Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

As a way of celebrating the fantastic opportunity going on a eBay at this moment, I thought we might like to revisit the Master at his smashing best.

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And not a Ric among them. Someone came to their senses!

Its ok its a Gibson

I can understand doing it as part of the exuberance of youth.

I can understand doing it as part of a show and wanting to make a name for onesself.

I can understand if a guitar is broken and it is just pissing you off. (I did it once when I tried a stupid stage move and hit the neck of my Explorer on a lighting truss and it snapped the neck. I finished the job with pleasure.)

But I can't understand doing it to a brand new guitar when you're a legendary rock star in your 60's. Just looks silly now.

atomic_punk wrote:
But I can't understand doing it to a brand new guitar when you're a legendary rock star in your 60's. Just looks silly now.

Honestly, he hasn't done it too often these days. Probably can count the times in the past decade on one hand (but I agree, it does look silly).

Townshend even admits that it's silly nowadays, and is only done in rare circumstances (like in Japan, for an audience that had never seen the Who ever before...)..

The times that he's done it recently (that I've heard about) have been for charity causes. The publicity photos for one event showed him as less serious, more modest, and a bit self-mocking about the whole process. He does seem to have mellowed with age.

and it's not even really mellowing with age...it's like---how many times can you (and others) do the same trick before it gets old and loses any "shock value" that it had in the first place. When you're at the point where the words "smashing guitars" brings up the name Pete Townshend, wouldn't you think he finds it a bit calculated and weak?

Of course, his thoughts on this go back decades now, too....

People expect it from him, just like playing "My Generation." It's all part of the package that that one generally goes to see the Who for. Maybe not most of us, but the majority of people are hoping to see a guitar smashed, and hear those old songs. The members have released solo albums containing great songs, but their real audience consists of folks wanting theatrics, in addition to the music, for their hard earned money.

at the end of the day it got people talking and then the rest was history do i really care if Townsend smashed guitars nope but i would if they were mine.

Just think if Sir Paul and Sir Fish (Squire) were into this there would be no Rm1999 basses at all...
I don't understand guitar smashing, it gives me a pain in the chest when I see it.....
Musically I like Pete but visually I think he is a dill...

Eden.