January 1998
New music releases: Wide Open Spaces - The Chicks; "You're Still The One" - Shania Twain; "Nice & Slow" - Usher; "I'm Alright" - Jo Dee Messina
On the 28th, Roger's solo albums Ride a Rock Horse and One of the Boys have their first CD release.
February 1998
New music releases: Ray of Light - Madonna; International Velvet - Catatonia; The Wedding Singer - Various Artists; "This Kiss" - Faith Hill
On the 2nd, Pete's daughter Emma releases her first single in the U.K., "The Last Time I Saw Sadie" backed with "Come On In My Kitchen." Her album Winterland is released the next day.
On the 10th, The John Entwistle Band holds a record signing at Tower Records in Los Angeles. They sell a limited edition CD single of "When The Sun Comes Up" with vocal by Alan St. Jon intended for their forthcoming album Music From Van-Pires. Unfortunately rights issues over the music delay the album for over two more years by which time the song will have a new vocalist. They follow up the signing the next day with a performance at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles.
Also on the 10th, the CD Who's Serious: Symphonic Who by the London Philharmonic Orchestra is released. Simon Townshend performs on it.
On the 13th, the Christian rock group ApologetiX releases their CD Jesus Christ Morningstar featuring "Temple Physician", a re-write of "Pinball Wizard".
On the 13th and 14th, John has a reception at the Walnut Street Gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado where his drawings and paintings are on display.
On the 24th, Roger's A Celebration: The Music Of Pete Townshend CD is reissued by the House Of Blues label.
March 1998
New music releases: The Best Of James - James; "It's Like That" - Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins; "Meet Virginia" - Train; Feeling Strangely Fine - Semisonic
On the 5th, Roger appears on a half-hour programme on ITV Meridian called Down by the River: The Eastern Rother.
On the 6th, the Original Cast recording of What A Feeling! is released. It contains a medley of songs from Tommy.
On the 7th, Pete Townshend's daughter Emma is interviewed by The Telegraph in an article on children of famous rockers. Speaking of her newly released CD, she says, "I was going to call the album Whose Baby or Papa was a Rolling Stone, but that's probably laying the irony on a bit thick."
On the 9th, an expanded and re-ordered version of Odds and Sods is released on CD in the U.K. The U.S. issue comes out the following day.
The gay-themed film Like It Is premiers at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Roger plays Kelvin, a gay music promoter.
The 17th is the scheduled date for the release of The John Entwistle Band's Music From Van-pires CD. The release is canceled and two more years pass before it is released.
On the 18th, the British press reports that, in response to former Take That singer Gary Barlow banning anglers from fishing on his estate, Roger opens his trout fish hatchery for their enjoyment.
On the 24th, Emma Townshend's album Winterland is released in the U.S. Also on this date the soundtrack to the HBO mini-series From The Earth To The Moon is released featuring The Who's "Magic Bus."
April 1998
New music releases: "Iris" - Goo Goo Dolls; Faith - Faith Hill; City of Angels - Various Artists; Before These Crowded Streets - Dave Matthews Band
On the 7th, the compilation CD Star Power: The Best Of The Who is released in the U.K.
On the 11th, Roger sings "Stand By Me" and "I'm A Man" with Jim Byrnes and His Band at a fan convention for the Highlander television show at Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA.
On the 14th, Sundazed issues the CD The E-types Live At The Rainbow Ballroom featuring a 1966 cover of "The Kids Are Alright."
On the 21st, Roger appears at press conference at SIR Recording Studios in New York to announce his involvement in the summer British Rock Symphony tour.
On the 27th, Roger and his wife Heather attend the world premier of the movie Sliding Doors at the Leicester Square Cinema in London.
On the 28th, Danny Weizmann releases the CD Hollywoodland with a cover of "Pinball Wizard."
May 1998
New music releases: Songbird - Eva Cassidy; Where We Belong - Boyzone; It's Dark and Hell is Hot - DMX; "The Boy is Mine" - Brandy & Monica
On the 7th, the British band Sumo Rabbit And His Inescapable Trap Of Doom attempt to set a new world's record in Guinness for Most Guitars Smashed During a Concert. Their goal is to smash 30 to 50 guitars during a 45-minute set at a pub in Kingston-upon-Thames. They only manage to shatter 16.
On the 10th, Roger makes his last appearance as Hugh Fitzcairn in the two-part finale to Highlander: The Series. The second episode airs on the 17th.
