19 Nov 2019

The Who honoured with the first stone on the Music Walk of Fame, London

Arriving in style at the Music Walk of Fame, Pete and Roger and their London cab, decorated out in Sir Peter Blake’s artwork from The Who’s forthcoming album, WHO which will be released on 6 December.

The Who have been honoured with the very first stone on the new Music Walk of Fame in Camden, north London. In a ceremony today in Camden High Street, the band were introduced to the crowds who thronged the pavements by Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream and Lee Bennett, founder of the Music Walk of Fame. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, accompanied by Chris Entwistle, son of the late John Entwistle, unveiled the granite plaque set in the pavement outside Camden Town tube station.

Pete and Roger with, right, Lee Bennett and Bobby Gillespie

In a statement, Roger and Pete said: “We are honoured to be the first band with a stone on the Music Walk Of Fame. Camden has always been vital to London’s thriving music scene and is, as we all know, a world-renowned hub for the arts. As Londoners, it’s very surreal to be immortalised in stone on Camden High Street, and it’s quite something to know that people can pop by and see us anytime, albeit virtually.”

Pete, Roger and Chris receive their own miniature glass plaques from MWOF founder Lee Bennett

Music Walk of Fame Founder Lee Bennett added: “What a great day for music, fans, the world, London, and Camden. To cap it off by having one of the greatest bands of all time, I’m thrilled to bits.”

The Music Walk of Fame will eventually stretch all the way from the Roundhouse down Chalk Farm Road and on into Camden High Street making it one of London’s great tourist attractions for music fans the world over.

Pete and Roger sharing a joke or three with Chris Entwistle

And then Pete notices Chris is wearing his father’s iconic spider necklace

Before they unveiled the stone both Pete and Roger added their personal comments to today’s occasion.

Pete: “I just want to say thanks. This isn’t really our neighbourhood, this should be going down in Goldhawk Road but those f*****s have got no money. This is great, I think this will be great for Camden, it will be great for London, it will be great for the neighbourhood and it will be great for our business. One of the biggest exports that we have in the UK for people of my age, who have grown up with music, is the fact that we are artistically very talented. We have all contributed, we are all still contributing and we will go on to do so, and this will be something that I think really is a measure of what we all do in this country, and my tax bill this year will hopefully go to fix the f***ing roads.”

To which Roger added, “I can’t do much talking, I’m off for a voice op on Friday but just to say it’s great. It’s a shame it’s not in the Goldhawk Road but it’s great that it’s in Camden because Camden’s roots with the music business go way back. It has a really good history of supporting the music business, a great place to come for the best of the music that is out there at the moment, so may it long reign. May this avenue of stars grow and grow and grow because we have, as Pete said, got the best music industry, real music industry, in the world.”

And of course, an event such as this would not be complete without an appearance by some members of the Hundred Faces who led a motorcade – or should that be a scootercade – up Camden High Street.

If you are interested in following the progress of the Music Walk of Fame you can check out their website here.