Pete Townshend Isn’t Fond of Touring and Has “No Connection” with His Guitar

Pete Townshend’s Views on Touring

As the farewell tour of North America approaches, Pete Townshend shares his thoughts on life on the road and his relationship with the guitar. Recently, on Thursday, May 8, the iconic rock band revealed details about their “The Song The World Tour,” which will take them across the USA and Canada this summer. However, Townshend also expressed uncertainty about future performances in the UK and Europe.

During a press conference in London, the 79-year-old guitarist reiterated his earlier claims about disliking performances, stating that it “does not fill my soul.” “Everyone in this room knows the truth, so it would be pointless to lie to me,” he remarked to the assembled media at the London Gallery of Images. “I’m not crazy about the tour. I have never been. However, I find my voice when I am on stage (this is two two). As a child, I was once hypnotized by my dentist, who had a fascination with hypnosis, and so on stage, I try to do everything possible.”

“I thought I was going to become an artist. I was in art college, and this is what happened. I go on stage, remember this post-hypnotic suggestion, and do everything I can. This is how it works for me. It’s easy and simple for me.” However, he added, “Living on the road is not an ideal way to live. You leave your family and so on.”

Roger Daltrey’s Reflections on the Tour

During the same press conference via Zoom, frontman Roger Daltrey explained the significance of this tour, highlighting its importance in the USA. “We must remember where we came from: post-war England, a country known for spam and sandwiches with jam,” Daltrey recounted. “Every young musician dreamed of making it in America because it is where you first understand the pulse of rock music. Bringing us together like this means a lot.”

He added, “It has to come to an end someday. It is fantastic to do this while I can still sing, and Pete can still play the guitar. Our ability to perform songs with vitality is a part of the music that seems timeless, unlike many other rock songs.”

Later during the press conference, a question arose regarding Townshend’s choice to play the Fender Stratocaster on stage despite his sentiments about the instrument he has become iconic for. “I’m not one to speak about guitars—I have no relationship with them,” he replied. “It’s just a tool. While several famous guitarists have a sentimental attachment to their guitars, we are now living in a time where guitars have existed for hundreds of years, like Stradivarius violins. They become valuable antiques that collectors pay large sums for, yet they are still just pieces of wood.”

“I practice a lot at home on both acoustic and electric guitars. I have various guitars in different bedrooms where I live and work. Recently, I bought two guitars online—a Paul Reed Smith and a Jackson, which is made by Fender. I doubt they will see the stage; I tend to be quite brutal with my choices.”

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Future of New Music and Final Album Plans

Currently, the release of the final album from “The Who” seems improbable, despite Townshend expressing a desire to accomplish this. However, he acknowledges “a little river to cross” regarding Daltrey’s conviction. When asked by NME about the possibility of a new LP in 2023, Daltrey laughed, “What is the point? What does recording even mean? We released an album four years ago (“Who” in 2019), and it made no impact. It’s a great album, but there’s little interest in new music these days. People prefer to hear the classics. I don’t know why, but that’s the reality.”

The band’s last performance in the UK was at the Royal Albert Hall for The Teenage Cancer Trust in March, where Daltrey mentioned he would “blind” everyone and performed a “song” live with Bill Murray in attendance.

This concert also briefly stirred controversy with the drummer Zak Starkey, following an apparent disagreement on stage, but Townshend later clarified that Starkey was not asked to leave and remains a valued member of the group.