Pete Townshend - Pete Townshend: 'My Hearing Problems Won't Be An Issue On New Tour'

The guitar great and bandmate Roger Daltrey plan to play their 1973 double album Quadrophenia in its entirety on tour stops and he insists he'll be able to enjoy the shows despite his famous hearing issues and tinnitus.

In the past, Townshend has hinted that his problems will stop him performing, but, for now, he insists he's OK.

Asked about his ongoing inner ear issues during a press conference to launch the upcoming winter tour on Wednesday (18Jul12), he said, "One of the things I like about Quadrophenia is that it tends to be a little bit more controlled."

And he insists no one should feel sorry for him - because he doesn't go out of his way to protect his hearing: "A lot of sailing and things that I do in my spare time is not too good for the hearing so it's not just being on stage. And also my problem is from the studio and not on the stage. I've had some trauma created from being on the stage.

"I don't actually protect my ears, I don't go on with ear plugs and I don't use inner ear monitors either because they give me very bad tinnitus."