Brexit band The Who WERE prevented from playing in Europe before the EU
The Who's Roger Daltrey, dismissing the effect of the end of freedom of movement on musicians (pic: Sky News) - Credit: Sky News
A video of The Who's Brexit-backing lead singer Roger Daltrey dismissing its effect on bands touring Europe has been shown up.
A video of Daltrey, who says he is 'anti-Brussels', went viral this week after he snapped at a Sky News reporter who asked him about his Brexit views.
Told in the clip, 'Brexit looks like it's getting farther and farther away', Daltrey, says: 'Oh God.'
Asked whether Brexit was going to be bad for British rock music, the 75-year-old responded: 'No. What's it got to do with the rock business?'.
The reporter went on: 'How are you going to tour in Europe?'.
You may also want to watch:
A visibly angry Daltrey snapped: 'Oh dear. As if we didn't tour in Europe before the f**king EU. Oh, give it up. Give it up.
'If you want to be signed up to be ruled by a f**king mafia, you do it. Like being governed by FIFA.'
Most Read
- 1 The bigot we should have called out on day one
- 2 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 3 Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case for the Union'
- 4 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them
- 5 The worryingly familiar signs for Britain's vaccine roll-out
- 6 Brexit changes lead to exodus of Brits from Spain, UK nationals claim
- 7 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI
- 8 Fears government could scrap workers' rights in post-Brexit overhaul of labour laws
- 9 Katie Hopkins joins UKIP in time for leadership contest
- 10 James O'Brien schools Brexiteer who refuses to accept new EU-UK trade rules
But in fact, in 1966 - before the UK joined the EU - work permit issues and the absence of freedom of movement for Brits on the continent meant The Who were stopped from touring in Europe.
According to the 2004 book The Who: Concert File, which assembles a thorough chronicle of more than 1,500 gigs by the band, a tour of the Netherlands in 1966 had to be cancelled as they failed to gain work permits.
It says: 'Jacques Senf, who had promoted The Who's first visit to The Netherlands in September 1965, had tried to arrange a second Dutch tour for them in May 1966 but the band were unable to obtain work permits in time.
'Eventually their friend Freddy Haayen intervened and arranged [a show in The Hague on October 12].'
British acts are likely to require work permits again to perform in the EU once the UK leaves the bloc.
The book, by Joe McMichael and Jack Lyons, has a foreword by Daltrey's bandmate Pete Townshend, who described it as 'a vital document, especially to younger Who fans who are trying to piece together the real history of The Who.'
Conservative supporter Daltrey is a long-time Brexiteer who has said: 'I'm not anti-Europe, I'm anti-Brussels, but people don't get the distinction.
'That's why I'm so angry about it. I want someone at least answerable to me that I can say 'F**k off, you're useless'.'
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
