There is a possibility that The Who will retire
Pete Townshend commented on the future of Whospeculating that the group could return on the road for a long farewell tour.
“It seems to me that there's one thing the Who can do,” the 78-year-old guitarist explained to the New York Times, “and that's a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl away to die.”
The British rocker admitted The Who's final journey would be less about (artistic) legacy and more about finances.
“I'm not very excited about performing with the Who,” Townshend confessed. “To be honest, I toured for money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is quite high.”
These latest statements by Townshend do not clarify what he really wants; over time, in fact, he has expressed himself in a conflicting manner regarding the future of the Who. A few months ago, at the end of 2023, the guitarist speculated that he and the singer Roger Daltry (80 years of age) should meet and agree on an action plan.
“I think it's time Roger and I go to lunch and talk about what happens next,” Townshend noted. “Because the final tour stop of 2023 (August 28 at Sandringham) shouldn't feel like the end of anything, but it feels like the end of an era.”
Townshend said at the time that any future touring plans would depend on “what's doable, what would be profitable, what would be fun.”
In 2022, however, Townshend already seemed to hypothesize the end of the bands' live career.
“I don't want to be like one of these guys who dies on tour,” he told Rolling Stone. “Roger is of the opinion that he wants to sing until he drops. That's not my philosophy of life. There are other things that I want to do, I still want to do and that I will do, I hope. I hope to live long enough to do them.”
