The musician recently opened up about his struggle with prescription medication after knee surgery this year. Townshend shared, “I went through a period of feeling very depressed. After my knee operation early this year, I got readdicted to painkillers. This is how rock stars die—OxyContin.” With help from a friend, he sought treatment at a center in Spain. Reflecting on his past, he said, “I had severe alcohol addiction for many years, then moved on to narcotics. I had been clean for over 30 years. … Right now, I’m feeling really good.”
As The Who wraps up their final U.S. shows, ending on September 28 in Las Vegas, fans are curious about what’s next for the band. The future depends on vocalist Roger Daltrey, who is dealing with health issues. He mentioned that his sight and hearing problems require him to rest between shows. “We’re saying farewell because touring is tough on the body,” he told reporters. But Daltrey reassured fans, “We’re not giving up as a band. We might do a couple of residencies. Hopefully, Pete and I won’t stop making music.”
Townshend also shared his thoughts on future projects. “If he doesn’t want to do a Who album, I’d love to write songs for him for a solo project,” he said. He even joked about the band’s future, suggesting they could perform as holograms managed by Giles Martin, and joked about outdoing Jersey Boys in scale. The future looks bright for these rock legends, and fans can expect more music to come!
