Q&A: Roger Daltrey celebrates 53 years of The Who

Reflecting on half a century of rock stardom Roger knows he faces a decision soon about retirement from life on the road. The tour began in Quebec on July 13 and now, after ending a fortnight miniresidency at Caesars, they wrap it up at the Rock in Rio Festival on Sept. 23.

With such classic album best-sellers as “Quadrophenia,” “My Generation,” “Who’s Next” and, of course, “Tommy,” The Who has sold more than 100 million records since its 1964 formation. In a rare far-ranging, exclusive one-on-one interview Roger talked about wrestling with the retirement decision and today’s celebrity mania. While in Las Vegas, Roger also launched his new Champagne at Mr. Chow’s restaurant in Caesars Palace to help raise funds for his Teen Cancer America charity, which has 70 hospitals awaiting its services.

Q: Going back more than 50 years, where do you think the big change has been since you started out in west London in 1964 and what life has become musically today?

A: We were very fortunate. We were — you know — postwar coming out of the ruins of the war, the canvas was blank. Musically, in those days, there was no such thing as a market for teenagers. Rock became that market and gave that group an identity of its own and all of a sudden it had an economic identity. Which people pandered to. But the canvas was blank, so we had an awful lot of room to pitch our tent. Now it’s much, much, much more difficult, you know.

But even saying that — technically some of the musicianship is even greater. Equally, most of the mess within the music, I think has been done. And a lot — too much — of today’s pop music is saying kind of nothing. But there again, music isn’t the biggest thing in young people’s lives anymore. It used to be the only thing in our lives.

Q: What do you think it has become now?

A: It’s all kinds of stuff now. Video games on the internet. It’s celebrities — a kind of strange celebrity: People with virtually no talent whatsoever have enormous celebrity. That’s kind of weird. Because one thing I never gave a hoot about was the celebrity. I kind of became very private away from all that, if anything.

It was nice to be famous, initially. But then you suddenly see the down side, where you don’t change but the world around you changes because they think you’re famous. I didn’t like that. I hated it. And tried to live as normal life as possible. Which is not easy. But today, they seem to just go for the celebrity, and many, many, many of them have no talent whatsoever — but huge celebrity. And they wallow in it. And their fans seem to love it. And I don’t understand it at all. What the hell is going on?

Q: Maybe it’s about a level of intelligence.

A: I don’t know. Or maybe just because, since the iPhone, too many people are spending their lives looking down, not up. And it’s kind of tragic. Like real life is passing them by — it’s kind of weird. So, it is a virtual world where celebrity counts for everything. Even though the person might be completely useless, apart from looking a certain way or whatever. You know, it’s crazy.

Q: Let’s switch gears and talk about stepping onstage at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace as the first rock group ever?

A: It’s a great venue. It’s a fabulous venue for music. It’s one of the best venues, and I mean this. It’s not an easy stage to play because it’s designed for people like Celine Dion and Elton John — people like that. So, for a rock group, we have to be a bit further back on the stage, and it leaves the singer a lot of space in front to have to work. So, it makes it bloody hard work. But for sound, it’s one of the best places we’ve ever played.

It’s great, and the audiences have been great. It’s been great to play to audiences that are up close. Even right at the back of the hall, they’re never more than, you know, 120 feet away. So that’s kind of wonderful. And I’ve got to tell you, I’m really surprised that we’ve drawn the crowds we have. Because …. I never considered The Who to be a famous band. We were kind of — we were an acquired taste in music. We’re not your down-home rock-and-roll band, you know. It’s very different, (Pete) Townshend’s music comes from a different space, an emotional space, you know. It’s not easy music to listen. But there again, The Who — unlike a lot of bands that play at you — play to you, so there’s a great bonding going in that place. It’s fabulous.

Q: Do you have people in the audience at Caesars Palace who are not familiar with “Tommy?”

A: We have a lot of people I think. The thing about Vegas, I’ve noticed, I think we have a lot of people there seeing The Who for the first time, perhaps. And extraordinary mixtures as well. I mean, the other night there was a dad, I think from South America, I think they were Mexican or maybe Brazilian? And the boy was about 8 years old, and his dad and they were going absolutely bananas. And the boy was wearing a Keith Moon merchandise baseball outfit, that Moonie used to wear. I put him up on stage because he looked so amazing.

And, you suddenly realize — what we always believe in — that the power of music was greater than all this other stuff that was going on in the world. And, you know, when we started it was all teenagers. All teenagers, all teenagers. But now, our audiences go from 8 years old to 80. And it’s wonderful to see it.

Q: Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t you say recently that this 50th-anniversary tour is your last tour of the United States.

A: Well, no. When we started this anniversary tour, we said this is the beginning of the long goodbye. And we just have to be realistic. I’m 73. I’m singing great at the moment. But, I’m physical; I’m a human being. I don’t want to go downhill. If I’m going to stop, I want to stop on the top, you know?

We don’t know how long it’ll go on. I’m not saying it’s over, but it might be. Because we do need some time away from the road, because living out of a suitcase, as I’m sure you know, is a bloody nightmare. It’s exhausting, and your brain starts to screw up after a while. You know, I need some time rooted. I’ve got a wife at home! And loads of grandkids!

Q: It’s nice getting old though, isn’t it?

A: Oh I love it. I’m not complaining about it all. But, I just need to rebalance my life a bit. And I hate the rest of the road apart from the show. The two hours on stage is heaven to me, I swear. I’m just, I’m the real me. That is, everything comes out and I’m completely lost. It’s a different thing than being with the band, which is the other me. But, it just feels totally natural to be up there, always has. And that keeps me going.

