Roger Daltrey has reflected on why The Who never fully embraced the psychedelic movement that defined much of the late 1960s music scene, despite sharing bandmate Pete Townshend's countercultural, anti-war outlook. While contemporaries leaned into flower-power imagery and messages of peace and unity, Daltrey found the genre's dreamy aesthetic overblown and preferred grittier, soul-influenced music instead.

Daltrey explained that psychedelia felt "too spongy" and "pretentious" to him, saying he "couldn't wait to get back to a good bit of Otis Redding." He noted that although The Who shared the anti-war sentiment of the era, their approach was to embody the aggression and chaos of conflict on stage rather than preach peace, distinguishing them from Summer of Love acts. This raw, confrontational energy carried through into performances like the band's Live At Leeds album, reinforcing Daltrey's belief that rock needed genuine heart and rawness rather than superficial trends to endure.