Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend Respond to Questions About More Shows After Farewell Tour
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A Farewell Tour with Questions Attached
The Who are currently in the United States for their farewell tour, The Song Is Over. The run includes 16 scheduled shows, with the name taken from their 1971 track of the same title.
Although both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have said this will be the band’s last tour, fans and critics have expressed doubt. Over the years, The Who have staged several “farewell” tours, dating back to their first in 1982.
When asked by The New York Times if the 2025 dates truly meant the end, Townshend responded with humor. “Are you suggesting we’re swindling the public? The fact is, we are willing to swindle them. That’s what we’ve done our entire life. Why stop?” he joked.
He then added, “It’s in Roger’s hands. If we don’t extend, would we be in breach of contract? Would we be in swindle-land if we came back and played all those important venues we’ve left off the list, like Duluth.” Still, Townshend admitted he would not mind if the shows turned out to be the last.
“I’m 80, I don’t like being away from my family, my studios, my dogs and my friends. I’m not looking to spend the next five years of my life waiting to drop dead on the stage… The end of the tour could give Roger and I permission never to call each other again. I hope that doesn’t happen.”
Daltrey Leaves the Door Open
Roger Daltrey followed by clarifying that The Who are not breaking up entirely, even if the days of long tours are behind them. “We’re not giving up as a band. We might do a couple of residencies. Hopefully, Pete and I won’t stop making music,” he explained.
Townshend has also spoken about his own plans after the tour wraps. He has hinted at solo shows, while keeping open the possibility of occasional Who appearances “charity and possibly for special projects.”
Still, he admitted his discomfort with touring. “I don’t love performing. I don’t like being on a stage… it doesn’t fill my soul,” he said, describing the strain of being away from home and the exhaustion of extended schedules.
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Tensions and Health Concerns
Daltrey reacted directly to Townshend’s words. “If Pete doesn’t want to tour, I don’t want to be back with The Who on the road, at 81, with someone who doesn’t want [to] be there… if that’s what he’s saying.”
The singer also admitted his own health worries, confessing that he was “nervous” about finishing the current tour. He explained that he has “the potential to get really ill,” something that has weighed on him throughout the shows.
At charity concerts for the Teenage Cancer Trust at London’s Royal Albert Hall earlier this year, Daltrey revealed more about his condition. “The problem with this job is that you go deaf… And now I’ve been told that I am going blind,” he told the audience.
The Future of The Who’s Music
Before the tour began, Townshend addressed the possibility of new music following 2019’s Who. “I don’t think there is. If there was a need or a place for a Who album, could I write the songs for it within six weeks? Of course I fucking could, it’s a piece of cake. The problem is, I don’t think Roger wants to do it again,” he told NME.
