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Horse's Neck
The rock 'n' roll star presents an impressionistic novel, based on his own journey from childhood to success to excess, in a challenging work that recalls his operatic musical compositions, Tommy and Quadrophenia. Reprint.
134 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1985
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About the author
Pete Townshend
79 books140 followersPete Townshend (born Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend), is an award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, and writer.
Townshend made his name as the guitarist and principal songwriter for rock band The Who. His career with them spans more than 40 years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time, in addition to being "possibly the greatest live band ever." Townshend is the primary songwriter for the group, writing well over 100 songs for the band's eleven studio albums, including the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia, plus dozens more that appeared as non-album singles, bonus tracks on reissues, and tracks on rarities compilations such as Odds and Sods. He has also written over 100 songs for his solo albums and rarities compilations. Although known mainly for being a guitarist, he is also an accomplished singer and keyboard player, and has played many other instruments on his solo albums, and on some Who albums (such as banjo, accordian, synthesizer, piano, bass guitar, drums).
Townshend has also written newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, essays, books, and scripts.
Townshend made his name as the guitarist and principal songwriter for rock band The Who. His career with them spans more than 40 years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time, in addition to being "possibly the greatest live band ever." Townshend is the primary songwriter for the group, writing well over 100 songs for the band's eleven studio albums, including the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia, plus dozens more that appeared as non-album singles, bonus tracks on reissues, and tracks on rarities compilations such as Odds and Sods. He has also written over 100 songs for his solo albums and rarities compilations. Although known mainly for being a guitarist, he is also an accomplished singer and keyboard player, and has played many other instruments on his solo albums, and on some Who albums (such as banjo, accordian, synthesizer, piano, bass guitar, drums).
Townshend has also written newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, essays, books, and scripts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 7, 2022
There are certain books that are forever a comfort to us; certain books whose beauty touches us, and demands a reread or two - if not just to capture the feeling of the first read, than perhaps to discover a deeper truth within it. To me, Horse's Neck is that book.
Horse's Neck is, as Townshend states in the forward, a search for beauty. In truth, it is more a search for a kiss. Throughout the stories within it, one sees the different forms that beauty and love can take - not all of them beautiful by any stretch of the imagination, but all strangely valid if sometimes disturbing. The book is a spiritual quest, a study of questions, and a surprisingly insecure search for validation. Every story is tinged with Townshend's gift for songwriting, for character and atmosphere.
This book is not for everyone. It is disturbing at points, and troubling. It takes a certain kind of person to truly grasp some of the emotions it evokes and the points that it makes. I can say that this book is for me - and for anyone who has felt truly out of place and inadequate. Like Quadrophenia not all of the themes it explores are comfortable, but isn't art meant to put us out of our comfort zone on occasion?
Horse's Neck is, as Townshend states in the forward, a search for beauty. In truth, it is more a search for a kiss. Throughout the stories within it, one sees the different forms that beauty and love can take - not all of them beautiful by any stretch of the imagination, but all strangely valid if sometimes disturbing. The book is a spiritual quest, a study of questions, and a surprisingly insecure search for validation. Every story is tinged with Townshend's gift for songwriting, for character and atmosphere.
This book is not for everyone. It is disturbing at points, and troubling. It takes a certain kind of person to truly grasp some of the emotions it evokes and the points that it makes. I can say that this book is for me - and for anyone who has felt truly out of place and inadequate. Like Quadrophenia not all of the themes it explores are comfortable, but isn't art meant to put us out of our comfort zone on occasion?
March 13, 2011
I think I have been somewhat traumatized by this book. But it would go against my religion to give Pete anything less than a perfect score.
October 21, 2012
I have an autographed copy of this book. The autograph is written very well ;-)
Read
April 3, 2012Holy Mackerel I've had this book lying around for a while. I'm pretty sure it was a discard from my high school library, which means it could have hypothetically been haunting my persona for some 15 odd years!
