Roger Daltrey compares the EU to the "f***ing mafia" in TV interview

Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend

Roger Daltrey has slammed the EU during an interview to promote The Who's upcoming date at Wembley Stadium. The moment came at the end of a filmed segment where Daltrey and Pete Townshend had talked about the band's past.    

Asked if Brexit was going to be bad for rock music, Daltrey responded, "No. What's it got to do with the rock business?"

"As if we didn't tour in Europe before the fucking EU! Oh, give it up! If you wanna be sign up be be ruled by a fucking mafia, you do it. Like being governed by FIFA."  

In January, the band announced the 2019 Moving On Tour of The US. 

"The Who are touring again in 2019," said Townshend. "Roger christened this tour Moving On! I love it. It is what both of us want to do. Move on, with new music, classic Who music, all performed in new and exciting ways. Taking risks, nothing to lose. Looking forward to seeing you all. Are you ready?"

Townshend has also confirmed that the band are planning to release a follow-up album to 2006's Endless Wire, with the tracks pulled from 15 demos he recorded last year.

The guitarist describes the new music as “dark ballads, heavy rock stuff, experimental electronica, sampled stuff and cliched Who-ish tunes that began with a guitar that goes yanga-dang.”

First US Leg
May 07: Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena, MI
May 09: Buffalo KeyBank Center, NY
May 11: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
May 13: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
May 16: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TN
May 18: Noblesville Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center, IN
May 21: Chicago Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, IL
May 23: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre St. Louis, MO
May 25: Philadelphia Citizens Bank Park, PA
May 28: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI
May 30: Pittsburgh PPG Paints Arena, PA
Jun 01: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON

UK date
July 06: London Wembley Stadium, UK

Second Leg
Sep 06: St Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN
Sep 08: Alpine Valley Music Theatre , WI
Sep 10: Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center, OH
Sep 13: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Sep 15: Wantagh Northwell Health At Jones Beach, NY
Sep 18: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA
Sep 20: Ft. Lauderdale BB&T Center, FL
Sep 22: Tampa Amalie Arena, FL
Sep 25: Houston Toyota Center, TX
Sep 27: Dallas American Airlines Center, TX
Sep 29: Denver Pepsi Center, CO
Oct 11: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA
Oct 13: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA
Oct 16: San Diego Viejas Arena At Aztec Bowl San Diego State University, CA
Oct 19: Seattle T-Mobile Park, WA
Oct 21: Vancouver Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena, BC
Oct 23: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.