Pete Townshend, at 80: I've Got Years Left to Work

'I think I'm on the ... mountaintop,' says legendary Who guitarist
Posted Aug 19, 2025 2:21 PM CDT
Pete Townshend, at 80: I've Got Years Left to Work
Pete Townshend poses for portrait photographs after the announcement of 'The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour' on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in London.   (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Pete Townshend is 80 now, but he's not planning to retire from show business anytime soon. In an interview with AARP, the Who guitarist talked about the ups and downs of being an aging, working rocker:

  • "I think I'm on the f---ing mountain top!" he said when asked about his tinnitus. "You know, I just feel supreme. My brain is as sharp as a razor. I'm very, very creative. I'm not good with money, but I'm good at doing business deals. I am healthy, and I think I probably have another five years in show business. I'm not quite sure doing what. I'm very [good at] producing shows, producing artists, working with artists."

  • Townshend is currently touring with bandmate Roger Daltrey, though this is expected to be their last go-round on the road. "It can be lonely," says Townshend. "I've thought, Well, this is my job, I'm happy to have the work, but I prefer to be doing something else. Then, I think, Well, I'm 80 years old. Why shouldn't I revel in it? Why shouldn't I celebrate?"
  • Read the full interview, in which Townshend says he'd like to "experiment with some one-man shows" once he's done touring with Daltrey. He also calls the Who a "brand, not a band," and says he and Daltrey "have a duty to the music and the history."

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