The Who released WHO, their first new album in 13 years, earlier this month, and if Pete Townshend had his way, the album would’ve featured the first rap break on a Who album ever.
Roger Daltrey mentioned this fun fact in a new interview with Billboard. Townshend wrote the rap to be included on the song “All This Music Must Fade,” but Daltrey firmly turned down the rap break saying, “I ain’t going there. I love people that do that. It’s incredibly clever. It’s incredibly technical and they’re brilliant, but if I did it, it would be laughable. I could probably do it, but it would be pastiche.”
Daltrey continued, “I had to convince (Townshend) to cut it out; I said, ‘You’re welcome to leave it in if you do the rap.’ Obviously he didn’t feel comfortable doing it, either.”
The Who are currently on a break from touring but will return to the road in February for a U.K. tour before returning stateside in April. A full list of upcoming tour dates can be found at TheWho.com.
The Who at Madison Square Garden – 9/1/2019
