Do you know who is Roger Daltrey? Maybe if you are very young you don’t know who he is, but this person is the legendary singer of The Who. He was on the news because after 24 years leading charity concerts of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Daltrey decided to stop with these historic shows. However, if we talk about something else than his music, his opinions on science and the pharmacy industry caught many people’s attention because they were very controversial. So, let’s find out what he said.
Teenage Cancer Trust
For more than two decades, Roger Daltrey was so important for charity concerts of the Teenage Cancer Trust (an organization focused on aupporting young people suffering from cancer). Thanks to his involvement, the organization counted on great artists’ support and it got to collect millions of dollars for patients and families.
In 2024, Daltrey announced he was leaving his role as main organizer and he prepared several unforgettable concerts including: Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder, Noel Gallagher, The Chemical Brothers, and of course The Who.
Roger Daltrey’s controversial opinion
In an interview with The Times, Daltrey talked in a very honest way about his vision on research to fight cancer. He opened about his sister who died of breast cancer at the age of 32, and this was a turning point for him. Daltrey said: “I don’t think they’ll ever find a cure for cancer,” and “I don’t think they want to find a cure.”
For him, many scientists and the Big Pharma (the pharmaceutical industry) aren’t interested in finding a definite cure because thta would mean losing their jobs and profits. “If they found a cure tomorrow it would be fabulous for the people,” he said, “but there’d be an awful lot of scientists out of work.”
These words reflected skepticism and frustration. According to the singer, the research is between the search for real solutions and economic interests that can stop definite progress.
Against the pharmaceutic industry
Roger Daltrey insisted that taking care of one’s interests is an essential part of human nature. He said companies wouldn’t invest in something that could ruin their business.
This critique on the pharmaceutic industry wasn’t new, but it was surprising to hear it from such a popular figure of music and charity.
Although not everyboday shared his opinion, the truth is that his words started a debate on economic interests and medical research.
New projects
Apart from his concerts and his comments about cancer, Daltrey also said he was working on a very special and personal project: a movie about Keith Moon, the late drummer of The Who.
Daltrey co-wrote the script along with the author Nigel Hinton and explained the movie wasn’t just about music, but also a psichological portrait of Moon. Daltrey described Moon as the funniest people he knew, but he was also an addict. He said: ‘’addiction is a waste of a life.’’
Historic farewell at the Royal Albert Hall
This event was a truly musical festival, where people could witness and enjoy a series of concerts for the Teenage Cancer Trust 2024. Let’s see the incredibla schedule:
- March 18 and 20: The Who with an orchestra, plus Squeeze.
- March 19: An Evening of Comedy.
- March 21: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds with Blossoms.
- March 22: Young Fathers.
- March 23: The Chemical Brothers.
- March 24: Ovation – A Celebration of 24 Years of Gigs for Teenage Cancer Trust featuring Daltrey, Robert Plant, Kelly Jones, Pete Townshend, Eddie Vedder, and Paul Weller.
This final edition confirmed Roger Daltrey’s huge impact, not only as a rock legend but also as a passionate advocate for young people facing cancer. Would you have liked to go to one of these concerts?