Pete Townshend Opens Up About Sexuality and Attraction to Mick Jagger

In a candid revelation, Pete Townshend, the iconic guitarist of The Who, has disclosed his past feelings for men in the music industry, notably expressing a strong attraction to Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones. In an interview with Record Collector magazine, Townshend shared that he “very much enjoyed” his “homosexual affairs” during the Sixties and Seventies, forming lasting friendships with some of the men he was involved with. However, he noted that these experiences did not align with his sexual identity in the long term. Townshend, who married his first wife Karen Astley in 1968 and later wed composer Rachel Fuller in 2016, reflected on his complex feelings towards Jagger. He admitted to being “very sexually attracted” to the rock star, a sentiment he has previously expressed. In 2012, he defended Jagger against disparaging remarks made by Keith Richards regarding Jagger's anatomy, humorously recalling Jagger's endowment as “huge and extremely tasty.” The guitarist has also explored themes of sexuality in his music, particularly in his 1966 single “I’m A Boy.” He described his past as a time when he identified as pansexual, stating, “I think I was ready to fall into bed with anybody that would have me.” Townshend's reflections provide a glimpse into the complexities of his sexual identity and relationships within the rock music scene.