Pete Townshend is getting candid about his addiction. In an interview with The New York Times, The Who guitarist revealed that his past addiction issues recently resurfaced.
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“I went through a period of feeling very depressed,” he said. “And when I had the knee operation early this year, I got readdicted to painkillers. This is the way rock stars die, OxyContin.”
The experience wasn’t a first for Townshend, who explained, “I’d gone through severe alcohol addiction for many years, then narcotics.”
However, up until his knee surgery, Townshend had “been clean for over 30 years.”
When his addiction problems arose again, Townshend “called a close friend who’s working for a recovery clinic in Spain, and he got my head sorted out.”
Now, he said, “I’m feeling really good at the moment.”
The Who’s Future
Townshend’s reveal came amid his and Roger Daltrey’s farewell tour for their band, The Who.
The men, who are 80 and 81, respectively, are currently slated to play their last show on Sept. 28 in Las Vegas. As for what happens after that, Townshend said “it’s in Roger’s hands.”
For his part, Daltrey, who’s losing his sight and hearing, admitted that touring has exacerbated his health issues.
“I have an off day after every show,” Daltrey said. “We’re saying farewell because touring is grueling on the body.”
Townshend agreed, stating, “I’m 80, I don’t like being away from my family, my studios, my dogs and my friends. I’m not looking to spend the next five years of my life waiting to f**king drop dead on the stage.”
As for as music, though, Daltrey assured fans that he and Townshend are “not giving up as a band.”
“We might do a couple of residencies,” he said. “Hopefully, Pete and I won’t stop making music.”
Townshend seconded that hope, saying of his bandmate, “If he doesn’t want to do a Who album, I’d love to write songs for him for a solo project.”
In a recent interview with AARP, meanwhile, Townshend provided insight into his post-tour plans.
“I plan to experiment with some one-man shows,” he said. “Roger and I certainly [will] work together for charity and possibly for special projects. Together we represent all aspects of The Who legacy.”
Photo by Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images
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