Pete Townshend's actually not a bad writer- when his stories are good, they have a Denis-Johnson-bleakness-like quality, with a spare and morose and empty style. And I also liked how meta/post-modern all his autobiographical writing can be, in scenarios where "Pete" is a character and the narrator is Pete's friend or a reporter. Because they are in the guise of fiction, the stories have a certain honestly and art that is lacking from the usual mush rock autobiography:
"In spurts I answer fan mail and business letters, play snooker, strum my guitar into a cassette machine, pray for forgiveness and think about what a total mess I've made of a life that had everything, and everyone, going for it... I'll read for two or three hours, then have a bath before I doze off properly. The ritual of lying down to sleep is just that, a ritual. Did I hear the buzz of a fly? Sometimes I imagine what it must be like to sleep where rats run, where insects crawl over you and into your coat, where the nightmarish visions are real and not delirium brought on by self-indulgence."
The metaphor of a horse gallops through various stories, which I quite liked, not for the metaphor itself but as a connector or theme to stories that, while mostly dealing with a rock star and his history, sometimes depict other lives and fantasies. Actually, it's the fantasies/surrealism in this collection that dragged for me, such as in "the Plate," the story of a detective voyeur, or in some of Townshend's more obtrusive metaphors-for-metaphor's sake ("a narrow man with eyes like the eyes a child sees when he stands on his head and looks into a mirror.") Well, that doesn't sound so bad out of context but the piling on of metaphors gets to you.
Fantasy and surrealism are fine and dandy. But when you end a book with a horse-fucking dream scene told in total earnestness you're going to be the subject of my ridicule. And the truth of the matter is while the stories were fine I put one aside for several days with only a few pages left, so uninvested was I with what happened.
I plan to read more of these books I've had lying around for centuries in the near future.
Pete Townshend's actually not a bad writer- when his stories are good, they have a Denis-Johnson-bleakness-like quality, with a spare and morose and empty style. And I also liked how meta/post-modern all his autobiographical writing can be, in scenarios where "Pete" is a character and the narrator is Pete's friend or a reporter. Because they are in the guise of fiction, the stories have a certain honestly and art that is lacking from the usual mush rock autobiography:
"In spurts I answer fan mail and business letters, play snooker, strum my guitar into a cassette machine, pray for forgiveness and think about what a total mess I've made of a life that had everything, and everyone, going for it... I'll read for two or three hours, then have a bath before I doze off properly. The ritual of lying down to sleep is just that, a ritual. Did I hear the buzz of a fly? Sometimes I imagine what it must be like to sleep where rats run, where insects crawl over you and into your coat, where the nightmarish visions are real and not delirium brought on by self-indulgence."
The metaphor of a horse gallops through various stories, which I quite liked, not for the metaphor itself but as a connector or theme to stories that, while mostly dealing with a rock star and his history, sometimes depict other lives and fantasies. Actually, it's the fantasies/surrealism in this collection that dragged for me, such as in "the Plate," the story of a detective voyeur, or in some of Townshend's more obtrusive metaphors-for-metaphor's sake ("a narrow man with eyes like the eyes a child sees when he stands on his head and looks into a mirror.") Well, that doesn't sound so bad out of context but the piling on of metaphors gets to you.
Fantasy and surrealism are fine and dandy. But when you end a book with a horse-fucking dream scene told in total earnestness you're going to be the subject of my ridicule. And the truth of the matter is while the stories were fine I put one aside for several days with only a few pages left, so uninvested was I with what happened.
I plan to read more of these books I've had lying around for centuries in the near future.
April 28, 2022
Of literary merit, and conterminous with Townshend's masterpiece of masterpieces, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes. Some similar imagery and thematic material between the two -- but these morose and abstractly interconnected snapshots, a cubist's novel more than a librettists, have a hateful and venomous beauty all their own.
April 19, 2023
I loved these bizarre, intense, surreal stories. I loved this a lot more than his bloated memoir.
May 22, 2016
Having wanted to read this short book for about 25 years I finally tracked down a copy and am impressed with the results.
Even though Pete Townshend is my favourite song writer I wasn’t sure I’d take to him stepping out of his usual line of work to write fiction. That said, he injects some of his own experiences into these short stories, which isn’t moving too far away from the creative genius that drove my favourite rock band The Who to success.
