The Who to split? Roger Daltrey says that part of his life might be over

15 January 2024, 11:06

Pete Townshend speaks to Gold

By Mayer Nissim

Roger Daltrey suggests that The Who's time might be coming to an end.

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Aside from a few short breaks in the 1980s and 1990s – and despite the deaths of drummer Keith Moon and bass player John Entwistle – The Who have been at the top of the rock 'n' roll world for six decades and counting.

Still fronted by Roger Daltrey and with guitarist and key songwriter Pete Townshend present and correct, the group have continued to play live, and will again perform at the upcoming Teenage Cancer Trust charity shows.

But Roger has now said that The Who may finally be close to calling it a day for good.

"I don't write the songs. I never did," Roger told The Sunday Times when asked if there will be more from The Who after their upcoming TCT sets.

"We need to sit down and have a meeting, but at the moment, I'm happy saying that part of my life is over."

Quizzed at Southampton General Hospital, Daltrey said: "Being around these young people today I do ask myself, 'What the f**k am I still doing here?'.

"I'm in the way. All us old farts, we really are just in the way of the young now, aren't we?"

This chimes with Townshend's own recent comments about their massive show at Sandringham feeling like "the end of an era".

The Who - Baba O'Riley (Lyric Video)

"I think it’s time for Roger and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next," he said.

"It's a question of, really, what is feasible, what would be lucrative, what would be fun?"

Daltrey added: "My dreams came true so, listen, I’m ready to go at any time. My family are all great and all taken care of.

The Who in concert: Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend. Picture: Getty Images

"You’ve got to be realistic. You can't live your life forever. Like I said, people my age, we're in the way. There are no guitar strings to be changed on this old instrument."

The Who's last studio album was 2019's Who, which reached number 3 in the UK charts and went Gold with sales of over 100,000.

Last year, The Who released Who's Next – Life House a comprehensive boxset expanding their classic 1971 album.