Roger Daltrey announces 50th anniversary Tommy Orchestral album

9 May 2019

Roger Daltrey has announced The Who's 'Tommy Orchestral' album to mark its 50th anniversary.

Roger Daltrey and band by Bill Kelly

The 'My Generation' hitmaker toured the iconic rock band's seminal 1969 LP 'Tommy' in full with his band and local orchestras across America last summer, and now they are set to release the record featuring the timeless music of guitarist Pete Townshend.

The new orchestration featured on the classic record was directed by renowned composer and arranger David Campbell - who has worked with music royalty including Adele, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Metallica, Carole King and his son Beck.

'Tommy' was recorded live between Bethel in upstate New York - the home of the first Woodstock Festival - and Budapest, five decades ago, and was produced by frontman Roger and Keith Levenson, who worked on the 'Tommy Musical'.

Roger's live band is comprised of Pete's younger brother, guitarist-and-vocalist Simon Townshend, Frank Simes (guitar), Scott Devours (drums), Jon Button (bass), and Loren Gold (keys).

Roger has heaped praise on bandmate Pete's music for standing the test of time and said the tracks - which include 'Pinball Wizard' and 'Overture' - are complimented greatly by the orchestra.

The 75-year-old music legend also revealed that every time he performs the songs - which Pete composed as a rock opera that tells the story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" - live, he does it as though "it's the first time" he's sung them.

He said: "Pete's music is particularly suited to being embellished by the sounds that an orchestra can add to the band.

"'Tommy' can mean whatever you want it to mean, I use the characters in it as metaphors for parts of the human condition, so it's a kind of a story of the human spirit. Even though it is 50 years on, I approach it as though I'm singing it for the first time."

The 'Baba O'Riley' group had said that their Teenage Cancer Trust show at The Royal Albert Hall in 2017 would be the final full performance of 'Tommy', however, they will be playing parts of the opera at their 'Moving On' show at London's Wembley Stadium on July 6, with a full symphony orchestra.

'Roger Daltrey: Tommy Orchestral' is released via Polydor on June 14. 'Pinball Wizard' is out now on all major streaming services.

The track-listing for 'Roger Daltrey: Tommy Orchestral' is:

1 'Overture'

2 'It's A Boy'

3 '1921'

4 'Amazing Journey'

5 'Sparks'

6 'Eyesight To The Blind'

7 'Christmas'

8 'Cousin Kevin'

9 'The Acid Queen'

10 'Do You Think It's Alright'