The Who’s Pete Townshend Shuts Down Possibility of a Farewell Tour

Pete Townshend, a co-founder and longtime member of The Who, is shutting down the possibility of a farewell tour.

During an appearance on the Sound Up! podcast on Tuesday, April 16, the musician revealed that a farewell tour is not in the cards after an interview with The New York Times where he said it was in the works.

“I’m not doing a farewell tour. I think I was being sarcastic about it,” Townshend, 78, said of touring with his bandmate Roger Daltrey.

“When I was 34, I wrote the song ‘Slit Skirts,’ and I think the line is ‘I’m 34 years old, and I’m still wandering in a haze,'” he continued. “I felt old at 34.”

The rocker further explained that line in relation to his lyric in The Who’s song “My Generation” where he sings, “I hope I die before I get old.”

“That’s a twist, in a sense. ‘Slit Skirts’ was an honest confession of how I didn’t like what I’d become. When I wrote [‘My Generation’], I was celebrating the fact that I was young — I was 18 and surrounded by old people. Now, everybody seems younger,” he said.

He added, “But in those days, everybody seemed older and they all seemed to be messed up, either miserable or poor or working too hard or complaining about something. The song was about, ‘I’m never gonna be like you if I’m old,’ and I don’t think I am like them. I’m happy and I’m struggling still, and I think I’m operating for the greater good — touch wood!” 

In March, Townshend told the New York Times that The Who had one “final” thing to do before parting ways.

“It feels to me like there’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die,” he said. “I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with The Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is pretty elevated.”

Speaking to NME in March of last year, Daltrey said The Who was likely done in the recording studio after 12 albums.

“What’s the point?” Daltrey, 80, told the outlet. “What’s the point of records? We released an album four years ago, and it did nothing. It’s a great album, too, but there isn’t the interest out there for new music these days.”

Their most recent release was 2019’s WHO, which marked their first in 13 years. Meanwhile, in 2022, they hit the road together for a two-leg North American tour called The Who Hits Back!.

“Pete and I said we’d be back, but we didn’t think we’d have to wait for two years for the privilege,” Daltrey said in a statement at the time. “This is making the chance to perform feel even more special this time around. So many livelihoods have been impacted due to Covid, so we are thrilled to get everyone back together — the band, the crew and the fans. We’re gearing up for a great show that hits back in the only way The Who know how. By giving it everything we got.”