The Who to release new material

British rock veterans The Who are planning to release a mini-opera online.

The 11 minute long project, entitled 'The Glass Household', is based on Pete Townshend's internet novella 'The Boy Who Heard Music' and will be availablefrom June.

According to the guitarist's website, www.petetownshend.co.uk, it will befollowed by a "conventional CD" in September.

The Who have not released an album of new material since 1982, but fans canexpect an LP some time this year.

Townshend, with bandmate Roger Daltrey, has composed ten songs since the start of the New Year and has promised fans going along to the band'sforthcoming live shows a sneak preview of their latest musical creations.

He said: "Two of the tracks are full-length and quite complex, the rest shorter, punchier or simple and ballad-like. I played all the parts myself, as is my habit while I'm composing. I moved into Oceanic, my large studio, and began work with other musicians on February 28, three days after thelast posting of the novella on the internet."

The Who will be touring Europe this summer beginning with a concert inBrighton on June 18.