During a conversation with Classic Rock, The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey looked back on guitarist Pete Townshend’s 2003 arrest for the possession of child p*rnography.

Pete was cautioned by British police as part of Operation Ore, a major 2002/2003 child-p*rnography investigation. After admitting he used his credit card to gain access to a child-p*rn site, the guitarist was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

Pete initially claimed that his actions were part of research in a campaign against sexual abuse of children. In his 2012 book, Townsend wrote that he wanted to prove that British banks were complicit in channeling the profits from pedophile rings.

Asked to single out the lowest point of his career, Roger replied:

“When Pete was arrested [in 2003]. Not only did I know it was completely out of character for Pete, I felt for everyone affected by it.

“I know how it affected my family, and I thought about his family and the people that love him. It was an incredibly painful period for all of us.”

Asked on what he’s most proud of in his life, Daltrey replied:

“That’s an easy one. My family, The Who and my managing to get the Teenage Cancer Trust thing out to America recognized for the work they do. I’m as driven by that now as I was ever driven by The Who.”

Do you, or did you ever, believe in God?

“Going to church and singing in the choir was part of my life, so I must have done at some time, but I don’t now.”

How did you feel when you were sacked from The Who in 1965?

“I knew our chemistry was fantastic, but it was all going down the toilet because they kept putting these bloody pills down their gobs. Something had to give, so I said: ‘Either stop taking the drugs or the band’s over.’

“I was trying to keep a bunch of geniuses playing to the best of their ability rather than like a load of bloody chimpanzees. The journey home was incredibly silent. No one spoke to me. Then I got a message from the office: ‘They will not work with you anymore, Roger. You’re out of the band.’

“So for two days it was like: ‘Oh f*ck, what have I done?’ Then it was: ‘F*ck it. I started that band, I’ll start another one.’ And I would have.”

What is your greatest regret?

“I don’t have regrets. I can’t regret any of it. I’ve made huge mistakes, but I don’t regret any of it because it’s turned me into who I am now.”

What was your biggest waste of money?

“Cars. They’re lumps of tin. We’re all in the same traffic jam, so who gives a sh*t what you’re driving. But when you’ve got the ego of youth, you want Ferraris.”

You’ve said Keith Moon ‘knew which buttons to push,’ John Entwistle had a ‘very spiteful streak,’ and talking to Pete is like ‘walking through a minefield in clown shoes.’ So why do you love these people?

“Because they were my mates and I recognized their talent. They were brilliant. The great thing about them was that we used to fire each other up. That’s what it was all about.”