According to Pete's later report, during this month, Roger has an extremely emotional confrontation with him. "He still had a deep conviction in the notion of The Who as a living, material and necessary force. He felt that my deliberate neglect of it had been a mistake. That it had left him and John in the cold...At one point he made his points so forcefully, and personally, that despite the fact that some of the accusations he made were inaccurate and ill-founded, I broke down and cried in front of him. He said then, softly, that it didn't matter what I decided to do, either way - he would always be there for me. Later he called to apologise for being so brutal. I told him he had done what needed to be done, and far from feeling I had been brutalised, I felt I had been offered unconditional love."
On the 19th, Pete Townshend's father-in-law, Ted Astley, who provided orchestration for the Who Are You and Scoop albums and composed the themes for the TV programmes Danger Man and The Saint, passes away.
Also on the 19th, Bernie Tormé releases his album Punk Or What containing his 1977 punk cover of "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere."
On the 31st, VH1 premieres the documentary Keith Moon: Behind The Music.
June 1998
New music releases: Never Say Never - Brandy; MP Da Last Don - Master P; 5ive - Five; System of a Down - System of a Down
On the 8th, Pete and Karen Townshend attend Linda McCartney's memorial service at St. Martin in the Fields Church in London. Pete, a friend of Linda's from before her marriage to Paul McCartney, delivers the final eulogy.
Roger is interviewed about his involvement with the British Rock Symphony and other topics in this month's Record Collector magazine.
On the 16th, the John Entwistle Band kicks off their 1998 "Left For Dead - The Sequel" tour of North America at Irving Plaza in New York City. The tour continues on to Club Bené in Morgan, New Jersey (17th), at the Webster Theater in Hartford, Connecticut (18th), Hard Rock Café in Atlantic City, New Jersey (19th), The Galaxy in Plainview, New York (21st), the Evening Star Concert Hall in Niagara Falls, New York (24th), the Wild Rose Ridge Amphitheatre in Bottineau, North Dakota (26th) and Martyrs in Chicago, Illinois (30th).
On the 22nd, Pete is part of a conversation between himself and artist Gustav Metzger, who originally inspired Pete's guitar smashing, at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts.
July 1998
New music releases: Armageddon: The Album - Various Artists; Stunt - Barenaked Ladies; Hello Nasty - The Beastie Boys; The Boy is Mine - Monica
On the 4th, Roger Daltrey begins his North American tour with the British Rock Symphony at Fiddler's Green in Denver. After that he continues to the State Theater in Minneapolis (6th), the Rosemont Theater in Chicago (7th) and the Meadow Brook Music Festival, in Pine Knob, Michigan (8th).
On the morning of the 10th, Roger and the British Rock Symphony perform several songs in Central Park, New York live on ABC-TV's Good Morning America
Roger's tour continues at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City (10th), the Warwick Musical Theatre, Warwick, Rhode Island (11th), the Fingerlakes Amphitheater in Rochester, New York (12th), the Nautica in Cleveland (13th), Radio City Music Hall in New York (15th), the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey (16th), the Artscape Festival in Baltimore (17th), at the Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, New York (18th), the Foxwoods Casino in Hartford, Connecticut (19th), the Harborlights Pavillion in Boston (21st), the Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Kentucky (24th), Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh (25th), at the Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio (26th), Chastain Park in Atlanta, Georgia (28th), the Horseshoe Casino in Robinsonville, Mississippi (30th) and the Sandstone Amphitheater in Kansas City, Missouri (31st). A performance on the 23rd at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio is cancelled.
Meanwhile, the John Entwistle Band continues the "Left For Dead - The Sequel" tour at the Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota (10th), the House Of Blues in New Orleans (15th), the Caravan Of Dreams in Fort Worth, Texas (16th), Grizzley Rose in Denver, Colorado (22nd), the Ventura Theatre in Ventura, California (25th), The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California (26th), the House Of Blues in Los Angeles (28th), Slim's in San Francisco (30th) and Mill Camp in Springfield, Oregon (31st). The Los Angeles House Of Blues show is simulcast on the Internet by liveconcerts.com.
An interview with Roger appears as a cover story in the magazine Hemp Times. At the time, Roger is a champion of clothing made from hemp.
This month's issue of Yachting Monthly says that Pete has taken delivery of a new Sabreline Express 36.
Kevin Davey publishes his book English Imaginaries: Anglo-British Approaches to Modernity. Pete is on the cover and one chapter analyses his life as an example of a rebel against the meaning of British identity who was later absorbed into it. The book is used in England as a college textbook.
