Pete Townshend

During a recent interview on the Rockonteurs podcast, hosted by Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt, Pete Townshend took a swipe at producer Rick Rubin. “On YouTube and Instagram you find a ton of videos of people telling you how you should be creative. Every now and then someone should slap Rick Rubin, because on one hand he tells us to do whatever we want, and on the other he dictates what we should avoid”.

Despite the criticism, the guitarist of the Who agrees with Rubin on one fundamental point: "As Rick Rubin rightly says, and as many other creativity experts argue, it has to be fun. It has to be something you love and are passionate about. But that doesn't necessarily mean other people will like it".

Meanwhile, after a year spent largely apart, Pete Townshend confirms that he and Roger Daltrey will get back to work together in 2025. "I had lunch with Roger a few weeks ago," the guitarist told The Standard. "We're in good shape. We love each other. We're both starting to feel a bit creaky, but we'll definitely be doing something next year".

Their last tour together dates back to 2023, when Who shows were fleshed out with string arrangements. Townshend has hinted that the upcoming shows will lean more towards the stripped-down approach of Daltrey's 2024 US tour.

"The last big tours we did were with a full orchestra, and it was wonderful" Townshend explains, "but now we feel like making noise, making a mess and making mistakes".

In March, the Who played a couple of special shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust. More recently, Daltrey inducted Peter Frampton into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Townshend will take the stage in November at London's Theatre Royal for a performance of "The Seeker", a concept album he made together with his wife Rachel Fuller. The last album released under the Who's name remains "Who" from 2019.

Townshend puts the blame for this delay on Daltrey, but the situation could change: "As far as the album goes – Roger isn't too keen on the idea, but I'd love to make another record" Townshend adds, "and I might just try to twist his arm!".

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13/01/2026