The Who back on stage ....Examiner review (peadophile documentary overshadows show....)

["Kevin O'Neal" <kevinandt@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://breaking.examiner.ie/2004/03/22/story139255.html

The Who back on stage after two years
22/03/2004 - 6:06:43 AM

Mod legends The Who will tonight play their first UK gig for two years amid a
new publicity storm over guitarist Pete Townshend's use of child porn.

Townshend was set to feature in a BBC documentary on the work of Scotland
Yard's Child Protection Team that will be aired tomorrow, despite reported
attempts by the star's lawyers to block the show.

The hard-hitting series, Police Protecting Children, shows Townshend being
quizzed at Twickenham police station after his arrest for viewing child
pornography.

The guitarist was held in January 2003 and film-makers who spent 18 months
following the child protection officers were on hand during the episode.

Producer Bob Long told the Independent on Sunday: "Our footage shows a living
legend reduced to being asked if he has learning difficulties. It's a big
leveller."

Townshend, 58, was cautioned and had his name placed on the sex offenders'
register after admitting once using his credit card to access child
pornography.

He insisted he was only looking at the web site while conducting "research"
for a campaign against Internet porn involving children.

A BBC spokesman confirmed that the musician's interview would be shown as part
of the programme tomorrow, but was unable to comment on reports that
Townshend's lawyers tried to block the documentary.

Mr Long told the newspaper that Townshend's lawyers "would have given anything
for the documentary not to happen". But he said they took no legal action.

The band were due to make their comeback with a series of three dates at the
Forum in Kentish Town, north London, as a warm-up for their Royal Albert Hall
charity performance in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust next week.

The Who became the leading Mod band with hits including My Generation and
Substitute after bursting on to the scene in 1965.

Bass player John Entwistle died in 2002, leaving Roger Daltrey and Townshend
from the original line-up. Drummer Keith Moon died in 1978.

Townshend and Daltrey announced in January this year they were to record their
first album in 21 years, followed by a world tour.



Kevin in VT