Roger Daltrey returns to his "soul" roots on new album 'As Long As I Have You'.

Roger Daltrey As Long As I Have You

Roger Daltrey As Long As I Have You

The Who frontman has unveiled his first solo record since 1992's 'Rocks in the Head', which features his bandmate Pete Townshend, and will be released on June 1 on Polydor Records.

Before The Who's debut single 'I Can't Explain' shot to the top of the chart in the UK in 1965, Roger and Pete were part of a smaller group as youngsters and played at churches.

Speaking about the time before The Who - which included the late musicians Keith Moon and John Entwistle in its classic formation - took off in the late 60s and its influence on the LP, Daltrey said: "This is a return to the very beginning, to the time before Pete [Townshend] started writing our songs, to a time when we were a teenage band playing soul music to small crowds in church halls.

"That's what we were, a soul band.

"And now, I can sing soul with all the experience you need to sing it. Life puts the soul in.

"I've always sung from the heart but when you're 19, you haven't had the life experience with all its emotional trials and traumas that you have by the time you get to my age.

"You carry all the emotional bruises of life and when you sing these songs, those emotions are in your voice.

"You feel the pain of a lost love. You feel it and you sing it and that's soul."

The 'Pinball Wizard' hitmaker's aim with the new album is to show off his voice like he's never done before.

He added: "For a long time, I've wanted to return to the simplicity of these songs, to show people my voice, a voice they won't have heard before.

"It felt like the right time. It's where I am, looking back to that time, looking across all those years but also being here, now, in the soulful moment."

Describing his bandmate's vocals on the songs, Townshend commented: "It shows Roger at the height of his powers as a vocalist."

'As Long As I Have You' was produced by Dave Eringa - who is best known for his work with the Manic Street Preachers - and on Roger and Wilko Johnson's album 'Going Back Home'.

Townshend's distinctive guitar features on seven tracks on the album, which is comprised of self-penned tracks such as 'Certified Rose' and 'Always Heading Home'.

Daltrey, 74 - who will perform for the The Teenage Cancer Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall on March 22 - has also covered tracks by Stevie Wonder and Nick Cave.

The title track was originally recorded by Garnet Mimms in 1964; the year that Daltrey, Townshend, Entwistle and Moon changed their name from The High Numbers and became The Who.

Roger Daltrey's 'As Long As I Have You' tracklisting is as follows:

'As Long As I Have You'

'How Far'

'Where Is A Man To Go?'

'Get On Out Of The Rain'

'I've Got Your Love'

'Into My Arms'

'You Haven't Done Nothing'

'Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind'

'Certified Rose'

'The Love You Save'

'Always Heading Home'

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