Roger Daltrey, the legendary frontman of The Who, has revealed that he is gradually losing his hearing and vision after turning 81 on March 1.
“The joys of getting old mean you go deaf. I also now have got the joy of going blind,” Daltrey told the audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall during a concert on March 27, as reported by Sky News.
Despite these challenges, the iconic rock star reassured fans, saying, “Fortunately, I still have my voice, because then I’ll have a full Tommy.”
Daltrey’s reference to Tommy—the protagonist of The Who’s 1969 rock opera—was a poignant one. In the story, Tommy is a deaf, blind, and mute boy who becomes a messianic figure.
This is not the first time Daltrey has spoken about his hearing issues. In 2018, during a concert in Las Vegas, he warned fans about the dangers of loud music, saying, “Take your f–king earplugs with you to the gigs.”
The rock legend has also reflected on ageing and mortality in recent interviews. In a January 2024 discussion with The Times, he stated, “My dreams came true, so, listen, I’m ready to go at any time. My family are all great and all taken care of.”
“You’ve got to be realistic,” he continued. “You can’t live your life forever. People my age, we’re in the way. There are no guitar strings to be changed on this old instrument.”
Daltrey’s bandmate, Pete Townshend, 79, has also spoken about the challenges of getting older. During the same London concert, he humorously revealed that he had recently undergone knee replacement surgery.
“Four and a half weeks ago, I had my left knee replaced,” he told the crowd. “Maybe I should auction off the old one.”
Townshend admitted that he injured his knee trying to move like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who, at 81, still commands the stage with his signature energy.
The news of Daltrey and Townshend’s health struggles comes two years after they hinted that The Who might be nearing the end of their decades-long journey.
“I suppose Roger and I, at some point, will look ahead and try to work out whether or not we want to do an Elton John and end it in some way,” Townshend said in 2023, referencing John’s farewell tour.
“It’s difficult to make a decision going forward, to say we’re going to do this or that because we don’t know how well we’re going to be or how fit we’re going to be,” he admitted.
The Who first formed in 1964 and went on to become one of the most influential rock bands of all time. However, the group has faced its share of losses over the years.
Drummer Keith Moon died in 1978 at the age of 32, and bassist John Entwistle passed away in 2002 at 57—both deaths linked to substance abuse.