If you’re the lead singer in a rock band, having your voice deteriorate can become a major problem. Just ask Jon Bon Jovi, who’s been very open about his vocal struggles in recent years, and the lengths he’s had to go to to try and resolve them.
The Who’s frontman Roger Daltrey, though, remains confident that, even at 82, his voice remains in tip-top shape. In fact, he reckons that he’s singing as well if not better than ever.
“At the moment, it’s probably better than it’s been all my life,” he tells Rolling Stone. “It’s extraordinary. I’m still singing the songs in the same keys; I just seem to be hitting the notes easier.”
Not that he takes any of this for granted – particularly in light of the "pre-cancerous condition" that he was diagnosed with over a decade ago.
"I managed to find a genius of a voice doctor," says Daltrey. "He trimmed up my vocal cords and I’ve had no trouble since. I can still hit a high D, which is higher than Pavarotti singing the end of Nessun Dorma in full voice. I mean, it’s extraordinary."
The Who frontman says that there's a fine line, though, between using and overusing: “Voices are very weird things,” he argues. “You’ve got to keep them working to keep them good. I’ve always said, ‘Use it or you lose it.’ But you can use it too much and once people do that, I wish they’d shut the fuck up, and there are a few out there who should.”
Daltrey doesn’t name names, but he does suggest that, if his vocals ever fall below the standards that he’s set for himself, he’ll call it quits.
“Voices are voices: They don’t last forever, that’s a fact.” he says. “Mine is incredibly powerful and still is. I’m very lucky to have it there, but equally it might go tomorrow, and if it does go tomorrow, I won’t be seeing you in August [for his upcoming US solo tour], it’s as simple as that.”
On the flipside, Daltrey says that, if his vocals remain strong, he can see himself carrying on for the foreseeable future.
“I’m 82 years old and still got good energy, still can deliver it well,” he says. “But I can’t do any more than that. I can only do my best and whatever happens, happens. If it’s still like this when I’m 90, I’ll still be doing it.”
Oh, and as for that scream in The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again, Daltrey says that, contrary to what some people have said, he can still sing that live, although there may be some technical assistance at play when he performs.
"They may use a sound effect to give the voice an extra oomph," he admits. "I don’t know what they got out front; I just do what I do onstage."
