The Who singer Roger Daltrey has admitted that he’s “nervous” about making it to the end of the band’s farewell tour.
The 81-year-old Daltrey reflected on the ongoing run of shows in a new interview with The Times and opened up about his myriad of health issues, including hearing loss, complications from contracting meningitis nine years ago, and incurable macular degeneration that affects his sight.
“It’s done a lot of damage,” he said of contracting meningitis. “It’s buggered up my internal thermometer, so every time I start singing in any climate over 75 degrees I’m wringing with sweat, which drains my body salts. The potential to get really ill is there and, I have to be honest, I’m nervous about making it to the end of the tour.”
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As for his hearing loss, Daltrey said it actually likely occurred before he joined The Who, back when he worked at a sheet metal factory at the age of 16 in Acton, London. Daltrey has joked that if he also lost his voice, he’d go “full Tommy,” in reference to the titular “deaf-dumb-and-blind” character from The Who’s famous rock opera. Meanwhile, Daltrey notably forgoes the use of Autocue onstage, a tool used by many rockers his age.
“There’s no point. “Can’t f***ing see it!” he said, calling his sight “not good” due to the macular degeneration.
Still, the singer said he wants to “give the songs the same amount of passion” as he did in his younger days. The North American leg of the farewell tour begins August 16th in Sunrise, Florida, and runs through September 28th in Las Vegas. Get tickets here.
