The traditional parade of classic rockers lining up the halftime show at the Super Bowl will continue with one of the biggest names in the game this year, according to inside sources.
Rumor has it that the legendary artist The Who will take the stage at Superbowl XLIV in Miami on February 7th, marking their first trip to the big show for the band’s first North American gig in two years.
If this is true, the Who – which now consists of only two original members, main songwriter/guitarist/singer Pete Townshend and singer Roger Daltrey – would follow in the footsteps of such recent rock luminaries as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Paul McCartney and Prince, who have played the coveted gig in recent years.
The Who’s U.K. spokesperson Julian Stockton neither confirmed nor denied the booking, writing in an e-mail, “Am afraid at this point we know nothing about it.”
“When we have something to announce, we’ll announce it,” Stockton added.
Traditionally the most-watched TV event of the year, the Super Bowl halftime gig is considered one of the most sought-after in the entertainment business, with a variety of A-list acts filling the spot in the past. Over the years the occasion has brought artists such as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Rolling Stones, U2, Aerosmith, Britney Spears and, famously, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson in 2004.
Aside from the swirling talk of a potential halftime apperance, Townshend and Daltrey are working on new material for the follow-up to the The Who’s 2006 album, Endless Wire. Townshend has also discussed another parallel project he is working on, a new concept album/musical called Floss. Neither project currently has a release date.
