Legendary guitarist Pete Townshend has confirmed via his blog that The Who will hit the road next year to once again perform their 1973 opus, Quadrophenia. He also confirmed that the band will release a remastered edition of the album in the near future.
Quadrophenia is an ambitious rock opera set in London and Brighton between 1964 and 1965. Its focus was on social, musical and psychological happenings from the era, told from a teenage perspective.
A film based on the album was created in 1979, featuring a young Sting in a supporting role.
Townshend also took the opportunity to dispute band-mate Roger Daltrey’s claims to Rolling Stone that his hearing is compromised.
"My hearing is actually better than ever," he wrote on his blog. "Because after a feedback scare at the O2 Indigo in December 2008 I am taking good care of it. I’m 66, I don’t have perfect hearing, and if I listen to loud music or go to gigs I do tend to get tinnitus. Don’t we all? (sic)"
The Who originally hit the road in support of Quadrophenia in 1973, but persistent technical problems with the backing tapes – which were required to perform the complex tracks – forced the band to end the tour prematurely.