Roger Daltrey considers it a blessing that three of his illegitimate daughters came forward in the 1990’s. The Who frontman, who’s now a proud father of eight, told The Times, “When three daughters arrived on my doorstep, I accepted them and I love them very much. I am very lucky. I wouldn’t have been a good father when I was on the road. There’s no point in wishing that I could have. I couldn’t.”
Daltrey, who’s dealt with hearing issues for decades, offered up some advice to kids walking around with earbuds blasting music into their heads, saying, “Young people should stop listening to such loud music. They don’t need to. If your ears are ringing, you’ll pay. Pete (Townshend) and I both have to wear hearing aids and it’s no fun taking them out; without them, life’s a mumble.”
Although he possesses what many feel is the quintessential rock voice — Daltrey said he’s not a fan of his own singing, and listed off whom he listens to: “I love voices like Joan Armatrading, Smokey Robinson, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Plant, Paul Weller, and Van Morrison — his voice is the same as it always was.”
SIDE NOTES
- Recently released as a special Record Store Day release is The Who – A Quick Live One. The set, which was not issued by the band, but by the Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation label, which has also been behind issuing Otis Redding‘s groundbreaking set from the festival.
- The Who’s setlist on June 18th, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds was: “Substitute,” “Summertime Blues,” “Pictures Of Lily,” “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” “Happy Jack,” and “My Generation.”
CHECK IT OUT: Roger Daltrey’s video for 1980’s “Free Me”: