Updated Feb. 9, 2022
February 1987
New music releases: Phantom of the Opera - Original London Cast; "It's Tricky" - Run-DMC; Jody Watley - Jody Watley; Move Closer - Various Artists
On the 8th, The John Entwistle Band performs at the Musikmesse, a huge trade show, in Frankfurt, Germany.
On the 24th, Roger and his wife Heather attend the 30th annual Grammy Awards show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
March 1987
New music releases: The Joshua Tree - U2; Whitesnake - Whitesnake; "Wanted Dead or Alive" - Bon Jovi; "With or Without You" - U2
On the 1st, John joins Meat Loaf at the end of his concert at Wembley Stadium to play bass during Loaf's "Rock Medley".
On the 5th, The Arts & Entertainment cable channel does a documentary on Roger. He discusses his move into acting.
On the 7th, Pete's second collection of his demos, Another Scoop, is released. It peaks in the U.S. at #198. Released at the same time is a promo single of "Ask Yourself" backed with "Brooklyn Kids" and a promo video.
Pete gets a Synclavier synthesizer and begins recording musical snippets. "Theme 015" a "variation in G" appears on Scoop 3. In the liner notes he says he was trying to create a symphonic version of the "Siege" material originally intended for The Who's unrecorded 1983 album.
On the 24th, Roger discusses the problems caused by the accidental killing of half of million of his trout at his trout farm in the magazine Today. He says his fishery was not affected, just the lake where his trout were bred, and he invites anglers to come and fish.
On the 28th, Billboard reports that Roger has received an Ampex Golden Reel Award for Under A Raging Moon. It had been recorded on Ampex tape.
April 1987
New music releases: Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac; Raindancing - Allison Moyet; Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega; Electric - The Cult
On the 1st, John Entwistle is the musical director and plays bass for some of the acts as part of an all-star AIDS benefit concert at Wembley Stadium on World AIDS Day. It is subsequently released on video as Stand By Me: AIDS Day Benefit.
Also on the 1st, Roger plays The Barrister in a live version of Mike Batt's The Hunting Of The Snark that is taped for later broadcast. It is a Royal charity gala concert to aid the British Deaf Association and is attended by the Duchess Of York.
On the 11th, the Who rarities collection Two's Missing is released. It is the first Who album since The Who Sings My Generation that fails to chart on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 albums.
Starting this month, Pete moves to Cornwall to begin writing the lyrics for the musical version of Ted Hughes' novel The Iron Man: A Children's Story in Five Nights.
On the 24th, the movie The Secret Of My Success is released. The soundtrack features "The Price Of Love" performed by Roger.
On the 25th, New Musical Express prints a letter sent to Roger that reads: "Dear Mr. Daltrey, seeing as Keith Moon is dead, could you possibly give me his old drum kit? Also, if any of your smashed-up guitars are still intact, could I have them please? We are trying to set up a band but don't have any money. Yours sincerely, Mark, Leeds."
On the 30th, Roger is a guest (and probably example) on the BBC1 health and exercise show Don't Break Your Heart.
May 1987
New music releases: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - Whitney Houston; Always & Forever - Randy Travis; Girls, Girls, Girls - Mötley Crüe; Les Misérables - Original Broadway Cast
The press reports that The Who are planning live shows in Britain in 1988 to commemorate their 25th anniversary. Roger also tells the press he has had meetings with Pete and John to discuss the possibility of a new Who LP.
On the 30th, Pete binds the first draft of the script for his new musical The Iron Man.
June 1987
New music releases: Whitney - Whitney Houston; Let It Loose/Anything for You - Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine; Bad Animals - Heart; La Bamba - Los Lobos and Various Artists
On the 7th, the News Of The World attacks Pete in an editorial because he supports the Labour Party's Wealth Tax.
On the 8th, the British press reports that The Who have turned down £16m for an eight-week tour of the U.S., Japan, Australia and three South American countries to start February 1988. Says John: "I've turned down the offers to concentrate on my new group, The Rock. It's all over for The Who. We've all got solo careers now."
On the 20th, Pete attempts to receive a check from Paul Newman's daughter Nell for £10,000 to be donated to his Double O Charity. Before the awarding is finished, Pete spies press photographers. Saying he thought "there wasn't going to be any fucking pictures" he storms off. Pete later tells Capitol Radio that he doesn't want the charity to get a lot of publicity fearing it will be swamped with requests for aid.
Also on the 20th, Billboard reviews Roger's newly-released album Can't Wait to See the Movie. They call it "mature material" in a "polished album". Apparently this is not what buyers expect from him as the LP fails to make the charts. The U.K. release does not happen until 31 July.
On the 26th, "Hearts Of Fire" backed with "Lover's Storm," a single from Roger's solo album Can't Wait to See the Movie, is released in the U.K. The 12" version adds "Quicksilver Lightning." It peaks at #88, Roger's last solo single to chart. The single is also released in Germany.
On the 27th, Billboard has Roger's solo track "Take Me Home" entering its Album Rock Tracks chart at #46, its peak.
On the 30th, John performs at the North American Music Merchandisers trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago.
July 1987
New music releases: Appetite for Destruction - Guns 'n Roses; Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack from the Vestron Motion Picture - Various Artists; The Best of The Doors - The Doors; "Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley
On the 3rd, Roger is on the Ocean Sound radio programme on the BBC giving his opinion on recently released singles.
The Smithereens, a New Jersey band, release the EP Live featuring a cover of "The Seeker."
John attends the International Musician Magazine party at London's Kensington Roof Garden.
Rolling Stone lists their pick for the 100 best albums of the last 20 years. Who's Next at #22 and Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy at #99 are the only two Who albums to make the list.
August 1987
New music releases: Bad - Michael Jackson; Hysteria - Def Leppard; Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith; The Top Ten Hits - Elvis Presley
On the 1st, the soundtrack for the movie The Lost Boys enters the U.S. charts and peaks at #15. It features Roger's recording of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me."
On the 3rd, Roger is does a one-hour radio special Up Closeon MCA Radio Network and on the 5th, Roger appears on Good Morning America this day and the next to promote his solo LP Can't Wait To See The Movie. He says he did an album of love songs because it is the only thing that now gets played on European radio.
On the 8th, Roger is interviewed in Billboard. He says he has no plans to tour behind his new solo album: "I don't think I can cut it anymore; I've had such a bellyful. If I do play live, it's something I'd like to just do occasionally."
On the 14th, ITV runs Love Me Tender: A Tribute to the Music of Elvis Presley. Roger performs "Hound Dog" with Carl Perkins, then does both "Mystery Train" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" on his own.
On the 15th, Billboard reports that John Entwistle and his new group The Rock are about to release their self-titled album that will be followed by a tour. Having finished the album almost a year before, John blames the delays on his former band. "I think the Who has become an albatross to us all. It feels like I'm trapped within The Who, and it doesn't even exist anymore." The tour with The Rock never happens and the album is not released for another nine years.
September 1987
New music releases: Tiffany - Tiffany; Popped In Souled Out - Wet Wet Wet; Bridge of Spies - T'Pau; A Momentary Lapse of Reason - Pink Floyd
On the 3rd, Pete and his daughter Emma attend the world premiere of the movie Hope and Glory in London. There they run into actress Theresa Russell and her husband director Nicholas Roeg. Pete's 1980 infatuation with Russell led to the collapse of the planned Life House movie by Roeg. Theresa gives Pete a kiss as a consolation prize. On the 20th, Pete and Emma also attend that year's edition of the Secret Policeman's Ball.
Primal Scream releases their single "Imperial." The 12-inch version contains a cover of "So Sad About Us."
