Newsbites: Townshend in apology over swear word

Negative note: Pete Townshend of The Who

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend has written a letter of apology to a man he shouted at during the band’s recent show in Ontario, Canada. He saw the man, with his seven-year-old daughter, in the crowd with a banner reading: “Smash your guitar, Pete!” The axeman asked them to “go away with that sign” adding: “I want to tell you two words but I can’t because you’ve got a child there.” Then he mouthed the words “Fuck off” towards them. After receiving criticism from online communities Townshend penned the apology, in which he says: “Apologies and condolences from my side, and very best wishes to you and your family. I am most certainly not angry. I was not angry on stage either. I was in rock star mode, the big mouth. I could have handled it differently. I thought of sending someone to find you both and telling you I was not upset, but we were flying to New York straight after the show, and had no time to spare. I wish things had been different. It would have saved you from all this furore. I thought your placard was fun.”

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has been served with legal papers from a photographer who accuses him of assault. Freddy Hernandez says he was “touched and/or struck without permission” in July last year while snapping the drummer at a public beach.

Sammy Hagar has recorded new music with his former Montrose bandmates Denny Carmassi and Bill Church. The singer says: “It was amazing – we still have that Montrose chemistry.” He’s promised to keep fans updated.

Bon Jovi remains determined not to turn his band into a nostalgia act. Asked about his greatest moment so far he says: “Every day. Last night! We had a great show. I’m not on a nostalgia tour – my band is the biggest touring band on the planet; we’re doing okay.” Joking about Bon Jovi’s size he says: “I was on a bus in 1986; that’s the last time you put my ass on a bus. We’re so big, Travolta works for me!” [Music-News.com]

Bruce Springsteen will headline London’s Hard Rock Calling festival this year, following the 2012 incident that saw the power being cut on his finale with Paul McCartney. The event moves to its new home of the Olympic Park on June 29 and 30. Other acts include The Black Crowes, and Paul Weller.

The venue where Queen performed their first-ever show is to be marked with a plaque. The band made their stage debut at London’s Imperial College on July 18, 1970, with Mike Grose on bass ahead of John Deacon’s arrival. Guitarist Brian May says: “I remember it very distinctly because I’d seen all story of people playing there.”

Spin Doctors drummer Aaron Corness has recalled the band’s early days, ahead of the release of new album If The River Was Whiskey on May 6. He says: “Our goal was to write our own songs and make a living doing it. We’d play these downtown blues bars in New York. You were supposed to play blues covers – but we were actually playing our own songs!” [Music-News.com]