Sir Roger Daltrey fears he won’t make it to the end of The Who tour because he fears he has “the potential to get really ill”.
Sir Roger Daltrey fears he won’t make it to the end of The Who tour because he has “the potential to get really ill”.
The band has been on the road this year and they are due to kick off their final North American tour in Florida on August 16, but Daltrey fears health issues could scupper the dates as he could have problems with his voice and he also worries about damage from a previous battle with meningitis which has left him struggling to perform in warmer climates.
He told The Times newspaper: “It’s gruelling. In the days when I was singing Who songs for three hours a night, six nights a week, I was working harder than most footballers …
“I’m going to be 82 next year. Fortunately, my voice is still as good as ever. I’m still singing in the same keys and it’s still bloody loud, but I can’t tell you if it will still be there in October. There’s a big part of me that’s going: I just hope I make it through … “
Daltrey previously battled meningitis nine years ago, but the long-lasting effects still make it difficult for him to perform when the weather is warm because he’s unable to regulate his body temperature.
He added: “It’s done a lot of damage. It’s b******* 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.”
The Who will tour the US and Canada throughout August and September before wrapping up in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 28.
The tour is billed as the band’s last ever and Daltrey insists they won’t be hitting the road again – and he’s unsure if they will play any standalone dates in the future.
He said of The Who’s future plans: “This is certainly the last time you will see us on tour … As to whether we’ll play [one-off] concerts again, I don’t know. The Who to me is very perplexing.”
