Pete Townshend Was Once Arrested On Stage During The Who's Concert That Went Very Wrong

Highlights

• The Who sure knew how to stir up controversy - who knew kicking a cop off stage would make headlines?
• With The Who, insane stories seem to be just another day in rock 'n' roll history.
• Rock music legends like The Who paved the way for wild behavior and unforgettable moments on stage.

Being in a band can lead to some truly insane stories, and rock music is filled with infamous moments and close calls that helped define the genre in pop culture. Whether it's Guns 'N Roses dealing with lawsuits, or Beatles icon Paul McCartney going to jail in Japan, rock music has a history of things popping off.

Hailing from London, The Who are one of the greatest bands to walk the planet. In their prime, they found plenty of controversy.

Let's take a look at a run-in the group had with a cop on stage!

The Who Were Arrested After An On-Stage Incident With A Cop

Sometimes, reacting without giving much thought can lead to much bigger problems.

While playing on stage with The Who, guitarist, Pete Townshend, got more than he bargained for when he quickly reacted to someone jumping on stage as the band played "Summertime Blues."

"Pete Townshend from the Who was arrested for assaulting a police officer at the Fillmore East in New York, but it wasn’t May 14, 1969. It was May 16, Friday night at the early show," the LA Times reported.

Turns out, there was some serious smoke getting into the venue, and the cop was trying to give the band a warning. He did so, however, in a way that sparked a rash reaction.

"He rushed the British rock band and tried to wrestle the microphone away from singer Roger Daltrey to warn them about heavy smoke wafting through from a fire next door," Mental Floss wrote about the incident.

The band had no idea what was going on, nor did they know that the guy was a cop. In turn, Townshend reacted.

"Anyway, Townshend was arrested for kicking this guy off the stage when he started yelling to the crowd," the article stated.

The LA Times article noted that the venue was cleared out, and that no danger was imminent.

"The crowd outside was humongous. We had to get the house out. We (Bill’s staff) were commended for handling the situation without any injuries," they wrote, while adding "Later we learned that we were in no danger; the show could have gone on. The charges were later dropped, the late show was postponed to Sunday. All in all, an exciting nite at the Fillmore."

In 2018, Who frontman, Roger Daltrey, talked about the incident.

"There was a warrant out for Pete’s and my arrest because we kicked a cop off the stage. He was in plain clothes. He ran on the stage while we were in the middle of ‘Tommy’ and took my microphone away. Pete came and kicked him up the ass."

Something like this really shouldn't surprise fans, as the band has long been known for their wild behavior.

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The Band's History Is Filled With Insane Stories

One such story involved drummer, Keith Moon, and the aforementioned Townshend having some fun with a water bed.

"One night, on the swankier side of Copenhagen, Moon became a little fascinated by the waterbed in his room (who wouldn’t be?). He hatched a plan to enlist the help of The Who’s guitarist Pete Townshend to get the water-filled mattress down into the lobby. He attempted to move the gelatinous blob into the elevator with Pete and send it down. However, before they could, they hit a snag and the mattress burst, emptying an unfathomable amount of water into the hotel room and halls," Far Out Magazine reported.

Believe us when we say that this is incredibly tame compared to the insane list of things they've done.

To be fair, while the band was off their hinges, they remain one of rock's best acts.

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Controveries Aside, They're One Of The Best Bands Ever

Back in the 1960s, The Who's rise to prominence was propelled by a string of groundbreaking albums. My Generation, their debut album, catapulted the group to mainstream success. Subsequent releases like Tommy and Who's Next solidified their status as pioneers of the concept album genre, blending intricate storytelling with electrifying instrumentation.

One of The Who's defining features was their electrifying live performances, characterized by Pete Townshend's windmill guitar playing, Roger Daltrey's powerful vocals, John Entwistle's thunderous bass lines, and Keith Moon's explosive drumming. Their legendary appearances at iconic venues like Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival cemented their reputation as one of the greatest live acts in rock history.

The Who's influence extends far beyond their own era, shaping the sound of generations of musicians to come.

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Rock music was in a wilder place when The Who ran things, and stories like this are proof of that.

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