“I was smashing a guitar at every show. I had to use this special glue called Cascamite – it’s a powdered glue and I managed to string them back together. I got very good at putting guitars together”: Pete Townshend remembers The Who’s first US tour

Guitarist Pete Townshend of the rock and roll band 'The Who' tosses his electric guitar in mid-air as he performs onstage at Atwood Stadium on August 23, 1967 in Flint Michigan. This is the same night that Keith had his 21st (actually his 20th) birthday party and was arrested and banned for life from the Holiday Inn chain of hotels

Pete Townshend abusing his electric guitar at Atwood Stadium on August 23, 1967 in Flint, Michigan - the same night that Keith had his 21st (actually his 20th) birthday party and was arrested and banned for life from the Holiday Inn chain of hotels (Image credit: Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer)

Pete Townshend popped in to Stephen Colbert’s show this week to, amongst other things, reminisce about the first time The Who came to the States.

That was in 1967, the height of the hippy era. “The hippy thing didn’t fit in very well for us,” Townshend told the host. “CreamEric Clapton’s band – was on the same bill. We were doing four to five shows a day, and I was smashing a guitar at every show. I was just making sure I left my mark.”

The guitarist claims he actually repaired them between every show. “I had to glue them together between shows. I did. I had to use this special glue called Cascamite – it’s a powdered glue and I managed to string them back together. I got very good at putting guitars together.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukBwvh3-h2Y

The Who wound up what they claim will definitely be their final US tour last month. Townshend told Colbert he didn’t like touring but “I really enjoyed this last tour. It was great.

"I decided that I was going to make Roger (Daltrey) happy, which isn’t easy. Not because he’s a nasty guy but because he sings and his whole body and life goes into it. And I thought ‘I must forget about myself and just do this for me’. It might be the last thing we ever do together.”

“And it worked. He did have two days off when he got sick. But I loved it because I got him laughing and got him smiling and we were hugging each other and telling each other that we love each other, which is not something that has happened up until now. So it was a great tour for me.”

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Will Simpson
News and features writer

Will Simpson is a freelance music expert whose work has appeared in Classic Rock, Classic Pop, Guitarist and Total Guitar magazine. He is the author of 'Freedom Through Football: Inside Britain's Most Intrepid Sports Club' and his second book 'An American Cricket Odyssey' is due out in 2025.

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