NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 30: Roger Daltrey (L) and Pete Townshend of The Who perform during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on April 30, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)


Roger Daltrey maintains that his and Who co-founder Pete Townshend‘s relationship is centred around the band and nothing more. In a new chat with Record Collector, Daltrey revealed, “Me and Pete don’t socialize at all. It’s a working relationship. We’re two different people, very much so. And may it remain that way.”

Despite the lack of connection apart from the group, the two bandmates — who met in middle school — have recently scored their first U.S. chart-topper with their latest concert collection, The Who Live With Orchestra At Wembley Stadium, which hit Number One on the Billboard Classical Album Chart.

Daltrey knew that upon hearing the raw tapes that the London concert needed to see an official release: “I listened back to the live recording and thought we should put this out there. Pete’s guitar tech, Alan Rogan, had just died the previous day, so it was a very traumatic time again for us. And the whole day just had an atmosphere about it. Mostly what I remember is that the audience were fantastic. We hadn’t played Wembley since 1979 and we were absolutely gobsmacked to have sold it out. It was the only show we played with the orchestra in the UK, and they were great.”

He went on to say, “I think the live recording is a memory of a particular pre-pandemic time in 2019, because we were due to bring that tour to the UK in 2020, but it was cancelled. I’m proud of that show. And you have to listen to it on vinyl, of course. Digital just won’t do it for you!”

Filed under: pete townshend, roger daltrey, the who