Roger Daltrey, the iconic frontman of The Who, recently expressed his weariness with one of the band’s most famous moments: the scream in “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Speaking via Zoom, Daltrey shared his excitement for his upcoming tour, but also his decision to pass the torch for the song’s signature scream to the audience.
Daltrey, now 80, is gearing up for a nine-date North American tour starting June 12 in Vienna, Virginia. This tour promises a unique experience, featuring a mostly acoustic set of The Who’s classics, rarities, solo pieces, and other surprises. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions, making each show a more intimate and interactive experience.
Reflecting on his extensive career with The Who, Daltrey emphasized his desire to explore new musical territories. “I’ve done all those years with The Who, and I’ve done my solo stuff and charity gigs and all that,” he told Billboard. “I just want to branch out and do something different, where I’ve got different instrumentation and I can stop using tape loops.”
One of the highlights of the tour will undoubtedly be the performance of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” However, Daltrey made it clear that he will no longer be delivering the iconic scream that has been a staple of the song for over five decades. “I’m not gonna do the scream. I’m gonna get the f–king audience to do the scream,” he said. “I’ve done that scream for 55 years, and I’ve had enough of it. I don’t even want to try it now; it’s brutal on the vocal cords.”
Daltrey’s decision to forgo the scream is part of a broader shift in his approach to performing. He is more focused on singing and exploring new musical arrangements. “We don’t use a tape loop for the instrumentation. We do it on real instruments. It just takes it off the rails and gives me more room as a singer,” he explained.
The band accompanying Daltrey on this tour includes several musicians who have played with The Who, such as Simon Townshend (Pete Townshend’s younger brother) on guitar, violinist Katie Jacoby, and Billy Nicholls on mandolin and vocals. The lineup is rounded out by Jody Linscott on percussion, guitarist Doug Boyle, bassist John Hogg, harmonica player Steve Weston, Geraint Watkins on keyboards and accordion, and drummer Scott Devours.
Daltrey emphasized the importance of chemistry within the band. “I like to put bands together where we’re a real band and everybody gets the spotlight and there’s camaraderie,” he said. “To me, a band is more than choosing great musicians; you can sometimes have five great musicians on stage and there’s no chemistry whatsoever and it falls flat on its face. That’s not gonna happen here.”
The Q&A sessions are another unique aspect of the tour. Fans will be able to submit written questions before the show, and the band will select the most interesting ones to answer on stage. Daltrey has done similar sessions in the past and finds them to be a source of great fun and unexpected comedy.
While Daltrey is excited about the tour, he has no immediate plans to record another solo album. His last solo effort, “As Long as I Have You,” was released in 2018. However, he remains open to the idea if the right project comes along. “If anything turns up that I find interesting and challenging and musically progressive, I’ll have a go at it,” he said.
In addition to his musical endeavors, Daltrey is also working on a biopic about The Who’s late drummer, Keith Moon. He has been developing the project for many years and is currently seeking a director to bring the script to life. “I want to get this made while I’m still alive to promote it,” he said.
Daltrey is also contemplating writing a second book to follow his 2018 memoir, “Thanks a Lot Mr. Kibblewhite: My Story.” He feels that his first book did not delve deeply enough into the shyness and insecurities he experienced during the early days of The Who. “I didn’t really go deep enough in my first book,” he said. “Quite a lot of it was terrifying, but I didn’t show it. I need to write about it.”
As for The Who, Daltrey is open to the idea of another tour, but only if Pete Townshend is equally committed. “I’ll do it if Pete wants to do it, really wants to do it and do it properly,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, do we need another Who tour? We were a great group and two of our members died, and it’s been different since.”
Daltrey’s upcoming tour dates include stops in Vienna, VA; Niagara Falls, ON; Bethel, NY; Port Chester, NY; Boston, MA; Lenox, MA; Detroit, MI; Indianapolis, IN; and Highland Park, IL. Fans can look forward to a fresh take on The Who’s timeless music, with Daltrey’s voice and vision leading the way.
