The Who have today announced details of their first new album in 13 years and have shared the album’s first single – ‘Ball and Chain.’ You can listen to the new song below.
The new album, ‘Who’, will be released on November 22 and is available for pre order now. Containing 11 tracks, the album was recorded in London and Los Angeles during Spring and Summer 2019 and is said to cover subjects including “the Grenfell Tower fire, musical theft, spirituality, reincarnation, the power of memory and ‘an old rock star that has lost his marbles’.”
Co-produced by Pete Townshend & D. Sardy (Noel Gallagher, Oasis, LCD Soundsystem and Gorillaz) and with vocal production by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Roger Daltrey, Wilko Johnson), the album sees Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend joined by long time drummer Zak Starkey.
The artwork for the new album, created by famed artist Sir Peter Blake, was unveiled last night (September 12) at the Pace gallery in New York City. You can listen to the first single from the new album here:
‘Who’ track listing
All This Music Must Fade
Ball And Chain
I Don’t Wanna Get Wise
Detour
Beads On One String
Hero Ground Zero
Street Song
I’ll Be Back
Break The News
Rockin’ In Rage
She Rocked My World
Speaking about the new album, Daltrey said: “I think we’ve made our best album since Quadrophenia in 1973, Pete hasn’t lost it, he’s still a fabulous songwriter, and he’s still got that cutting edge”.
Townshend added: “This album is almost all new songs written last year, with just two exceptions. There is no theme, no concept, no story, just a set of songs that I (and my brother Simon) wrote to give Roger Daltrey some inspiration, challenges and scope for his newly revived singing voice.
“Roger and I are both old men now, by any measure, so I’ve tried to stay away from romance, but also from nostalgia if I can. I didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Memories are OK, and some of the songs refer to the explosive state of things today.
“I made new home studio demos of all these songs in the summer of 2018 using a wide collection of instruments old and new. We started recording as The Who in March 2019, and have finished now in late August just in time to make some vinyl…maybe even some cassettes…ready for release in November”.
In Spring 2020, The Who will also embark on a world tour complete with full orchestra. The UK dates are listed below and tickets are available to buy from 10am on September 20 here.
THE WHO UK TOUR 2020
March 16 – Manchester Arena
March 18 – Dublin 3 Arena
March 21 – Newcastle Utilita Arena
March 23 – Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena
March 25 – Leeds First Direct Arena
March 30 – Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
April 1 – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
April 3 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
April 6 – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
April 8 – SSE Wembley Arena