Pete: Home after the Tour

I got home five days after everyone else because I had four days of PR to do, radio, TV and media interviews in New York City. As soon as I landed in London I realised I had a chest infection, but it seems mild. That’s a blessing because I have another three weeks of PR here in the UK. My novel comes out November 5th and the Who album on December 6th, so there isn’t much rest for me just yet. The good thing is that I am so pleased and proud about the first responses to both projects. There will be less enthusiastic reviews of course, but I have worked very hard to make both projects as good as they can be, so I’m really pushing at the peak of my creative ability. That said, one thing every creative project needs is time, and I’ve been so lucky to be able to afford to take as much time as I needed on both the book and writing and making demos of the songs for The Who album.

The tour was an easy one, I find working with the orchestra makes my job clearer, and I know exactly where I can break out. The show passes quickly too. Roger’s been great. Audiences have been amazing of course. Thanks so much for going to so much trouble to get to see us. I occasionally go out to see shows and I know how much it costs, and how much time it takes to do.

Being away for 65 days in my case has been hard, and it’s so good to come back and see our four dogs and sleep in my own bed.

For those of you who don’t use Instagram, which is my main social media platform at the moment, I am going to repost some of the things I put up there on the tour. Here’s the first batch. I’ll do some more later.

Pete

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yaggerdang June 16, 2019

Me at the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968 before the cognac started to flow. Photo from Dick Polak’s exhibition

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yaggerdang July 1, 2019

At Ealing Art College in West London in 1963 the radical playwright David Mercer came to give a lecture. It was life-changing for me. The title of his first trilogy of plays about the British Working Class inspired the title of ‘My Generation’. Any rage in that song was inspired here, not really from the Queen Mother getting my car towed away from outside my flat. That’s just a story to amuse journalists. But in ‘My Generation’ there was both frustration and ebullience. PS: Freddie Mercury and Ronnie Wood both attended Ealing Art College. So far, I am the only one with an Honorary Doctorate. It must surely be time for Professor Woody? I like the sound of Professor Mercury too.

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yaggerdang July 1, 2019

Proof that I am serious about orchestral music. This was the cello I used for my ‘Happy Jack’ demo recording. Thanks to Matt Kent for this OZ magazine offshoot.

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yaggerdang July 2, 2019

I used the ARP 2500 and 2600 synthesizers on Who’s Next, Who Are You, Quadrophenia and the soundtrack of the Ken Russell movie of Tommy. This article is from the ARP house magazine.

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yaggerdang July 4, 2019

Ready for an interview about The Shadows, the first guitar band I fell in love with when I was 15. Their hit ‘Apache’ changed the way I approached music. Their ‘Man of Mystery’ was the first music I ever recorded on a friend’s basic tape machine. PS: The tee is a BBC Radiophonics Workshop limited edition from the last tour they did.

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yaggerdang July 6, 2019

Running through the ‘Overture’ of Tommy for tonight’s Wembley show. I’ve played it a thousand times but still find it hard to follow.

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yaggerdang July 6, 2019

Repost. Thanks Loren. Me and Eddie Vedder running through a song for tonight. @officialthewho @eddievedder# @pearljam #quadrophenia

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yaggerdang September 3, 2019

Before I set off for this Who tour I spent a little time in my studio with Rachel and Nakhane, and the wonderful Emeli Sande who were doing vocals on Rachel’s The Seeker project for BMG records. So great to see Emeli again. She wasn’t sure about holding my hand but I wouldn’t let go!! Her new song ‘Shine’ is glorious. We both worked the stage at the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony and she was just astounding. I have five songs on Rachel’s song cycle based on the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha. The music is sublime. Be prepared to have your mind blown and your heart lifted. Rachel is a genius. My wife is a genius. Ho hum. Let’s break a fingernail and keep up.

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yaggerdang September 3, 2019

I bow to thee O Katie. @katiejacoby @officialthewho @jointogetherwiththebook Photo: William Snyder

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