Pete Townshend is technically a senior citizen, but the legendary 67-year-old guitarist of the Who evidently still hasn't lost his appetite for rock'n'roll hell-raising. Following a bit of uproar, the songwriter has responded to accusations that he swore at a child during a February 19 show in Hamilton, ON.
The Who were performing at the city's Copps Coliseum as part of their Quadrophenia tour when, according to reports, seven-year-old Janey Costello climbed onto her father's shoulders and waved a sign that read, "Smash your guitar, Pete!"
Townshend's response (which you can see in the YouTube video below) was to tell Janey and her father Eric Michael Costello, "Go away with that sign please, just go away with it, just go away with it. Don't bring your children…I want to tell you two words, but I can't because you've got a child there."
He then mouthed the words "fuckyou off."
The dad was unsurprisingly pissed off, and he told the Toronto Sun, "Nobody talks to my seven-year-old daughter like that." He added that Townshend "broke a little girl's heart."
To his credit, Townshend has attempted to make amends for the incident. He wrote a letter to the Costello family and said [via NME/Sun News], "Apologies and condolences from my side, and very best wishes to you and your family."
He added, "I am most certainly not angry. I was not angry on stage either. I was in rock star mode, the big mouth."
He said that he wanted to "meet and be friends and put this behind us." True to his word, Townshend plans to meet with the family in April, so all's well that ends well.
The Who were performing at the city's Copps Coliseum as part of their Quadrophenia tour when, according to reports, seven-year-old Janey Costello climbed onto her father's shoulders and waved a sign that read, "Smash your guitar, Pete!"
Townshend's response (which you can see in the YouTube video below) was to tell Janey and her father Eric Michael Costello, "Go away with that sign please, just go away with it, just go away with it. Don't bring your children…I want to tell you two words, but I can't because you've got a child there."
He then mouthed the words "fuck
The dad was unsurprisingly pissed off, and he told the Toronto Sun, "Nobody talks to my seven-year-old daughter like that." He added that Townshend "broke a little girl's heart."
To his credit, Townshend has attempted to make amends for the incident. He wrote a letter to the Costello family and said [via NME/Sun News], "Apologies and condolences from my side, and very best wishes to you and your family."
He added, "I am most certainly not angry. I was not angry on stage either. I was in rock star mode, the big mouth."
He said that he wanted to "meet and be friends and put this behind us." True to his word, Townshend plans to meet with the family in April, so all's well that ends well.
