Roger Daltrey opens up about new tour, Broadway’s ‘Tommy’ and the future of The Who

“I don’t think so. I don’t know if The Who will ever come out again,” he told The Associated Press over Zoom.

The 80-year-old rock star has a “use it or lose it” mentality when it comes to his singing voice, so he finds it essential to perform as much as possible, with or without The Who.

Recently, Daltry spoke to The Associated Press about the band’s future, his solo tour and his feelings on the Broadway revival of The Who’s seminal rock opera, “Tommy.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. What do you think of the “Tommy” Broadway revival?

Daltrey: I’m glad the album still exists; it means a lot to me. It’s the greatest opera ever written. I don’t particularly like it. There have been a lot of changes. I can’t imagine cutting some of the music out of “Madame Butterfly” or any of the other great operas. So, you consider it a straightforward opera, as opposed to a rock opera?

Daltrey: It’s a great opera. At the time we called it an opera, it was said in a funny way. We took a lot of chances with it. But since I’ve been living with it and playing it on stage, and seeing a lot of great operas, I felt I had an opera on my hands. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the best opera ever written. : Tell us about the tour?

Daltrey: I’m bringing an eight-person band from the U.K., a very different sounding band with a lot of different instruments. No synthesizers. It’s just fun playing different songs, and obviously some Who classics. But we do them differently. So it’s something I like doing. And people seem to like it when I go with it. So, I’m just going to put my toe in the water. So you’ll be playing solo music and the music of The Who?

Daltrey: Having a band like this gives me the opportunity to do a lot of the things that I’ve done over the years with different artists, like 10 years ago with Wilko Johnson. I’ll be doing some solo stuff, as well as some covers of people I really like, to keep the night fun and entertaining. A lot of people are retiring. All the good old boys are retiring and there are fewer people out there. Does going in front of an audience keep your voice intact?

Daltrey: Ever since my voice problems started, it’s always been a motivation for me. You have to keep using it. Just like any other body part. You stop moving, the muscles in your legs get weak. The voice is the same thing. If you stop using those muscles in the voice box and vocal cords, they will get soft and you will lose your voice. I have a remarkable voice for my age. Simon Townsend is performing with you – not his brother, Pete Townsend of The Who. What’s it like to perform with one Townsend instead of another?

Daltrey: Simon Townsend is always at my solo shows. Simon has always been with me. Well, he’s very different from Pete, although he has a very similar voice that harmonizes with my voice. He’s a brilliant musician, brilliant guitarist and a wonderful person. You know, I’ve known him for 60 years. What’s the difference between going on tour with The Who and touring alone?

Daltrey: There’s a lot less weight on my shoulders by myself. I don’t know that The Who sounds heavier. It’s always a much more relaxed, solo show. Does performing solo reduce the pressure?

Daltrey: Because with The Who there’s this responsibility – to maintain the legacy and the history to always be in a good light, so it puts a lot of weight on your shoulders. But with this band, I’ve found that I can go out there and have a good time and play any kind of music I like. : Can you give me an example?

Daltrey: I was doing some solo shows on a cruise, and right before the first show I had a terrible allergic reaction. I got hospitalized and I didn’t know if I’d be able to go on the cruise. But I went on the cruise. Anyway, I had to do three shows in a row, and I guess I wouldn’t be able to get to the sound check. I wouldn’t be able to get to the rehearsals. But at least I could do these three shows. Sound checks are very important when you’re on the road. And I thought, “I know what I’ll do, I’ll show the audience the rehearsal.” And that’s what I did. I did the show as a rehearsal and talked about what was happening on stage, what the roadies were doing and what everybody was doing. And they really enjoyed it. If you can survive that, you can survive anything. What is the biggest change you have seen over the years in your career that began in the mid-1960s?

Daltrey: Age. I mean, look at the older people in the audience who have grown up with us, but at the same time, we have a huge number of younger fans, which I’m amazed at. So, it changes all the time. But obviously our audience, they’ve grown up with us, so age is the thing you notice the most. Mick Jagger is on tour with the Rolling Stones at age 80. Will The Who ever tour again?

Daltrey: I don’t think so. I don’t think so, I don’t know if The Who will ever come out again. I don’t know. I don’t think so. If we had something to do, something that was progressive and interesting and there was a reason to do it, we would go out. But at the moment I don’t think so.

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