Q: Do you think you might come back to Caesars Palace?

A: If we do, it won’t be until later next year or I’d need to do it not in August again next time. That’s one thing I am finding hard, is the heat. So, you know, if I can still do it as well as I’m doing it today, I would say yes. But I can’t tell you — that’s over a year’s time.

And I’ll be 74 and a half! That’s the trouble, we’re burying so many of our own, and some a lot younger. You’re trying to think, “Well, who’s next in the queue?” All I know is, I ain’t heading for the exit; I’m going for the entrance.

Q: Plus, you’ve now got this new Champagne to boost your Teen Cancer America charity.

A: I’m very, very proud of it. it’s a really, really good cuvée. It’s from an organic vineyard, Charles Orban. It’s been in the same family since 1780 or close to it. I’m very proud of the taste. It’s a wonderful Champagne. It’s produced from a subtle blend of three grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier and won an outstanding 90 rating from Wine Spectator. And the way I look at it, whatever it makes me, my charity will have another little bit to put into a hospital somewhere in America.

It’s a must-have item for party, festival or celebrations and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I’m not really hooked on Champagne. It’s just that it was The Who’s 50th anniversary. This offer came through and I thought it was kind of interesting. Because, you know, it’s a celebratory drink. You know, if you’re celebrating anything it’s usually with Champagne.

It was a good chance to make some money for my charity, you know. Because I need to really … I need a truckload of money. And anything to raise money for them, I’ll do. I get nothing out of this. They came up with the idea of putting the “Tommy” album cover on the bottle.

I’m happy with the product. It’s a celebration of the album, which was the album that broke us, you know, into the band that’s been around 50 years. And like I say, all my profits, anything that I was ever going to get, go to Teen Cancer America. At the moment we have 70 hospitals queuing up for our services. Like I say, money is not easy to raise for teenagers. They don’t quite carry the Bambi effect of children.

Q: That’s true. Unfortunately.

A: Unfortunately. And because of that, and because they’re kind of lost in the old system, they’re hidden. And they’ve been so ill-served over time, it’s been ridiculous. And we are addressing that. Especially for those that get cancer. And there are too many of them; let me tell you. Not enough to make it economical for the drug companies. So there’s been very little improvement in the medicine over many, many years. Which is kind of tragic, too. But we hope to address that as well.

Teen Cancer America, if you look at our road map, we’ve only been on the scene for seven years, mostly with the support of The Who, people like Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl and Robert Plant. Some basketball players like Nolan Smith down in the Carolinas. First Citizens Bank of Carolina. We’ve already got like six projects completed, which includes UCLA, and Sloan-Kettering in New York. These are the top cancer places in the world. There’s a program going on at Yale; they haven’t got the building done yet. These places have to be built but we’ve got like 14 projects being built at the moment, you know.

In seven years, that’s pretty amazing. I’ve got 70 other hospitals that want to work with us, and I’ve got a truckload of money to raise. But I want to find corporate people that depend on this age group for their business, to stand up for them. You know, this is the cheap side of medicine; we get huge results from it. You know, giving them psychological support, and community support within the hospitals. So they’re not all split up; they have a room they can go to and behave like teenagers and mix. It’s very important.

Britain led the way on this, of course, with the Teenage Cancer Trust. The disease should be a mere comma in the lives of teenagers, not a devastating full stop. It’s a big ambition but we can get there by working together.

Q: You only have a limited edition of just 499 Champagne ice buckets of solid pewter in 10 colors, You gave the name of ‘Eminent’ to your Champagne. You unveiled it at Mr. Chow’s in Caesars Palace and our local Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits imports and distributes it across America. (www.eminent-life.com/rogerdaltrey)

A: It’s “Eminent Life.” They do high-end stuff for clubs and restaurants and stuff like that. They just came to me with this idea. I just saw it as an opportunity to make some money for Teen Cancer America. And that goes all over the world as well because in Britain we’re not allowed to make money for charity out of booze. So all the Champagne sold in Britain will come to Teen Cancer America. Which to be fair, it needs the money more at the moment, than the Teenage Cancer Trust.

I had nothing to do with the design on the bottle or the unique buckets. However, I love the little glasses though with our trademark target bull’s-eye. The target was always our trademark. And I just think, that’s how all Champagne glasses could be. Because you hold those small tumbler things, and when you drink out of it, it feels like a Champagne glass on the lip, but when you’re holding it, you could be holding a pint.

Q: Cheers! You are teaching a new group of people to enjoy The Who, which leads to a question, would you ever update “Tommy?” Would “Tommy” step into the 21st century?

A: Well, we can play it onstage. Indeed, we did, we played it back in March, for Teenage Cancer Trust back at the Albert Hall. It’s a great piece of work. You’d have to put a lot of thought into it to upgrade what we did with it way back in the day and upgrade what Ken Russell did with it in the film.

I know that there was a stage show of it, which I had my criticisms of; I thought it was really good, but I thought it had flaws that should have been addressed. But, could you upgrade it today? I don’t know, I suppose you could do. You know, instead of playing pinball they’re playing with their cellphones and all going dumb and blind.

That’s the tragedy. I mean, how many times, have you and I been out having lunch in a restaurant, or dinner in a restaurant and seen whole families sitting at tables, all on iPhones, nobody talking to each other.I say, what the hell is happening?