Pete Townshend recently made headlines with his flip-flop statements regarding The Who’s touring future. In a candid moment with The New York Times, Townshend quipped that the band's next step might be "a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die." However, he later clarified on the Sound Up! podcast that his comment was in jest, stating, "I think I was being sarcastic about it."
This back-and-forth comes as no surprise, given the age of the band's members—Roger Daltrey is 80, and Townshend is nearing 79. Any tour at this stage could potentially be their last. Townshend's own sentiments about performing have been mixed; he admitted to touring primarily for financial reasons, a revelation that has irked his bandmate Daltrey.
Daltrey expressed his frustration with Townshend's negative remarks, which he perceives as a form of passive-aggressive behavior that could deter fans. Despite this, he acknowledges that Townshend appears to thoroughly enjoy himself during performances, leading Daltrey to dismiss the complaints as trivial.
The Who's embarked on what was supposed to be their final tour in 1982, only to return in 1989 to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Last month, they performed at London's Royal Albert Hall in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
While there are no current tour plans for The Who this year, Daltrey is set to kick off an 11-date U.S. tour with his band in June, starting in Glenside, Pennsylvania.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]