Behind Blue Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend


by Geoffrey Giuliano








I was strolling through an ok Townshend biography garden one day. The sun was shining in a clear blue sky. I was enjoying watching the clouds of Pete Townshend’s life go by one by one. The temperature was perfect with only a slight breeze. It was a nearly perfect day. 


Then suddenly, I got lost. Somehow I ended up waddling through the mire of a Geoffrey Giuliano biological bog. The temperature fell and the sun disappeared behind a bunch of dark clouds. The garden was gone and the mud began to grow. I began sinking deeper and deeper until walking was a slog.


Turns out the biographer has a history with his subject. And that bothers me, greatly. Giuliano lived with and was friends with Pete Townshend for a period of time in the 70s. Sure, it was just a short period of time but nonetheless, his history with his subject is an issue.


Both Pete Townshend and Geoffrey Giuliano were influenced by this particular Iranian mystic named Meher Baba. It seems a lot of folks in the 60s and 70s were influenced by mystics and gurus and other slingers of supernatural sausage. So Giuliano goes to England and through contacts meets the famed Pete Townshend. He goes to work for a foundation Townshend is setting up for or about Baba. It’s a whole thing.


At some point, they had a falling out. Now we have “Behind Blue Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend” written by Geoffrey Giuliano. Did any of this affect the book? Of course, it did because as we all know you reflect your prejudices both good and bad. The last thing you want is for a biographer to have, not just a relationship but a friendship with his subject. 


Both Townshend and Giuliano had a relationship based on a guru they had been turned on to. Then, according to the man himself,  Giuliano violated the trust of Townshend. It was that violation that led to the ouster of Giuliano from Townshend’s life.


So at some point then Mr. Giuliano decides he is in the best position to write a biography on Who guitarist Pete Townshend. I mean who better than a guy who actually knew Townshend, right?


Giuliano includes, I can’t remember and don’t care enough to check, at least one chapter on his friendship with Pete Townshend. It could have been 10 chapters for all I care. Geoffrey Giuliano just should not have written a biography of Pete Townshend, in my very humble opinion. 


Where do Geoffrey Giuliano’s prejudices begin and end? How did this falling out affect how Giuliano wrote the book? Oh man, there are so many potential issues. Sure, writing about his relationship and betrayal is all fine and well but it doesn’t change anything.


All of that affects how I see the book. It should affect how everyone sees the book. It affects me so much that I can not recommend that anyone read this book. I really wish I could. I wanted to love it but when I learned about the relationship and the violation of trust . . . well it all takes me to a place where I can not suggest you read this. 


I wanted to love “Behind Blue Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend”. But I just couldn’t. Maybe Giuliano should have written a biography about Keith Moon, that could have been a wonderful biography. 


“No one knows what it's like

To feel these feelings

Like I do

And I blame you” Geoffrey Giuliano!


You violated a musician’s trust. A man’s trust. A friend’s trust. Maybe even the trust of your favorite yogi. Trust is important and I don’t trust you.


This is just a perfectly passable passel of papers.

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