Legendary The Who guitarist Pete Townshend made a cryptic comment about ‘the end’ after the band announced their farewell tour. 

After almost 60 years of touring since they rose to prominence in the 1960s, The Who announced their final tour The Song Is Over will be going ahead this summer.

The band will play 16 shows in the US – which they hope will be extended to Europe – as a ‘thank you to fans’ after all of their support. 

But speaking ahead of the beginning of the tour later this year, guitarist Pete, who just turned 80, hinted it may spell the end for the band entirely. 

Speaking to This Cultural Life on Radio 4 last week he said: ‘Whether it’s the end for The Who… it’s certainly the end of touring America. We’ll have to see (about Europe).’

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The Who’s Pete Townshend made a cryptic comment about ‘the end’ while speaking ahead of the band’s upcoming farewell tour

The band will embark on the 16-date The Song Is Over tour in the US later this summer

The rocker previously admitted that he is ‘not crazy about touring’, despite ‘not feeling old’. 

‘I feel like a diamond with a flaw,’ he added: ‘I’m a dangerous f****. I was a proponent of rock and roll as a philosophy.

‘But when I started exploring my inner darkness on stage, my stage persona – smashing guitars and turning it all up – I was very detached and I didn’t enjoy doing it.’

Pete’s interview comes just weeks after he and lead singer Roger Daltrey sacked drummer Zak Stanley from the band for a second time.

The son of Ringo Starr, 59, was fired from the band last week, just one month after he was sacked then quickly reinstated. 

Pete took to Instagram last week to announce that Zak, the Who’s drummer since 1996, was no longer part of the band. 

But Zak quickly took to his own social media to claim that his departure was not a mutual decision and that he was fired from the band.

In a second post, Pete and Roger Daltrey added: ‘The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. 

Despite recently turning 80, Pete affirmed that he’s not ‘feeling old’ but just doesn’t enjoy touring

‘He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world.

‘Scott Devours – Who fans will know him from Roger’s solo shows – will be replacing Zak. We hope all our fans will welcome him. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey’. 

Resharing The Who’s post, Zak hit back: ‘I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie. 

‘I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn’t make the statement ….quitting The Who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox x.

‘To clarify “other projects” yes I do have other projects and always have. The Who have been sporadic or minimalist in touring most years apart from a two extensive tours in 2000 and 2006/7.’

Zak continued to list his other previous projects before adding: ‘Releasing singles but not touring cos members are so busy. None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them. 

‘The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who- I didn’t. I love the who and everyone in it.’ 

Pete’s interview comes just weeks after he and lead singer Roger Daltrey sacked drummer Zak Stanley from the band for a second time 

But on Monday, Zak again took to his Instagram account to share that his version of events had been contradicted yet again after a phonecall with The Who singer-guitarist Roger.

Zak said Roger told him he hadn’t actually been fired and instead ‘retired to work on his own projects’.

He wrote: ‘NOISE&CONFUSION!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!!

‘Rog said I hadn’t been ‘fired’…I had been ‘retired’ to work n my own projects. I explained to Rog that I have just spent nearly 8 weeks at my studio in Jamaica completing these projects, that my group Mantra Of The Cosmos was releasing one single at the beginning of June and after that had run its course ( usually 5/6 weeks ) I was completely available for the foreseeable future….

‘Rog said “Oh!” and we kind of left it there- On good terms and great friends as we have always been. 

‘Gotta love these guys. As my mum used to say “The mind boggles!!!” XXX.’

It comes weeks after The Who shared the shock news that they will be retiring from touring after 60 years, following a final run of shows in the US later this year.

The legendary rock band shared the news at a London press conference as they announced their farewell tour, which will kick off in July.