Roger Daltrey Claims The Who’s Upcoming Farewell Tour Is Their “Last”—But There’s a Catch
via AlternativeNation.net / YouTube
End of the Road for Touring
The Who is set to begin their farewell North American tour, called “The Song Is Over,” on August 16 in Sunrise, Florida. The band had previously done a so-called final tour in 1982, but this time, singer Roger Daltrey says they mean it.
“This definitely will be the last tour of the U.S., that’s for sure,” said Daltrey, now 81, during an interview with Pollstar. “We will not be back touring.”
Still Open to Performances
Even though the band is ending tours, they aren’t completely stepping away from live shows.
“We are definitely not saying we will never do any more shows, because we will always be available, if asked, to do charity shows, and you never know what comes along,” Daltrey explained. “But we will not tour anymore in America. And I’m pretty certain we won’t tour in the UK now, because it’s impossible to get around.”
He added, “[I]t’s definitely the end of touring. Touring is hard, hard, hard graft.”
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Why Touring Is Coming to an End
Daltrey said he no longer wants to perform if he can’t meet his own standards. As he gets older, this becomes harder.
“Well, it’s just a matter of admitting where we are in our lifespan,” he said. “I do not want to be on that stage and let an audience down.”
He also shared that while he loves playing music, the travel and staying in hotels between shows is exhausting. “[T]he bits in between [concerts], the hotels and the travel, oh my God, it grinds your bones down,” he said. “It becomes gutting.”
Tour Details and Style Change
The upcoming tour will feature a smaller band, without the orchestra that backed recent shows.
“We’re not going out with the orchestra this time, so we’re going kind of back to basics,” Daltrey said. “We are trying to just make it more like what we were in the ’70s, make it raw.”
He also spoke about how modern shows use lights and screens, which limit flexibility. “I f—ing hate set lists!” he said. “I hate them because, to me, the next song should follow the energy of what you’ve created to the previous one… that was fabulous. It was freedom.” He added, “[N]ow, of course, it’s impossible… It’s like a military operation.”
New Faces in the Band
One major change is the replacement of longtime drummer Zak Starkey. Scott Devours, who played during the Quadrophenia Tour, will now take over.
“Yeah, we are trying to change our sound. We don’t know if it’ll work,” Daltrey said. “The Who is basically Pete Townshend and me. That’s it.”
Singer and bassist John Hogg will also be joining to strengthen the vocals. “[John is] in my own solo band… just to beef up the backing vocals,” Roger said. “The harmonies were everything to us, us and the Beach Boys.”
Future Shows Outside the U.S.?
Manager Bill Curbishley said that the band may still play in other parts of the world. “If any really important shows came up that appealed to them, I’m sure they would pick up their gear,” he told Pollstar.
He added, “I said to them, ‘Look, you can’t say farewell to North America without saying farewell to the rest of the world.’”
What’s Ahead
Before the U.S. tour, The Who will play two shows in Italy, on July 20 and 22. Their 17-date North American tour ends September 28 in Las Vegas. Daltrey will also do three solo shows in the UK this summer.
