Pete Townshend backpedals like a bitch after swearing at kid

You might have heard that Pete Townshend told a seven year-old kid to "fuck off" at a performance of Quadrophenia in Hamilton in February.

Chastened by the public response to this, the Who guitarist subsequently tracked down the father of little Janey Costello and, as reported by QMI Agency, sent a letter of apology that's almost as long and turgid as Tommy. 

"Apologies and condolences from my side, and very best wishes to you and your family," wrote Townshend. Several pagers later, he explained that he was in "rock star mode" when he ruined a little girl's night (and possibly her life).

Janey was sitting on her dad's shoulders when the two approached the stage with a placard urging Townshend to smash his guitar.

"Go away with that sign please, just go away with it, just go away with it," was Townshend's response. He then mouthed the offending words and waved a filthy backward V-sign at the Costellos.

"I could have handled it differently," Townshend explained in his letter. "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 furor."

"I thought your placard was fun," he went on, and on, and on. "I had a job to do and I didn't want to lengthen the show by trying to deal with you directly and in detail... I was also worried that your daughter looked a little frightened as the crowd started to follow you down the aisle. The ushers should not have let you leave your seats and walk forward. All that said, you did nothing wrong."

Townshend also reportedly composed a second letter to the ushers at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum. "Dear ushers," it allegedly reads. "Fuck off. Same goes for your kids."