[1] Townsend was born near Frog Island, Leicester, England, where he spent his teenage years playing in various bands, such as the Beatniks, Broodly Hoo and Legay.

[2] After eighteen months he left Medicine Head and spent much of the late 1970s as freelance session drummer for Peter Skellern,[3] George Melly and Bill Wyman amongst others.

[1][5] In 1982 Townsend joined The Blues Band, in a line up including Paul Jones, guitarists Dave Kelly and Tom McGuinness also bassist Gary Fletcher.

[6] In 1991 he also joined Jones and McGuinness as part of the Manfred Mann splinter band The Manfreds, recording and touring, as well as backing other performers including Georgie Fame,[7] Colin Blunstone, Long John Baldry, and Chris Farlowe.

[1]Townsend mentioned jazz greats Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa as influences in the same interview.