Pete Townshend Biography Independently Published Through Lulu.com Is Gaining Industry Accolades As 'The Who' Prepare For 2006 Summer Tour

Raliegh, NC (www.Lulu.com) - A new, critically acclaimed, exhaustively researched biography of legendary rock musician and songwriter Pete Townshend has been published on the eve of his band The Who's most active period in years. Author Mark Wilkerson spent over eight years researching and writing the 641-page volume which chronicles the fascinating life of one of the world's most intriguing rock stars. He met the rock legend in April 2006 while in London for The Who Convention (Picture attached).

'When I met Mr. Townshend, we talked about my book. As we shook hands and said goodbye, he said he was "very, very pleased" that my book was published,' said author Mark Wilkerson. 'Quite frankly, I found Lulu on the web as I was looking for a publisher. As a first-time author, I couldn't get traditional publishers to even consider my book, but Lulu.com provided me the opportunity to get my book out there and show people that it's a legitimate piece of work.'

The release of Amazing Journey: The Life of Pete Townshend comes on the eve of a flurry of activity for The Who: June marks the kickoff of the European leg of The Who's world tour, along with the release of an EP featuring Townshend's new 'mini-opera', The Boy Who Heard Music. A full studio album is slated for release in September, representing the first studio release by The Who since 1982's It's Hard. The Who's U.S. tour follows the European leg, this fall.

Critics are already praising the book, with the Rocky Mountain News calling it '...the most detailed, exacting study of his life we'll likely get until Townshend releases his own autobiography - and maybe not even then.' The music industry trade magazine Friday Morning Quarterback called the book, '...Impressive... a compelling and readable account of the life of the man who wrote �hope I die before I get old' yet lived on to share his own incredible musical journey with the world... the author aims and succeeds in presenting a well-balanced portrait of the Who visionary, warts and all.'

An interview with author Mark Wilkerson is now available at www.lulu.com/lulu_radio.
The book will also be discussed on national radio (Sirius Satellite Radio) starting next week, May 15.

AMAZING JOURNEY: THE LIFE OF PETE TOWNSHEND, ISBN 1-4116-7700-5 is currently available in downloadable .pdf format for $7.46, or trade paperback for $24.95 at www.lulu.com/amazingjourney. The book is also available at all major online book outlets.