Speaking to The Sun, Townshend explained: 

“I am still developing the score and recording the music. I am also working on a documentary about the project, from its inception in 2007 until today. I’m probably two years off completing it, at which time I hope to perform it with a full opera and a cast of guest singers.”

The Age Of Anxiety, released in November 2019, explores the anxiety of modern life in a story that follows two generations of a London family, their lovers, collaborators, and friends. The lead protagonist is a young rock musician who has the ability to psychically connect to his audience, giving him access to a soundscape filled with their angst-riddled thoughts.

In 2008, when Townshend first conceived the idea, he aimed to reflect the thoughts and feelings of his own audience. In fact, many of his story’s characters are based on people he knows personally – the songwriter even drew inspiration from conversations with neighbours, exchanges which revealed to him an underlying sense of fear and anxiety apparent within the community. 

Since then, this paranoid mentality has only intensified. Through his The Age of Anxiety show, Townshend will delve into contemporary themes that dominate our zeitgeist, including the consequences of global warming, the threat of terrorism, and the adverse effects of social media, which contribute to a generation grappling with mental health challenges.

Townshend is, of course, widely acclaimed for his iconic concept albums with The Who, several of which come with accompanying feature films. Among his most celebrated works are Tommy, which tells the tale of a deaf-mute-blind boy who also happens to be a pinball prodigy, and Quadrophenia, which follows a young mod named Jimmy in his search for self-worth.

Listen to “Pinball Wizard” from Tommy below:

Meanwhile, The Who’s only other surviving member, lead singer Roger Daltrey, is reportedly progressing on his own passion project, a biopic about the group’s late drummer Keith Moon that has been in a state of limbo since 2005. In an interview with NME, Daltrey confirmed that he recently completed a script for the film and is determined to get it to the big screen.

Moon, who died from a drug overdose aged 32 in 1979, was notoriously self-destructive but also, according to Daltrey, “the funniest man [he] ever met”.

Watch Keith Moon’s infamous exploding drum set performance below:

Speaking on the conceptual nature of the record, Stewart offered, “The songs on this album are centred around the elusive nature of time, how it seems to speed up or slow down depending on your mental state. Through the music and lyrics, we try to interpret this feeling and how life’s journey can become serpentine and surreal as we wander through moments of sadness, melancholy, love addiction and pure ecstasy.”

The album will also be accompanied by a quasi music video/film and will have its premier in Rome, Italy on 19 October, the day before the release of the album. Shown as part of the Rome Film Festival, the video stars Italian actress Greta Scarano and band Mokadelic.

Elaborating on “Brings Me Home” and the short film, Stewart added, “The short film revolves around a character who is struggling with anxiety and loneliness, reflected in both the music and the actions of the protagonist. It’s a song about the power of real love; about how something as simple as holding someone’s hand or seeing their face can make us feel at home, even amid chaos. In a world that is constantly changing and moving at a rapid pace, it is important to slow down and connect with others in a meaningful way. This song reminds us that we all need a place to call home, both physically and emotionally.”

The Eurythmics, comprising the duo of Stewart and Annie Lennox, enjoyed immense success and popularity before their split in 1990. Perhaps best known for their smash hit song, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” the group scored a number of UK and US hits that saw them cememnt their place as one of the era’s greatest synth-pop bands.

Both Stewart and Lennox continued to enjoy success as a music producer and solo artist respectively throughout the 90s and beyond, before reforming the Eurythmics twice in 1999 and 2005. Earlier this year, the group celebrated “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)’ 40th anniversary.