August 1998
New music releases: Devil Without a Cause - Kid Rock; "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" - Aerosmith; Follow the Leader - Korn; For the Record - Alabama
Roger continues performing as front man for the British Rock Symphony on its North American tour. He can be seen at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas (1st), the Houston Arena Theater (2nd), the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona (4th), the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles (6th) and the Konocti Field Amphitheatre in Kelseyville, California (8th).
Meanwhile, the John Entwistle Band continue their "Left For Dead - The Sequel" tour appearing at Ballard's Firehouse in Seattle, Washington (1st), the Mangy Moose in Teton Village, Wyoming (3rd), Bogie's in Boise, Idaho (4th), and the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon (5th).
Roger and John have barely ended their tours when Pete arrives in New York to begin his own solo mini-tour. Pete has a band backing him but the drummer is replaced with a rhythm box. More importantly, these are the first shows since the early 1980's in which Pete plays electric guitar more often than acoustic. On the 13th, Pete is a guest on The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS-TV) and plays "Won't Get Fooled Again." The following morning he appears on Good Morning America (ABC-TV).
On the 14th, the movie Like It Is, featuring Roger playing a gay music promoter, opens in the U.S.
On the evening of the 14th. "Pete Townshend & Friends" start a mini-tour at Harborlights in Boston. The next day, the 15th, Pete returns to Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York to perform at "Woodstock '98." Fellow 1969 Woodstock alumni Richie Havens is also on the bill. The festival is broadcast over the Internet. The mini-tour ends on the 16th with a charity performance for the Maryville Academy at the House Of Blues in Chicago. This show is released on CD the following year.
While in New York, Pete attends the hit play Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Starring as Hedwig is former Broadway Tommy Michael Cerveris who surprises Pete by leaving the stage mid-performance to sit in his lap while singing one of the songs in the show.
Tony Fletcher's monumental biography of Keith Moon, Dear Boy: The Life Of Keith Moon is published in the U.K.
On the 30th, Pete is named on a list released by Britain's Labour party as someone who has donated over £5,000 during the last year.
September 1998
New music releases: "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears; Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life - Jay-Z; Dizzy Up the Girl - Goo Goo Dolls; Step One - Steps
Mojo magazine features a cover story remembering Keith Moon.
On the 5th, the National Film Theatre at the British Film Institute has a showing of The Who's television appearances with Keith and a screening of the edited European version of The Kids Are Alright. Andy Neill introduces a talk by Who-namer and biographer Richard Barnes and Keith Moon's minder 'Dougal' Butler. Barnes discusses Pete Townshend's recent announcement that he is writing his autobiography.
On the 6th, Down At The Astoria - A Who Convention is held at The Astoria in Charing Cross Road in London. Stage acts include Simon Townshend's Animal Soup, tribute band Who's Who, and readings by Tony Fletcher from his new Keith Moon biography. The real action is upstairs at the Keith Moon Bar where some of the attendees passing through include original Who drummer Doug Sandom, The Beachcombers, 'Irish' Jack Lyons, Richard Barnes, 'Dougal' Butler, 'Wiggy' Wolff, Bill Curbishley and Keith Moon's mother. A planned performance by the John Entwistle Band does not occur due to the cost of flying the American members of the band to England.
Around the time of the convention, Pete has a 3-CD retrospective of his music solo and with The Who pressed. Known as the Windswept Pacific set, it is designed to promote Pete's songs for use in film soundtracks and commercials.
On the 15th, The Wailing Souls release their album Psychedelic Souls with a reggae cover of "My Generation."
On the 23rd, a Japanese CD of rare Todd Rundgren tracks is released. Somewhere/Anywhere? - Unreleased Tracks contains a live performance by his band Utopia of "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" from the Landmark Theater, Syracuse, NY 11/16/79.
October 1998
New music releases: I've Been Expecting You - Robbie Williams; Hits - Phil Collins; These Are Special Times - Celine Dion; "Believe" - Cher
On the 1st, The Dead End Cruisers releases a single with a cover of "I Can't Explain" on the B-side.
