Performing next to the Who's singer Roger Daltrey is a familiar figure. The body language, the energy and that nose are unmistakable. Has Pete Townshend discovered the Dick Clark fountain of rock 'n' roll youth?

Nope. That's his kid brother, Simon Townshend.

Simon starting playing with Daltrey on the 1994 Who wannabe tour "Roger Daltrey Sings Pete Townshend." Now Daltrey has Simon — and Pete — for an official Who tour, focusing on the 1973 rock opera "Quadrophenia," that comes to Target Center in Minneapolis tonight.

Simon, who performed three years ago with Daltrey at the Minnesota State Fair, never thought he'd be coming back to the United States as part of a Who tour: "I didn't dream of it."

Simon said that Daltrey approached Pete after doing a 25-minute "Quadrophenia" segment on that 1994 tour. Last year the Who hit the comeback trail with a tour and a rerelease of a remixed "Quadrophenia" on CD and the release of the video of the 1979 "Quadrophenia" movie, featuring Sting.

Simon started as a rhythm guitarist on the tour but his role expanded after Pete realized his lead guitar responsibilities took him from the theatrical aspects. "I think the audience enjoyed seeing him play guitar, but that's not what he wanted to put across," Simon said. "He wanted to put more of the story across." Now Simon plays the melody and one or two solos, and Pete plays the rest, switching between electric and acoustic guitar.

"He's so into it," Simon said. "He's better than on the last few Who tours. My theory is that on the 1989 tour they had paid musicians — some of the best in the world. But a little bit of the love and the energy wasn't there. What myself and Zak [Starkey, the drummer] brought to the Who's music is just the desire to play it."

The younger Townshend was not hired to compensate for his brother's well-known hearing problems. "He's fine as long as we don't play too loud onstage," Simon said of Pete. "He's made such a fuss about it over the years that I think he's got it sorted out." Sometimes Pete has a

Photo provided by Stir Music File photo Don't get fooled: At age 36, Simon Townshend (left) bears a remarkable resemblance to big brother Pete (right, at age 35, during a Twin Cities concert 17 years ago).

clear panel placed between him and Starkey's drum kit.

Starkey also played with Daltrey on his 1994 tour. The son of Ringo Starr, he was taught by the late Keith Moon, the Who's original drummer. He and Simon Townshend both grew up as Who fans.

"I think Pete left home when I was 2," said Simon, 36, who is 16 years younger than his famous brother. "I don't even think of him as a brother, to be honest. We have more of an uncle/nephew-type relationship, really. . . . The reason I don't feel that brotherly thing is I spent so many years not seeing him; now it's all coming good, which is another great thing about this tour. We're actually together a lot."

As a youngster, Simon sang some high parts, including the newsboy on the Who's recording of "Tommy." He later sang and cowrote material on Pete's solo projects, "Iron Man" and "Psychoderelict." Simon, who has been playing guitar since he was 6, also has had his own career. He released two albums, "Sweet Sound" and "Moving Target," in the mid-1980s. In 1989, he toured the United States in a band with Mark Brzezicki of Big Country. In September, Simon will release his first album in 12 years, "Among Us." His four-man Simon Townshend Band features his son Ben, 18, on drums.

What's Pete been up to?

"He bought a house recently," Simon said last week from his home studio in England. "He might be writing a book now; maybe that starts after this leg [of the tour]. It's an autobiography — his big one that we've been waiting for. I don't know how much he was paid, but it was a lot."

The Who, with Ryan Downe opening, at 7:30 p.m. today, Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Minneapolis, $26.25 to $48.75, 989-5151.