Roger Daltrey hates fans looking up setlists before his live shows

11 June 2024, 10:22

The Who's Roger Daltrey at The O2 Arena. Picture: Matthew Baker/Getty Images

By Jenny Mensah

The Who frontman thinks the internet has ruined the surprises of live performances.

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The Who's Roger Daltrey is "sick" of there being no surprises left at live shows.

The legendary rocker is set to kick off his semi-acoustic North American solo tour this week, but has kept shtum about what songs he will perform as he hates performances being ruined.

"I’m not gonna talk about songs," he told Billboard. "Too many people reveal songs. There’s no surprises left with concerts these days, because everybody wants to see the setlist.

"I’m sick of it. The internet’s ruined the live shows for me. Who wants to know what’s coming next? People forget about surprises. I can’t stand it."

Despite this, Daltrey has admitted he won't play The Who's iconic Won’t Get Fooled Again, but he'll let audiences do his iconic scream for him because it's been "brutal" on his voice.

"I’m not gonna do the scream," he revealed. "I’m gonna get the audience to do the scream.

"I’ve done that scream for 55 years, and I’ve had enough of it. I don’t even want to try it now; it’s brutal on the vocal cords.

"They can do the scream, and I’ll do everything else."

He went on: "I’m more into singing these days. At the age of 80, I think I deserve to be."

Daltrey recently stepped down from running the Teenage Cancer Trust after 24 years because he believes that he hasn't got many more years left.

“I have to be realistic," he told 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.”

The Substitute rocker went on: "I’m not leaving TCT – 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...”