Roger Daltrey talks about his new tour with a stop at Ravinia, his thoughts on “Tommy” and the future of The Who

Roger Daltrey, who will perform here at TQL Stadium on May 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, will present a solo show on Saturday, June 29 at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park.
Associated Press, 2022

As Roger Daltrey hits the road for a short solo tour in June, which includes a 7:30 p.m. show on Saturday, June 29 at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, he’s unsure if fans will ever see another tour from The Who.

“I do not see it. I don’t know if The Who will ever come out again,” he told The Associated Press over Zoom.

The 80-year-old rocker has a “use it or lose it” mentality when it comes to his singing voice, so he finds it necessary to perform as much as possible, with or without The Who.

Recently, Daltrey spoke with The Associated Press about the band’s future, its solo tour and his feelings about the Broadway revival of The Who’s seminal rock opera, “Tommy.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: What do you think of the “Tommy” revival on Broadway?

A: I’m glad the album is still here; it means a lot to me. It is the best opera ever written. I don’t particularly like it (the musical). It has been edited and edited. I can’t imagine cutting any of the music from “Madama Butterfly” or other great operas.

Question : So you consider it a pure operaas opposed to a rock opera?

A: It’s a fabulous opera. At the time, it was ironic to say that it was an opera. We took a lot of risks with this. But since I lived with it, performed it on stage and saw many great operas, I saw that I had one in my hands. So I have come to the conclusion that it is the best opera ever written.

Roger Daltrey, who is performing here at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2022, doesn’t know if The Who will ever return to tour. In the meantime, Daltrey is presenting solo exhibitions, including one on Saturday, June 29, at the Ravinia Festival.
Associated Press, 2022

Question : Tell us about the tour.

A: I’m bringing a band from the UK of eight, a very different sounding band with different instrumentation. No synthesizers. It’s just about having fun playing different songs, and obviously some Who classics. But we do them differently. So it’s just something that I love to do. And people seem to like it when I release it. So I’m just going to put my feet up.

Question : So you’ll be playing solo material and The Who stuff?

A: Having a group like this gives me the opportunity to do a lot of the things I’ve done over the years with different artists, like what I did with Wilko Johnson 10 years ago. I’ll be doing some solo stuff, as well as some covers of other people I really admire to make for an evening of entertainment and fun. Lots of people are retiring. All the good old boys are retiring and there are very few people there.

Question : Does going out in front of an audience keep your voice intact?

A: This has always been my motivation since I solved my voice problems. You must continue to use it. Like anything else in the body. You stop walking, you lose your leg muscles. Voice is a similar thing. If you stop using the muscles of the voice box and vocal cords, they will become limp and you will lose your voice. Mine is remarkable for my age.

Question : Simon Townshend is playing with you – not his brother, Pete Townshend of The Who. How does it feel to complement one Townshend with another?

A: Simon Townshend is always in my solo exhibitions. Simon has always been with me. Well, he’s a totally different guy than Pete, even though he has a very similar voice tone that suits my voice in the harmonies. He’s a great musician, a fabulous guitarist and a great guy. You know, I’ve known him for 60 years.

Question : What’s the difference between touring with The Who and hitting the road solo?

A: That’s a lot less weight on my shoulders all by itself. The Who seems, I don’t know, heavier. It’s always much more relaxed with solo shows.

Question : Is there less pressure with a solo concert?

A: Because that’s the responsibility of The Who: there’s a heritage and a history to maintain that always has to be in a good light, so it puts a lot of weight on your shoulders. But with this band, I found that I can go out, have a good time and play any type of music I want.

Question : Can you give me an example?

A: I was doing personal shows on a cruise and I had this terrible allergy right before the first show. I ended up in the hospital and didn’t know if I was going to make the cruise. But I did the cruise. Anyway, I had to do three shows in a row, and I think I couldn’t do a sound check. I won’t have a rehearsal. But at least I can do these three shows. Sound balances are very important when you’re on the road. And I said to myself, “I know what I’m going to do, I’m going to show the audience a rehearsal.” ” And that’s what I did. I did the show as a rehearsal and talked about what was happening on stage, what the roadies were doing and what everyone was doing. And they really appreciated it. If you can get away with it, you’ll get away with anything.

Question : With a career that began in the mid-1960s, what has been the biggest change you’ve seen over the years?

A: Age. (Laughs.) I mean, I see the seniors growing up with us in the audience, but we also have a huge number of younger fans, which amazes me. So it changes all the time. But obviously our audience has grown up with us, so age is the thing that we notice the most.

Question : Mick Jagger is on the road with the Rolling Stones at 80. Will The Who ever tour again?

A: I do not see it. I don’t know, I don’t know if The Who will ever come out again. I don’t know. I don’t think like that. If we had something to do, something progressive and interesting and there was a reason to do it, then we would go out. But at the moment, I don’t see it.

• • •

Roger Daltrey

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday June 29

Or: Ravinia Festival, 201 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park

Tickets: Lawn at $62; $110 reserved lawn; $155 reserved seats