Pete Townshend to Who Concertgoer: ‘We Don’t Do F—ing Requests’
The Who don’t take requests during their concerts, a fact Pete Townshend made emphatically clear to one fan during the group’s recent stop in Tampa Bay.
The band were a little more than halfway through their set when technical issues arose. A rendition of “I Can See for Miles” was cut short because singer Roger Daltrey was unable to hear the rest of the musicians in his monitor. After technicians took a few minutes attempting to solve the problem, Daltrey and Townshend returned to their respective microphones, but seemed a little unsure of which song would be next. At that point, one apparently loud fan in the front row suggested “Naked Eye.”
“Just shut up,” Townshend replied. “Just shut the fuck up with Naked fucking Eye, alright? We don’t do fucking requests. However many times I see you, and I love you, you fucking paid for my Ferrari, I’m sure.”
After a moment of laughter and applause from the crowd, the rocker looked to Roger Daltrey and asked him what he wanted to play. “Anything you’d like,” the singer replied, before suggesting “Naked Eye.”
“You’re gonna get me to play 'Naked Eye' after all that?” the guitarist responded, eliciting a smile out of Daltrey. Sure enough, Townshend then proceeded to switch guitars and perform the song, originally released on 1974’s Odds and Sods.
Though the exchange -- which can be seen in the video below -- may have appeared contentious, that seemingly was not the case. After strumming the tune’s final chord, Townshend looked in the fan’s direction once more, giving a cheeky grin.
The Who recently wrapped the first leg of their The Who Hits Back! North American tour. After dates overseas through the summer, they’ll return Stateside for another run in October and November.