Roger Daltrey: ‘I Don’t See the Point’ of ‘Who’s Next’ 50th Tour
Roger Daltrey said there was no need for the Who to mark the 50th anniversary of classic album Who’s Next by performing it live or creating a box set.
The band’s fifth LP was released in August 1971, but COVID restrictions made it impossible to schedule a tour during 2021. The first opportunity they'll have to mark the anniversary onstage is when they begin a trek in March 2022, Daltrey said — but he explained he had no interest in directly addressing their past.
“I don’t see the point,” he told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. “Who’s Next is a great album, but it’s best left as a great album. Just playing albums live doesn’t do anything for me, personally. The show we’ve got with the orchestra is fantastic, and the Who’s catalog has so much varied stuff that makes it better than just listening to Who’s Next. Why do that? Go and play the record and get stoned or whatever you wish and have a good time! That’s a way to celebrate. You don’t need us to do that.”
Asked about an extended reissue, he responded: “I don’t really know. That’s record company business. They own the catalog.” He added: “I feel like a painter who’s finished a painting. I never want to see the bloody thing again! I’m sorry, but you’ve got to let this stuff go.”
Daltrey said he’d deliberately arranged a solo tour before the Who’s road trip, aiming to make sure he could still deliver a high-quality show. “I’ve got to sing between now and when the Who are next going out, which is the end of next March and April,” he insisted. “If I don’t sing between now and then, I don’t know whether I will be able to do it then. I’ve always promised myself and my audience that I would never want to go out there and be a mediocre singer.”