As a band that has been around for decades, The Who inevitably grows weary of some songs in their setlist.
For members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, the excitement of performing live could be amplified by retiring a few classics.
Townshend, who has been immersed in certain tracks longer than anyone, initially found enjoyment in sharing them with audiences.
However, towards the end of their tenure, he began to feel conflicted about songs like “Dreaming from the Waist” and “Sister Disco.”
He confessed that performing these songs felt more like an embarrassment, especially when Daltrey would try to energize the crowd.
Townshend candidly remarked, “‘Sister Disco’ I hate even more than ‘Dreaming From The Waist’ because there is a point in which every time we’ve done it where Roger comes over to me, stands next to me, and makes some kind of soppy smile…
Often that will be the moment where I look him in the face and go, ‘you fucking wanker,’ and he gets angry.”
However, the fact that a song lacks inspiration in the studio doesn’t mean it can’t shine on stage. Many talented performers can breathe new life into even the dullest tracks.
Daltrey himself admitted that some of Townshend’s epics can feel tedious live.
Notably, he expressed boredom with “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” saying, “That’s the only song I’m bloody bored shitless with. I don’t know why, but I’m being honest. I never seem to be in the same pocket where I’m singing it for the first time.”
Daltrey also felt that “Rael” from The Who Sell Out worked better as a studio recording than a live performance.
Despite their differing perspectives, both Daltrey and Townshend share a resentment toward certain songs for distinct reasons. Daltrey wishes to relive the experience of performing them, while Townshend often prefers to forget they ever existed.
Yet, in those exhilarating hours on stage, any frustrations dissolve when they play timeless tracks like “My Generation.”
While Daltrey may be tired of the screams in “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and Townshend may want to set aside the forced camaraderie, the pure joy of performing songs like “Love Reign O’er Me” reminds them that, ultimately, it’s all about the music.