On the 2nd, The John Entwistle Band renews their "Left For Dead - The Sequel" tour at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, New York. Additional dates are at Maddie's in Frazier, Pennsylvania (4th), Sing Sing Dueling Pianos in Chattanooga, Tennessee (6th), Road House Ruby's South in Olathe, Kansas (8th), Synergy in West Chicago (9th - John's 54th birthday), Knickerbocker's in Lincoln, Nebraska (11th), Wilbert's Bar & Grille in Cleveland (14th), The Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan (15th), The Inzone in Kernersville, North Carolina (21st), Jaxx Night Club in Springfield, Virginia (23rd), The Concert Bar & Grill in Yucaipa, California (29th), and The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California (30th).
On the 6th, Petula Clark releases her CD Here For You with a cover of "Pinball Wizard."
Classic Rock Albums: Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy by John Perry, ex-member of The Only Ones, is published.
On the 16th, Pete gives a surprise performance at the Sound Republic Club in Wardour Street, London as part of a "Rock The Dock" benefit for Liverpool dockworkers. Joining him for "Magic Bus" is Noel Gallagher and Steve Craddock of Ocean Colour Scene.
On the 20th, over two years after its European and Japanese release, The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 is put out in the U.S. on home video by Eagle Rock Entertainment.
Also on the 20th, King Biscuit Flower Hour releases Best Of The Best with a live version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who recorded at Philadelphia in 1973.
November 1998
New music releases: Double Live - Garth Brooks; Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael - George Michael; Greatest Hits - Tupac Shakur; R. - R. Kelly
The John Entwistle Band continue their U.S. tour appearing at the Little Waldorf in Reno, Nevada (1st), the Old Post Office in Flagstaff, Arizona (3rd), the City Limits Ballroom in Dodge City, Kansas (6th), The Boar's Head in Oklahoma City (7th), Chester's in Fayetteville, Arkansas (8th), at The Hi-Pointe in St. Louis (11th) and finishing for the year at Café Milano in Nashville (13th).
On the 5th, Roger and his wife Heather attend the re-opening night party at Sardi's in New York for the play The Scarlet Pimpernel.
On the 8th, The Daily Express reports that Roger is denying the use of The Who's music to the producers of a Keith Moon movie with a script based on 'Dougal' Butler's memoir.
On the 9th, Pete performs at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Rock 'n' Roll purists are shocked when Pete brings out rapper Hame to freestyle rap over Who songs. The show is recorded and later released on CD as Live: The Empire while two different mixes of "Who Are You" featuring Hame are released on the Lifehouse Chronicles boxset. On the 10th, Pete performs at Hall For Cornwall, in Cornwall.
Also on the 9th, Mike Batt releases a CD in Germany called Philharmania - All Time Great Rock Hits Vol. 1 containing Roger singing Don Henley's "The Boys Of Summer" backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London.
On the 12th, newspapers report that Pete is reworking Life House for presentation as part of the BBC's Millennium Project.
Eric Mingus, son of jazz legend Charles Mingus, and Jim Dvorak release the single "How I Miss My Gun" on SOME Records. The B-side is a live bluesy cover of "Baba O'Riley."
On the 16th, Pete plays at The Vibe Bar in London with Chucho Merchan and Pete Hope Evans as part of VH1's Storytellers series.
On the 17th, The Offspring release their album Americana featuring a song called "The Kids Aren't Alright."
On the 22nd, LiveConcerts.com cybercasts The John Entwistle Band's July 28th performance at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles.
On the 23rd, Bitsa Talent announces a live album called Left For Live will be pulled from 85 hours of recordings of The John Entwistle Band's recently concluded tour.
On the 24th, Roger appears on The Late Show with David Letterman in New York singing "My Generation."
On the 27th, Roger is the guest star playing Scrooge for this year's run of A Christmas Carol in New York City. People who pay for their tickets with American Express get a free CD single of Roger singing "God Bless Us Every One". Roger is in the show until January 3rd but has to cancel many appearances due to a bad case of flu.
December 1998
New music releases: Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood - DMX; "That Don't Impress Me Much" - Shania Twain; Modern Classics: The Greatest Hits - Paul Weller; Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front - Busta Rhymes
On the 4th, The Daily Mail reports that a firm of yacht brokers is suing Pete Townshend over the sale of two of his boats.
On the 4th, Roger is a guest on WPLJ's Rocky Allen Show. On the 9th, Roger Daltrey appears on CBS This Morning out of New York City. Afterwards he and Audra McDonald light the 1998 Broadway Christmas Tree. The following evening Roger appears on NBC-TV's Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
On the 31st, John Power of the group Cast tells New Musical Express that he recorded the demos for the forthcoming Cast album at John Entwistle's home studio in Gloucestershire with Bobby Pridden engineering.