On the 21st, MTV airs the AIDS benefit concert featuring John from April 1st.
On the 24th, The Who fanzine The Relay reports that Faber & Faber employee Pete is working with one of the publisher's clients, poet Ted Hughes, on a musical adaptation of Hughes' children's book The Iron Man. They also report that Pete has put aside a planned solo album, a dance album made up of originals and covers.
October 1987
New music releases: Faith - George Michael; Kick - INXS; The Best of UB40 - Volume One - UB40; Heaven on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
In Rolling Stone's 20th anniversary issue, Pete calls "Won't Get Fooled Again" "...the dumbest song I've ever written". In the next issue, Rolling Stone reports on rumors that The Who are planning to tour again.
On the 20th, Pete's Double O Charity throws an upscale benefit ball at the Mayfair Hotel in London. Proceeds raised with the £100 tickets benefit treatment clinics and rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and alcoholics. The guests include Bill Wyman, Steve Winwood, Midge Ure, Simon Phillips, Mark Knopfler and most of the Townshend family. Pete and Dire Straits put on a one hour show for the 150 guests. Among the songs performed are "That's All Right, Mama," "Save It For Later," "No Face, No Name, No Number," "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands" and "Barefootin'."
On the 25th, Roger is seen on a British television programme sitting in a red Ferrari at the Auto Show at Earl's Court Exhibition Centre in London.
November 1987
New music releases: "Fairytale of New York" - The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl; Whenever You Need Somebody - Rick Astley; "Everywhere" - Fleetwood Mac; All The Best! - Paul McCartney
On the 4th, Pete's daughter Emma tells the press that her father's example has made sure she never dabbled with drugs.
John begins his first solo tour of the U.S. since the breakup of The Who. Backing him is a Westchester band called Rat Race Choir with Dave Chmela on vocals, Mark Hitt on guitar, Jack Hotop on keyboards and Steve Luongo on drums. On the 6th, John and the band are interviewed on Howard Stern's radio show in New York. That night or the next sees their first performance of the tour at The Chance in Poughkeepsie. On the 8th, they are part of the K-Rock Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve Blood Drive at The Bottom Line in New York. The audience is made up of the first 400 people who volunteer blood for the drive and John is interviewed by CNN.
On the 9th, John and the band play The Trocadero in Philadelphia followed by Bessie's Boat House in Norfolk, Virginia (13th), The Bayou in Washington, D.C. (15th), The Channel in Boston (19th), and Baity's Backstreets in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (27th).
The Daily Express reports that John is seeking to sell his mansion near Stow-on-the-Wold to pay his back taxes.
The San Jose Mercury News credits an agent for The Who as saying they are considering a tour of Europe and the U.S. in 1989 but denies they are doing it because they need the money. The agent says, "They are all quite wealthy."
Pete records the demo of the song "Dig" for his musical The Iron Man. It is later released on the "I Won't Run Anymore" CD-single.
On the 20th, Virgin releases Roger's cover of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" as a single in the U.K. backed with "The Heart Has Its Reasons".
December 1987
New music releases: The Greatest Love - Various Artists; "It Must Have Been Love" - Roxette; Inside Information - Foreigner; "She's Like the Wind" - Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser
On the 2nd, John and Rat Race Choir have a one-off show at The Ritz in New York.
Who's Missing and Two's Missing are released on CD. Despite having poorer sound quality than the LP, the latter CD will become a sought-after disc for its content within a few years.
The Save The Children fund sends out a Christmas card designed by Pete. Pete also attends a fund-raising charity ball for the Anti-Drug Campaign.
On the 19th, Pete puts an ad in the U.K. trade papers advertising "The Glasshouse Project", an offer for audio clients to evaluate the digital Synclavier and Direct-to-Disk capabilities at Eel Pie Studios. The name "Glasshouse" will come back in 1991 as Pete's short story Ray High and the Glass Household that will be the basis for Psychoderelict.