Pete Townshend teases rock opera project

Pete Townshend says he’s currently working on a “big” project as the band continue their 50th anniversary celebrations.

They’ll headline the final night at this year’s Glastonbury and play the British Summer Time festival on June 26. But outside of his commitments with The Who, the guitarist says he also has other projects in the pipeline.

He tells Rolling Stone: “I’m working on a big project at the moment which might be half rock opera, half art installation – I don’t know where it’s going to go. I’m going to start with a book. I don’t want to talk too much about that now.”

And while he says he’s currently enjoying going over old tracks from the band’s past, Townshend reports he’s also working on fresh material which could appear on a solo album – although he’s not sure he wants to release anything at the moment.

He continues: “I haven’t done a new solo piece for a really long time. If I did, I think I would want it to be something that really addressed everything that’s going on in the world at the moment.

“I’m old enough and wise enough and stupid enough and have done enough dangerous shit to say pretty much whatever I like. It won’t be popular, but nobody can hurt me now.”

Townshend will be presented with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from the MusicCares MAP Fund for his work supporting addiction recovery services on May 28. The Who’s Live At Shea Stadium 1982 will be released on June 29 via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

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