Pete Townshend Walks Back Talk Of The Who Farewell Tour

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend had fans excited last month when he told the New York Times the band had one more tour left in them. Alas, Townshend clarified the statement and noted plainly “I’m not doing a farewell tour” during an interview featured on the latest installment of the Sound Up! podcast.

The band led by Townshend and vocalist Roger Daltrey played nearly 50 shows between 2022 and 2023. Currently, there are no The Who tour dates on the books following a pair of Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall last month. Daltrey will embark on a semi-acoustic solo North American tour in June.

The Who famously embarked on a farewell tour in 1982, 43 years ago, before reforming for a 25th Anniversary Tour in 1989. “It feels to me like there’s one thing the Who can do, and that’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die,” Townshend said in his New York Times interview.

Sound Up! hosts Mark Goodman and Alan Light brought up the comment while chatting with the 78-year-old music icon. “I think I was being sarcastic about it, ‘Yeah, you know, let’s do a final tour and I’ll crawl off to die,'” Townshend explained after he said “I’m not doing a farewell tour.”

Pete Townshend’s sarcasm should’ve probably been picked up on by what he told the New York Times following the bit about the final tour. “I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with the Who,” Townshend added. “If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is pretty elevated.”

Stream the full episode of Sound Up! featuring Pete Townshend below: