The Who’s Pete Townshend clarifies farewell tour comments

17 April 2024, 17:20

By Jenny Mensah

The legendary Who guitarist and songwriter has walked back comments he previously made about farewell dates.

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Pete Townshend has clarified comments he made about The Who embarking on a final farewell tour.

The My Generation guitarist and songwriter was asked about his next plans for himself and roger Daltrey and told The New York Times: "It feels to me like there’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die. I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with The Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is pretty elevated."

However, in a new interview with the Sound Up! Podcast, he said: “I’m not doing a farewell tour. I think I was being sarcastic about it."

Meanwhile, his bandmate Roger Daltrey seems equally ambivalent about the next step for the band. When asked about the next stage for the band, the frontman told The Times: "I can’t answer that. I don’t write the songs. I never did. We need to sit down and have a meeting, but at the moment I’m happy saying that part of my life is over."

The legendary frontman of the band, who has recently stepped down from his duties at the Teenage Cancer Trust, also discussed selling the band's back catalogue back in 2012 and reflected on the difficult decision.

"I found it hard to do," he reflected. "It was like selling the family silver, but then they made such a good offer. I’m a wealthy man, but I’m no good to society because I don’t want anything.

"Still to this day I have that wartime mentality. I find it hard to throw anything away. My Merc is 20 years old and my jeans have holes in them.”

The Substitute singer also explained his decision to step down from organising the Teenage Cancer Trust, explaining that he isn't leaving the organisation altogether, but that a youthful energy is needed to "drive things".

The Times. "I’m on my way out. The average life expectancy is 83 and with a bit of luck I’ll make that, but we need someone else to drive things.”

"I’m not leaving TCT," he clarified. "I’ve been a patron since I first met the charity’s founders, Dr Adrian and Myrna Whiteson, more than 30 years ago – and that will continue, but I’ll be working in the back room, talking to the government, rattling cages.”