The Who say UK tour begins 'long goodbye'

BBC News ^ | 30 June 2014 Last updated at 12:18 ET | Tim Masters

[a fool in paradise]

Is this the end for The Who?

The Who have announced that they are planning to record some new songs ahead of a 50th anniversary UK tour.

..."This is the beginning of the long goodbye," said singer Roger Daltrey.

"We can't go on touring forever... it could be open-ended, but it will have a finality to it.

"We'll stop touring before we stop playing." He admitted that touring was "incredibly tough on the body".

Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend revealed the latest tour dates at a launch event at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London's Soho, where they played a short acoustic set.

Arriving on stage carrying a Union Jack mug, Daltrey joked that he was adjusting his hearing aid before launching into Substitute - accompanied by Townshend on a 12-string guitar.

The Who had premiered their rock opera Tommy album at the same tiny venue in 1969.

Townshend said he had recently given Daltrey demo recordings of three new new songs. "Happily he likes them, so we are now considering trying to get into the studio this summer. "

...It is thought that some new songs will feature on the tour. The band's last album of new material was 2006's Endless Wire.

The Who have sold more than 100 million records since forming in 1964. Their best-known albums include My Generation, Tommy and Quadrophenia.

The original line-up included drummer Keith Moon, who died from an accidental overdose in 1978, and bassist John Entwistle who died of a heart attack in 2002.

In 2013, The Who toured the UK with a full-length performance of 1973's Quadrophenia, which inspired the 1979 film of the same name.

The Who Hits 50 UK tour begins at Glasgow SSE Hydro on 30 November and ends at London's The O2 on 17 December.

[Snickering Hound]

Should have been the end when Moon died, but they had bills to pay.

[free from tyranny]

Yes, half of them are dead. All the more reason to see them if you have been in some way influenced by them.
And yes, the two remaining members, pete and rodger are only people, like the rest of us.
And between rodger’s vocals and pete’s pen the two have illuminated a way to reach millions.
Before you toss them aside, think what kind of message can be shared with billions given the right mix of verse and music.
The Who had it!!!!! And to those who thirst for the last drop, there is still some to be had but not for long!!!

[Michael.SF.]

I saw them in Long Beach at the show that became the bootleg album : “Live at the Queen”, the one were Townsend cursed out the audience, including multiple F bombs.

I have not been a big who fan since.

[dfwgator]

I think Keith influenced this guy.

[doorgunner69]

More of a Bee Gees type, I gather?

[ifinnegan]

No.

More Hank Williams. Carter Family. Jimmie Rodgers.

When I think of the Who, I think of proselytizing for Mehr Baba.

[ifinnegan]

“But Little Richard has them all beat. HE started retiring in the 1950s!”

And he has them beat in talent and good songs.

[doorgunner69]

When I think of the Who, I think of proselytizing for Mehr Baba.

That's fair, when I think of your kind of music, I think of:

"My hole has a bucket in it"

"My dog ran off with a truck drivin' man"

I grew up listening to surf music, about as simplistic as it gets. Hated the Beach Boys, Beatles, did not care much for the Stones.

Tastes vary wildly. Now my hearing is so shot I cannot enjoy music much at all.

[ifinnegan]

I think we may have more similar tastes than you think.

Anyhow, your impression of the artists I mentioned isn’t quite right.

My Buckets Got a Hole in It is a Hank Williams song. A good one.

But you’re thinking of later so-called country music.