4 days Ago By Lisa McLoughlin
The Who have parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey after nearly three decades, following the band’s recent run of London shows. In a statement, a spokesperson for the band said: “The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.
” Starkey, 59, is the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr and had been part of The Who’s touring and recording lineup since 1996. But a post shared on his social media earlier this week hinted at growing tensions with frontman Roger Daltrey . Referring to criticism over his recent performances, Starkey suggested he’d been accused of “overplaying” at the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts and that the band were going to “Zak [sack] the drummer.
” Sources close to the situation say the decision to let Starkey go has left him deeply upset. One insider told the Mirror : “It’s a little acrimonious to say the least.” Tensions came to a head during The Who’s March 30 charity gig at the Royal Albert Hall, where Daltrey struggled with sound issues onstage.
According to Metro, the singer stopped several songs mid-performance, citing difficulty hearing the band over the drums. During the final track The Song Is Over, Daltrey halted the show again and told the audience: “To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom.
I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.” The decision to remove Starkey marks the end of a significant chapter in the band’s history.
The drummer’s relationship with The Who was more than professional – it was deeply personal. He was gifted his first drumkit at age eight by his godfather, the band’s original drummer Keith Moon., who died from an accidental overdose in 1978.
By 12, he was already playing live gigs and had a long-standing bond with Daltrey, Townshend and the late John Entwistle, even contributing to solo projects by both Daltrey and Entwistle. He officially began performing with The Who on their Quadrophenia tour in 1996 and went on to play major shows including the 2010 Super Bowl and the 2012 London Olympics. Described by the band’s website as their “‘unofficial’ official drummer”, Starkey also had a successful career outside The Who.
In the 2000s, he drummed for Oasis and worked with artists including Paul Weller, Johnny Marr, Joe Perry, and Graham Coxon. He also fronts his own band SSHH and co-founded the reggae-focused label Trojan Jamaica, which has released music by Toots and The Maytals, Shaggy, and Santigold. The Who, led by founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend , were formed in 1964 and have undergone several lineup changes over the decades.
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