In fact, certain lyrics from Who & Townshend solo songs do appear here and there, or at least variations of them. Most notable are lyrics and references to the 1982 Who track “Athena”, which started life as a Pete Townshend demo named “Teresa”.
“Teresa”/“Athena” and one of the stories featured in “Horse’s Neck” are based on an episode of Pete’s life where he became infatuated with actress Theresa Russell. He goes into more detail about this in his 2012 biography “Who I Am”. As a diehard Who fan it’s always interesting to learn the background behind the songs I’ve loved for most of my life.
Having watched/listened to countless interviews with Pete over the years I expected to hear his voice in my head when reading “Horse’s Neck” but surprisingly I didn’t. This is a good thing, as it shows the strength of Pete’s writing ability, being capable of creating characters and narratives that feel separate from the author.
The tone of some of the stories reminded me of the atmosphere in Pete’s 1985 “White City” film. In short, the feeling is a mundane one, which is in complete contrast to Pete’s brilliant “White City” album. Because of the mundane feel to certain tales I’ve rated “Horse’s Neck” four stars instead of five.
Overall, an entertaining read by one of my rock ’n’ roll heroes.
Even though Pete Townshend is my favourite song writer I wasn’t sure I’d take to him stepping out of his usual line of work to write fiction. That said, he injects some of his own experiences into these short stories, which isn’t moving too far away from the creative genius that drove my favourite rock band The Who to success.
In fact, certain lyrics from Who & Townshend solo songs do appear here and there, or at least variations of them. Most notable are lyrics and references to the 1982 Who track “Athena”, which started life as a Pete Townshend demo named “Teresa”.
“Teresa”/“Athena” and one of the stories featured in “Horse’s Neck” are based on an episode of Pete’s life where he became infatuated with actress Theresa Russell. He goes into more detail about this in his 2012 biography “Who I Am”. As a diehard Who fan it’s always interesting to learn the background behind the songs I’ve loved for most of my life.
Having watched/listened to countless interviews with Pete over the years I expected to hear his voice in my head when reading “Horse’s Neck” but surprisingly I didn’t. This is a good thing, as it shows the strength of Pete’s writing ability, being capable of creating characters and narratives that feel separate from the author.
The tone of some of the stories reminded me of the atmosphere in Pete’s 1985 “White City” film. In short, the feeling is a mundane one, which is in complete contrast to Pete’s brilliant “White City” album. Because of the mundane feel to certain tales I’ve rated “Horse’s Neck” four stars instead of five.
Overall, an entertaining read by one of my rock ’n’ roll heroes.
July 24, 2008
SO I bought this at this music store called Strange Maine in Portland, because it was like fifty cents and I had to eat lunch by myself and wanted something short to read. Plus I was curious about what Pete Townshend of The Who had to say for himself. Turns out what he has to say is WEIRD AS HELL and not really in a good way. He is obsessed with his mother, and horses. And having sex with horses that remind him of his mom. This is just what I remember, since I've mostly tried to avoid thinking about it. Supposedly it's fictional, but I don't buy that for a second. Your "fiction" about aging rock stars and pervy Englishmen isn't fooling anyone, Pete.
February 11, 2013
One of the most influential musicians of all time as well as a tremendous songwriter and poet, it may surprise even some Who fans just how much Townshend can tear your heart out.
January 30, 2018
A dive into darkness. A book to absorb but not too deeply. The 4 stars are for those who are fans. If not...skip it.
January 8, 2019
Sex, drugs and rock n' roll.
Just say neigh.
Just say neigh.
November 4, 2024
First read this when it was published in 1985 and thought it was pretty cool. Came across a second hand copy and thought I’d re-read… Bit of a disappointment; whilst a couple of the stories are reasonably well constructed, much is not fully formed and just snippets. If he re-weote it now I’m sure it would be more mature and polished.
July 26, 2019
not top-shelf in the american sense, but maybe top-shelf in the british. one or two pieces illuminate (and share lyrics with) early ‘80s songwriting, but the bulk of this collection seems designed to convey what a miserable fucker townshend was.
July 25, 2017
Stick to the day job, Peter!
November 12, 2024
I have always held Pete as one of my greatest song writers. But this poetry is just not what I expected.
