You're Dressed as The Who?

October 16, 2013 11:58 AM

Suppose that strangers and friends tell you, on a semi-regular basis, that you bear a noticeable resemblance to a young Pete Townshend of The Who. Further suppose you want to capitalize on that resemblance by going as Pete Townshend for Halloween. What do you do for a costume?

I know who The Who are. I've listened to Quadrophenia a couple of times and I really like Baba O'Reilly. But I don't know what clothes, accessories, or mannerisms would cause an ordinary American thirtysomething at an ordinary American Halloween party to go, "That's totally Pete Townshend."

A quick google suggests that Pete Townshend wears clothes. And often has a guitar on his hip. And does the windmill slamming the guitar gesture. That's about it. Help me out here.

Secondary question: I'm open to variations on the Pete Townshend theme. Like for instance if there's an obvious punny reference to Zombie Pete Townshend or something, please feel free to suggest it.

posted by gauche to Grab Bag (22 answers total)

White jumpsuit + guitar + Doc Martins
posted by KokuRyu at 12:01 PM on October 16, 2013 [6 favorites]

Carry around half a guitar ...
posted by tilde at 12:01 PM on October 16, 2013 [8 favorites]

Go as 60s Pete in a Union Jack jacket?
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 12:02 PM on October 16, 2013 [7 favorites]

KokuRyu nailed it.

Here's another reference image from Woodstock:
posted by grog at 12:03 PM on October 16, 2013

I don't think you'd need anything beyond this jacket and a guitar.
posted by bondcliff at 12:03 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yeah, Union Jack (you could go with a t-shirt instead of that kick-ass jacket), Doc Martens (or just simple black leather boots) and a broken guitar.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:09 PM on October 16, 2013

The Union Jack(et) would really nail it for me, personally, if I saw you on the street.

Half a guitar is a brilliant idea. And you'd have a fun time smashing it up, I suspect.
posted by mykescipark at 12:13 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

If it was me (and I felt comfortable going shirtless) I'd go with the giant tube of Odorono from the cover of The Who Sell Out.
posted by doublesix at 12:18 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Bloody hands.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 12:22 PM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'd get a cheap mess of a guitar from somewhere and smash that shit. Then the Union Jack, as prescribed.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:35 PM on October 16, 2013

There's a how to build a smashable guitar prop tutorial, in case you'd enjoy repeating the smashing process at intervals throughout the evening
posted by kmennie at 12:57 PM on October 16, 2013

All good suggestions and I would also recommend that you gorge on Who videos on youtube. There's an immense amount of stuff covering all phases of Townshend's career to be had and it will give you a good sense of his mannerisms.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:58 PM on October 16, 2013

All of the above is good, and I'd add a bloody whammy bar through your hand to make it extra halloweeny.
posted by dyobmit at 12:59 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Not cheap but a beauty.

Or this if you're on a budget.
posted by Dragonness at 1:01 PM on October 16, 2013

Go with a friend who looks like a similarly-aged Roger Daltrey and scream at each other?
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:10 PM on October 16, 2013 [5 favorites]

There's really two different Pete Townsends -- 70s Arena Rock with the fringe jumpsuit and the Gibson SG (or Les Paul) although later on he used a Strat; and 60s Mod with the slim tailored suits, bowl-cut hair do, and Rickenbacker 320.

I would probably do the mod Townsend. But it's really critical that you get the guitar right. You can find a knock off Epiphone SG clone for about $400.

Please post pics.
posted by Random Person at 1:17 PM on October 16, 2013

bowl haircut, broken guitar. far away stare.
posted by fifilaru at 1:18 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

A friend dressed up as Abbie Hoffman.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:53 PM on October 16, 2013

Just checking whether you're aware that Pete Townshend was cautioned as part of an investigation into child pornography. Not sure if this affects you wanting to dress up as him or not, but thought news of this might not have reached across the pond (Only mentioning this because my sister dressed up as Jimmy Saville on the week the story broke that he was a paedophile and was horribly embarrassed).
posted by Dorothea_in_Rome at 2:20 PM on October 16, 2013

Just checking whether you're aware that Pete Townshend was cautioned as part of an investigation into child pornography. Not sure if this affects you wanting to dress up as him or not, but thought news of this might not have reached across the pond

The child pornography scandal didn't even cross my mind until you mentioned it. Anyway, it is known, but was hardly the stuff of tabloids here, as Townshend had long since ceased being an item of interest in those publications in America. And the Jimmy Saville thing was a HELL of a lot more scandalous all around. I would venture that when 95% of people think of Pete Townshend nowadays, they think of the musician and not so much the man.
posted by mykescipark at 3:00 PM on October 16, 2013

Mod note: please wrap up the pedophile derail effective right now.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:09 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: So I didn't go as Pete; after a few discreet inquiries among my friends I decided that not enough people were familiar enough with him to see the resemblance. Thanks everybody!
posted by gauche at 12:13 PM on November 15, 2013