
- Thirty Years of Maximum R&B Live
- Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
- The Who & Special Guests: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
- The Who Special Edition EP
- Live in Boston
- Tommy and Quadrophenia Live
- The Vegas Job
- Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
- The Who at Kilburn: 1977
- Quadrophenia Live in London
- Lambert & Stamp
performances
- 1962–1963 performances
- Tommy Tour
- The Who by Numbers Tour
- 1979 tour (1979 Cincinnati human crush)
- 1980 tour
- 2000 tour
- 2001 The Concert for New York City appearance
- 2003 The 46664 Concert appearance
- 2006–2007 tour
- Quadrophenia and More
- The Who Hits 50!
- Back to the Who Tour 51!
- 2017 Tommy & More
- Moving On! Tour
- Mitch Mitchell
- Julian Covey
- Chris Townson
- Scot Halpin
- John "Rabbit" Bundrick
- Tim Gorman
- Steve "Boltz" Bolton
- Simon Phillips
- Jon Carin
- Steve White
- Brian Kehew
- J. J. Blair
- Danny Thompson
- Simon Townshend
- Jon Button
- Loren Gold
- Frank Simes
- J. Greg Miller
- Pino Palladino
- Reggie Grisham
- Morgan Nicholls
- Chris Stainton
- Scott Devours
- Zak Starkey
- Songs
- Awards and nominations
- Band members
- Musical equipment
- The Boy Who Heard Music
- Lifehouse
- The Who's Tommy
- Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock!
- The Who's Tommy Pinball Wizard
- Who Covers Who?
- "A Tale of Two Springfields"
- "In Concert"
- Double O
- The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
- No Plan B
- Kim McLagan
- Richard Barnes
- Dougal Butler
- Chris Charlesworth
- Kit Lambert
- Chris Stamp
- Bill Curbishley
- Track Records
- Shel Talmy
- Category