Roger Daltrey on What Inspired His Classic Mic Swinging Move

Roger Daltrey is one of the best frontmen of all time for multiple reasons, but one of them is his sheer stage presence, including his iconic move where he swings his microphone around from its cord.

Daltrey appeared via video call on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and was asked what inspired him to swing his microphone while performing. Turns out, it was the result of boredom.

Daltrey explains, "I did it out of pure boredom actually. I was on a stage with two maniacs and a very straight bass player and I just got bored. I thought, 'I've got this thing in my hand and I'm fed up with holding it up there so what do I do with it?' So I kind of threw it and I held onto the cord and of course it came back. I thought, 'Well that's kind of interesting. Let's see what more I can do with it.'"

Daltrey playfully added, "I went on to be pretty good with that thing. I could take a cigarette out of someone's mouth from about 20 yards, which is quite good, you know. I was really quite a good shot with that thing, but I can't it see now, of course. I throw it up in the air and I just pray that it comes down somewhere [near me.]"

Shortly after that exchange, Daltrey's camera starts shaking. Jimmy Fallon asks if there's an earthquake, and Daltrey responds that it was just his foot kicking the camera. The frontman then purposely shakes the camera and yells, "It's [Keith] Moon come back to haunt us! He's in the next room!"