The Who designs a T-shirt for City of Hope

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The Who is having a busy week. The iconic British band rocked the Super Bowl on Sunday, and now original members Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey are unveiling a limited edition T-shirt they designed for Hard Rock International to benefit nonprofit organization City of Hope -- which is dedicated to the prevention of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Hard Rock’s The Who Signature Series Edition XXVII T-shirt (no, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue) is available online and at Hard Rock cafes, hotels and casinos worldwide. Fifteen percent of the retail sales from the tees (and matching pins) will be donated to City of Hope.

Townsend’s had a long history with the Hard Rock, which has been partnering with musicians for charitable endeavors for decades. More than 30 years ago, regular Hard Rock London patron Eric Clapton asked the staff if he could hang his guitar on the wall to mark his favorite bar stool as “his spot.” They agreed, and a week later, the cafe reportedly received a package from Townshend with a guitar and a note that read, “Mine’s as good as his! Love, Pete.” The offering helped kick-start Hard Rock’s music memorabilia collection.

The front of the mens’ navy T-shirt features The Who’s logo and an image of Townshend doing his famous windmill-style strum, all up against a British flag. The design also includes a surreal element: a graphic of a dangling backstage pass. The back of the shirt is emblazoned with the words “That’s Who.” Not the most subtle design, but it’s sure to delight hardcore Who fans.

“Roger and I have a rich history with Hard Rock International and it’s an honor to join some of music’s greatest legends for this important cause,” Townshend said in a release. “It’s amazing that our design on a T-shirt can literally help save lives.”
-- Emili Vesilind

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