The band’s fifth LP was released in August 1971, but COVID restrictions made it impossible to schedule a tour during 2021. The first opportunity they'll have to mark the anniversary onstage is when they begin a trek in March 2022, Daltrey said — but he explained he had no interest in directly addressing their past.
Asked about an extended reissue, he responded: “I don’t really know. That’s record company business. They own the catalog.” He added: “I feel like a painter who’s finished a painting. I never want to see the bloody thing again! I’m sorry, but you’ve got to let this stuff go.”
Daltrey said he’d deliberately arranged a solo tour before the Who’s road trip, aiming to make sure he could still deliver a high-quality show. “I’ve got to sing between now and when the Who are next going out, which is the end of next March and April,” he insisted. “If I don’t sing between now and then, I don’t know whether I will be able to do it then. I’ve always promised myself and my audience that I would never want to go out there and be a mediocre singer.”
Photo: Getty Images North America