Was Pete Townshend the first musician to destroy his instrument as part of a performance?

Pete Townshend is known as the first person to smash his guitar on stage. At least, the first rock and roller to do it intentionally. The lead player for The WhoThe WhoChristopher Sebastian “Kit” Lambert (11 May 1935 – 7 April 1981) was a British record producer, record label owner and the manager of The Who.

Who was the first band to destroy their instruments on stage?

The Who

The Who (UK) became the first rock band to perfect the art of destroying instruments as part of their energetic live shows in the mid-1960s.

Who smashed the most guitars on stage?

Muse’s Matthew Bellamy



Bellamy has the distinct honor of setting a Guinness record for smashing an astounding 140 guitars on the band’s 2004 tour. You read that right.

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.

Who is famous for smashing their guitar?

Jimi Hendrix



Jimi Hendrix was also known for destroying his guitars and amps. He famously burned two guitars at three shows, most notably the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.

Who was the first musician to smash their guitar?

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”.

How many guitars did Pete Townshend destroy?

But the crowd’s response to his guitar-smashing capabilities led him to eventually start cracking six-strings at almost every show. According to an analysis by TheWho.net, Townshend broke more than 35 guitars in 1967 alone.

Who did Eddie Van Halen think was the best guitarist?

Surprisingly, considering how Van Halen was never one to use sparseness or restraint, Van Halen’s number one influence appears to have been British six-string master Eric Clapton. “Clapton was it.

Do guitarists make mistakes on stage?



To err is human, and no musician is a stranger to making mistakes. Any player who’s put in a good amount of time onstage will most likely have a collection of train wrecks to tell about—moments that resulted in the creation of strategies for being unflappable when things fall apart before an audience.

What is the greatest guitar solo of all time?

1. “Stairway to Heaven” — Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin (1971) Since its release in 1971, “Stairway to Heaven” has topped numerous lists as the best rock song and best guitar solo of all time, and it’s primarily thanks to the masterful architecture of Jimmy Page’s guitar solo.

What British band is known for their innovative instrument destruction on stage?

Paul Simonon of The Clash destroyed his bass on stage, an act immortalized in a photograph that became the cover of the band’s album London Calling (1979).

What band broke up on stage?

It’s not unusual for rock bands to have creative tensions, but few bands take it to the limit quite like the Eagles. The ’70s superstars broke up in 1980 after two of the band members actually threatened each other with physical violence onstage in front of a concert audience.

What musician was electrocuted on stage?



Harvey was a co-founder of Stone the Crows in late 1969. While on stage with Stone the Crows at Swansea Top Rank in 1972, he was electrocuted when he touched a microphone that was not earthed while the fingers of his other hand were holding the strings of his guitar.

What was the name of the first musician to use distortion?

Many credit the first deliberately distorted electric guitar to Johnny Burnette’s Rock ‘n Roll Trio in 1956.

Who started using distortion?

In the late 1950s, Guitarist Link Wray began intentionally manipulating his amplifiers’ vacuum tubes to create a “noisy” and “dirty” sound for his solos after a similarly accidental discovery.

Who started distorted guitar?

It seems that Willie Kizart was unable to find a new amp or at least somebody to repair the faulty one, which was probably not really easy to do back in the early 1950s. However, this happy accident resulted in a tone that everyone wanted to replicate. So what did these freshly inspired guitar players decide to do?