The Who main songwriter and guitarist Pete Townshend said in an interview with The New York Times that the band will probably do one final tour playing in all corners of the world and then “crawl off to die”. He also said that he really doesn’t get too excited about performing live and that he does that for the money nowadays.
When asked if he would like to make new music, he said that he feels like people want to hear the “old Pete” and not what he composes nowadays. To explain that he used AC/DC as an example and said that the Australian group made the same album 50 times.
Pete Townshend says AC/DC made the same album 50 times
“I do, and I think I will,” before using the chance to speak about his ideas for a final tour: It feels to me like there’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die. I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with The Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is pretty elevated. I’ve been immensely creative and productive throughout that period, but I haven’t felt the need to put (new music) out.”
“And if I can make it personal, I don’t care whether you like it or not. When ‘White City’ came out and the sales were so slow, I thought ‘screw this.’ Nobody wanted me as I was – they wanted the old Pete.”
“AC/DC made 50 albums, but all their albums were the same. It wasn’t the way The Who worked. We were an ideas band. (…) I’ve got about 500 titles I might release online, mostly unfinished stuff. We’re not making Coca-Cola, where every can has to taste the same. And it’s turned out, surprise, surprise, that rock ’n’ roll is really good at dealing with the difficulties of aging. Watching Keith Richards onstage, trying to do what he used to do — it’s disturbing, heart-rending, but also delightful.
“The Who isn’t Daltrey and Townshend onstage at 80, pretending to be young. It’s the four of us in 1964, when we were 18 or 19. If you want to see The Who myth, wait for the avatar show. It would be good!” Pete Townshend said.
Roger Daltrey solo tour dates
Until now The Who doesn’t have more tour dates scheduled for 2024, but Roger Daltrey will be touring on his own next May and June. KT Tunstall will be the opening act of those dates.
May
- 6 – San Diego, CA, US – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
June
- 12 – Vienna, VA, US – Wolf Trap at Filene Center
- 14 – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
- 16 – Bethel, NY, US – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
- 18 – Port Chester, NY, US – The Capitol Theatre
- 20 – Boston, MA, US – Leader Bank Pavilion
- 22 – Lenox, MA, US – Tanglewood, Koussevitzky Music Shed
- 25 – MI, US – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
- 27 – Indianapolis, IN, US – Murat Theater
- 29 – Highland Park, IL, US – Ravinia Festival