LONDON (AP) — The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are set to hold a press event in London on Thursday, where they will make a “special announcement followed by an exclusive Q&A session” that will be livestreamed to fans worldwide. They have already begun soliciting questions via their social media channels. The project is intriguingly titled “The Song Is Over.”
While the details of the announcement remain unclear, speculation suggests it could be a farewell tour. Rock bands typically hold press conferences to announce tours, and “The Song Is Over” is a fitting name for a final tour, as it shares its title with a well-loved track from “Who’s Next.”
This would not be the first farewell tour for The Who. They embarked on one in 1982, famously landing on the cover of Rolling Stone with the headline “The Who The End.” Back then, Townshend was 37, and Daltrey was 38. Now, Townshend will turn 80 on May 19, and Daltrey is 81, making a farewell tour by the octogenarians more significant than one by younger bands.
There is precedent for announcing farewell tours at press conferences. Elton John revealed his farewell tour at New York City’s Gotham Hall in 2018 alongside Anderson Cooper. Mötley Crüe announced theirs at Beacher’s Madhouse Theater in Los Angeles in 2014, signing a “Cessation of Touring Activities” contract. These events generated global headlines and bolstered ticket sales.
While two farewell tours might seem unusual, nearly 43 years would separate them. Kiss launched a farewell tour in 2000 and another 17 years later.
The exact nature of The Who’s announcement remains unknown. It could be a new product, a rock opera using an old song title, or the long-discussed Keith Moon biopic, which Roger Daltrey has been teasing for decades. Though Mike Myers was once loosely connected to the biopic, he has since aged out of the role.
Given the title “The Song Is Over,” there is reason to believe the announcement may indeed be a farewell tour. The band performed the song for the first time in March at the Royal Albert Hall, possibly hinting at the tour. The performance had hiccups, with Daltrey struggling to hear himself and stopping mid-song, telling the audience, “To sing that song, I do need to hear the key.”
Reports vary on what happened backstage afterward, but longtime drummer Zak Starkey was reportedly dismissed from the band in the following weeks. “After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night,” Starkey said in a statement. Days later, Townshend announced Starkey’s return, citing “communication issues” that had been resolved.
Starkey is expected to be back on drums if “The Song Is Over” turns out to be a farewell tour. The details will be revealed at Thursday’s press event.
