Roger Daltrey isn’t sure if he will ever tour with Pete Townshend again as The Who.
The 67-year-old singer is currently performing his ‘Tommy Reborn’ show – which features songs from the band’s acclaimed rock opera – but he doesn’t know if he will take to the stage with guitarist Pete again in the future because of his hearing problems.
Roger said: “Pete is almost stone deaf. He deafened himself in the recording studio, and when we last performed he had to stand right next to the speakers to hear anything. I don’t know what Pete will do. I don’t want to do a tour and him end up completely deaf.”
Pete, 66, has been suffering from tinnitus – a painful ringing in the ears, which is a symptom of noise-induced hearing loss – for years and has seen several specialists in a bid to help the problem and prolong his musical career.
Roger insists he has the utmost respect for his bandmate and long-time friend and considers him to be one of the most creative musicians of his generation.
The ‘My Generation’ singer explained: “I love Pete to bits. He’s incredibly complex; bordering on madness. But when he is creative, some of the music he makes is incredible and we’ve been together for 50 years; we’re like brothers.”
The Who’s career has spanned five decades and at its peak was comprised of Roger, Pete, late bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon – who was notorious for his hellraising behaviour up until his untimely death in 1978 at the age of 32.