The Who announce new album and tour - listen to their first single ‘Ball and Chain’

16 September 2019, 11:37 | Updated: 6 October 2023, 10:18

The Who: Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey reveal Sir Peter Blake designed new album cover at Pace Gallery. Picture: Getty

By Rory O'Connor

@RoryOConnorTV

The Who have announced a brand new album, the band’s first new record in 13 years.

The new album will be titled Who, with the band releasing the album’s first single ‘Ball and Chain’.

Have your first listen to The Who's ‘Ball and Chain’, here:

THE WHO: 'BALL AND CHAIN' new song

Fans will have to wait slightly longer for the album, which is due on November 22.

The Who’s new album was recorded in both London and Los Angeles earlier this year and will contain 11 songs.

Who will cover topics including “the Grenfell Tower fire, musical theft, spirituality, reincarnation, the power of memory and ‘an old rock star that has lost his marbles’.”

The album sees Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend joined by long time drummer Zak Starkey, with album artwork by Sir Peter Blake.

Speaking about the new album Roger 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.”

Pete 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 okay, 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.”