After finishing their symphonic tour, Pete Townshend stated in a recent interview with Record Collector that he thought the Who were done.
The performer revealed that he will be meeting with Roger Daltrey to talk about their future plans, elaborating:
“I think it’s time for Roger and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next. Because Sandringham shouldn’t feel like the end of anything, but it feels like the end of an era.”
Evaluating The Who’s Path Forward
He underlined again the need to determine what would be pleasurable and useful for them going the future, pointing out:
“It’s a question of, really, what is feasible, what would be lucrative, what would be fun? So, I wrote to Roger and said, come on, let’s have a chat and see what’s there.”
The Band’s Direction And Challenges
Townshend discussed the band’s future plans in an interview published in September with Uncut magazine. Specifically, he addressed whether the group would prefer to concentrate on recording new music or playing live. He clarified:
“Well, recording is tough. We just about managed to get the last record done [2019’s ‘WHO’]. It nearly didn’t get made. We have no plan. I don’t have a unique vision for the Who going forward. I don’t know whether Roger does. Roger and I probably need to get together to chat about what we want to do. I brought it up a little bit on the recent UK tour.”
He said the following to disclose the remainder of their conversation:
“Roger seemed most concerned about the fact he’s got a dodgy knee that might need surgery. But he’s singing great, and I’m playing as well – and better – than I ever have before. I feel comfortable doing what I’m doing with the band. The interesting thing about our business now is, like the Stones and McCartney, we’re pushing the age envelope as far as it can possibly go.”
On September 15, The Who released a massive box set titled “Who’s Next | Life House.” There are 155 tracks in the compilation, 89 of which are new remixes and 57 of which are previously unheard. Recently, Townshend said that he is developing a brand-new rock opera that would be based on his book “The Age of Anxiety.” This project will include many new songs in addition to telling the narrative on stage.