January 14, 2020
Some stories were very odd. But overall, it was an interesting read.
October 5, 2011
Much as I love PT and his music and lyrics, I have to say that this book probably would not have been published unless his name was attached to it. I had the impression that he has a talent with words, but that he needed some editting----that he is self-taught and could have really benefitted from the kind of critiques that college students routinely receive when their literary reach exceeds their grasp. While he is daring and self-revelatory, I kept wishing he wouldn't toss in random SAT-type words for no apparent reason and to no apparent literary benefit. This book was written in 1984, and I should read some of his more recent work to see how his writing has evolved.
January 18, 2016
I am a major fan of The Who, and of Pete Townshend's masterful lyrics. My Dad had this book, and informed me that Mr. Townshend is actually a very talented writer as well. I picked up this book through his suggestion, and I was not disappointed.
Townshend is a masterful writer; his descriptions of dreams, short stories, tied in with life events were both colorful and poetic. This book is very unique, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.
This book is one of my favorites, I highly recommend it!
Townshend is a masterful writer; his descriptions of dreams, short stories, tied in with life events were both colorful and poetic. This book is very unique, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.
This book is one of my favorites, I highly recommend it!
September 3, 2016
I became interested in this book after reading Pete Townshend's biograpy, "Who I Am." Townshend wrote the short stories featured in Horse's Neck between 1979-1984, a transitional time in his life when he was living apart from his family while struggling with substance abuse. Clearly autobiographical, these stories are very well written and reflect, not surprisingly, a tortured soul. If you admire Townshend's songwriting and are interested in seeing another side of his work, I would highly recommend "Horse's Neck." It's a quick read and readily available on Amazon.
February 1, 2015
If you can get past the "weirdness", this is a great read. I have read this twice, and loved it each time. I bought this for 2 bucks at a used book store, and needless to say, I never looked back. I bought this because I love Townshend and The Who. After reading it, I couldn't stop laughing. Needless to say, if you aren't offended by a man having sex with a horse, allusions to gayness, and other strange tales, read it.
August 11, 2011
I read this so long ago that it is hard to recall with any clarity, but the impression I have is one of disappointment. Knowing now (which I didn't then—nobody did) that this was a very dark period for Pete, with not only the usual drinking, but a foray into hard drugs, it seems like an odd time for him to have ventured into prose. But there you have it. This is the book that makes me a little worried about what Pete's impending autobiography will be like.
July 4, 2012
I am a huge fan of Pete Townshend's span of work and as a author I was intrigued that some of these stories were written in the middle of the night and in some cases, Pete had no recollection of writting some of these stories. These collection of short stories show Pete's budding ability to cross over as a author and publisher.
August 28, 2012
Love Pete Townsend's poetry/lyrics/music, what a happy surprise to find that he is also a superior and haunting short story writer. Have read this collection many times and this book has survived many culls to my collection as well as many moves.
December 18, 2012
Wanted to like this so much more than I did. Not without merits, but seems to be trying too hard. It's side 2 of All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes all over again. Like it, but minor changes would have had me loving it.
October 7, 2013
Surreal. Weird. Perverse. Not great. Personal.
Some of the stories did nothing for me. Those were the ones where he tried to get all literary. When he kept it simple, he was quite good.
I picked the book up at random. In that sense, it was worthwhile.
Some of the stories did nothing for me. Those were the ones where he tried to get all literary. When he kept it simple, he was quite good.
I picked the book up at random. In that sense, it was worthwhile.
February 12, 2016
As an admitted huge fan of the Who and Pete Townshend, I quite enjoyed this. The subtle references to songs sprinkled in. The stories are definitely on the outer fringes, but intelligent. Just like the author himself.
October 9, 2012
A great book - Townshend as good a writer as he is a songwriter and musician
January 3, 2014
He's a genius when there is no music with the words too!
October 8, 2014
Interesting...this is a group of short stories, most of which are fascinating, but there were one or two that left me scratching my head.
December 28, 2014
Like reading about someone's dreams. These are deeply weird tales. My edition had a painting of a grey horse's neck on it. The book has since disappeared.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews