The Who Clashes and Conquers at Hollywood Bowl, Future of Rock Icons Remains Uncertain
HOLLYWOOD BOWL, CA – The who delivered a performance at the Hollywood Bowl this year, but beneath the iconic sounds of rock history, a familiar tension simmers between bandmates Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, casting doubt on the legendary group’s future. Despite Daltrey’s insistence ”We’re not stopping being a band,” the two members hold diverging visions for The Who’s path forward.
Townshend, who underwent a knee operation this year, openly acknowledged the discord, predicting, “Roger will refute everything I say.” Daltrey didn’t disappoint, quipping that Townshend “needs to be kept on his toes. Otherwise he’ll just sleep on his yacht.”
Recent lineup changes have further highlighted the friction. The departure of long-time drummer Zak Starkey sparked conflicting accounts.Townshend stated, “Roger didn’t want him in the band-they’re still good friends, so I don’t know what’s going on.” daltrey countered, claiming both he and Townshend jointly decided to “freshen up our sound” and that Starkey “didn’t quite fit into that,” later adding, “Zak didn’t help matters….He can be a bit of a loose cannon, you know,” despite initially calling Starkey “like a son to me.”
The dynamic between Daltrey and Townshend has always been complex. Townshend described them as too dissimilar to socialize much, despite onstage banter that often pokes fun at journalists attempting to decipher their connection.He reflected on their history, saying, “He was my protector and he was my first boss. I’ve tried to serve him wiht grate songs and support though I may have been a bit of a bully sometimes.”
Townshend now wonders if a (mostly) retired Who could alter their relationship.”Maybe it’s time to let go of the Who brand,” he said. “It hasn’t belonged to us for many years-it belongs to the industry, the press, the fans. I wonder whether Roger and I will find something new with the Who legacy being lifted from us.” He even offered to wriet songs for Daltrey as a solo artist, acknowledging the difficulty of crafting material under The Who banner that lives up to classics like “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Baba” and “O’Riley.”
Daltrey,however,rejected the idea of songwriting outside the band context. “Listen, I started The bloody Who. I’m entitled to keep it going as long as I want.” He believes another Who album is possible if Townshend would collaborate with him, suggesting their combined songwriting could be “something special.” Daltrey has even taken the liberty of revising some of Townshend’s lyrics,including those for “The Song is Over,” which he also shortened for the current tour,stating,”It never worked on stage as a complete song,and the lyrics had to move on.”
Townshend also revealed a personal struggle, admitting, “like every f-ing rock star in the world, I got addicted to oxytocin,” following his operation, and subsequently sought help for depression, now “feeling quite chipper.”
Despite the internal conflicts,one thing remains clear: the story of the Who,both musically and personally,is far from over.