Roger Daltrey has claimed he's been "shrinking" ever since he took viral medication for meningitis.
Roger Daltrey is shrinking
The Who frontman, 78, who came down with the severe bacterial infection in 2017, and was so poorly he thought he might die, believes the drugs he was prescribed to fend off the illness have made him shorter.
As he and bandmate Pete Townshend, 76, prepare to play their first concert in two years, an acoustic set for Teenage Cancer Trust at London's The Royal Albert Hall on March 25, the charity's patron admits their two-hour sets are becoming increasingly harder as they approach their 80s.
The 'Pinball Wizard' hitmaker - who is "very, very deaf" due to almost six decades of exposure to loud music - admitted: “We haven’t done anything big in two years and I hope it’s still with me. Two-hour shows are not easy.”
Roger - who insists he had to be the "sensible one" with "three addicts" in the band, referring to Pete and the late drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle, who both died of drug overdoses before their time - has looked after his health and says he walks two miles each day.
He said: “I walk at least two miles a day and I live in a house where every room goes up or downstairs.”
The curly-mopped rocker is thrilled that he's kept a full head of hair, and his only real qualm about his appearance is his diminishing height.
In an interview with The Times newspaper, he added: “But I have to be careful not to get too pumped up because I’m shrinking.
“I go wider but I can’t go taller . . . I’m b****y happy I’ve kept the barnet.”
Sharing his theory behind his declining stature, he suggested: “The drugs they gave me for viral meningitis made me shrink.
"When I went for my medical for the next tour, I’d shrunk two inches in five years.”
The 'Seeker hitmaker will be bringing his physiotherapist with him to their shows and admits he's to try not to "sweat too much".
He added of his health battle: “We’d done a gig in Paris where it was 45 degrees on stage and basically I think I cooked my brain. I lost all my salts and now I have to deal with that and not sweat too much. I take a physio on the road with me.”
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