[2] In 1958, after passing the entrance exam, the London County Council sent Townson to the Stoatley Rough School in Haslemere, Surrey, where he was resident for two years.

[3] In March 1967 Marc Bolan joined John's Children and Napier-Bell signed them with Track Records, which included artists like The Who and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

[2] A few months later, however, The Who called on Townson's services when their drummer Keith Moon had injured himself demolishing his own drum kit on stage.

[1][2][4] But The Who got their revenge on Townson for John's Children's "reckless behaviour" on the German tour: at the end of his last gig with them, they "blew [him] off the stage" with flash powder.

[2] In the late 1970s Townson quit the music business and built a successful career illustrating album covers and books.

[1] Later, and for health reasons, he studied to be a social worker,[1] and worked with the National Children's Home,[2] becoming director of its Phoenix Project.

[1][2] Notwithstanding the Beatlemania that was sweeping the country at the time, Townson and Ellison were more interested in the rhythm and blues sound of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Who.