Pete Townshend is one of the great figures in rock ‘n’ roll history. For almost 60 years, The Who have balanced the physical and the spiritual with introspective lyrics and inspirational music. But there is a part of Townshend’s story—and The Who’s—that has not been examined.

These are his Words + Music.

In the Audible Original Pete Townshend: Somebody Saved Me, the songwriter takes us through the period between the 1978 death of Who drummer Keith Moon and the 2002 loss of bassist John Entwistle. During these 24 years, The Who enjoyed their greatest popularity—and broke up. But no matter how much he tried to deny it, The Who had a hold on Pete he could not ignore. Every time he thought he was out, rock ‘n’ roll pulled him back in. 

Townshend is honest about his victories and his failures in years spiked with conflict and resolution, the sacred and the profane, love and loss. Townshend punctuates his memories with the songs that came out of his life in that time—“Let My Love Open the Door”, “Slit Skirts”, “You Better You Bet", “Eminence Front”, and more as you’ve never heard them before. 

In Somebody Saved Me, Pete Townshend bares his soul, bares his teeth, and bares his heart. 

Cover art photo © Pennie Smith