Zak Starkey, who has been the drummer for The Who since 1996 and is the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, has officially parted ways with the band. His exit seems to follow a disagreement over his performance during their recent show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
What Happened?
A spokesperson for The Who confirmed the news in a statement to The Guardian:
“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.”
The band’s management hasn’t provided additional comments.
Zak’s Side of the Story
Starkey shared his thoughts with Variety, expressing both pride and disappointment.
“I’m proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Taking over from my godfather Keith Moon was an honor. They’ve felt like family.”
He revealed that earlier this year he had a serious medical emergency involving blood clots in his leg, but he’s now fully recovered and insists it hasn’t affected his drumming.
Despite this, Starkey seemed blindsided by criticism of his recent performance:
“After all this time playing those songs, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night — but what can you do?”
What’s Next for Zak?
He plans to step back for a while and spend time with his family. He also mentioned two upcoming personal projects:
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‘Domino Bones’ by Mantra of the Cosmos, his band with Noel Gallagher, Shaun Ryder, and others, due out in May.
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His autobiography, which he’s writing himself.
Starkey added:
“29 years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”
What Sparked the Fallout?
During the Royal Albert Hall show, frontman Roger Daltrey stopped their final song, “The Song Is Over,” mid-performance. He said he couldn’t hear the music clearly over the drums:
“All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that.”
This moment may have marked the tipping point.
Social Media Hint
Starkey hinted at the situation in a sarcastic Instagram post over the weekend. Using wordplay on his name, he joked about being “zakked” and referred to a fictional “replacement band.” The caption also took a subtle dig at Daltrey’s limited songwriting history with the band.
Past Conflicts and What’s Ahead
This isn’t the first time Daltrey has had friction with a drummer. He reportedly had tensions with Kenney Jones, who replaced Keith Moon in the early ’80s.
Starkey, aside from his long tenure with The Who, has also played with artists like Oasis, Johnny Marr, and Sly & Robbie. With an Oasis reunion tour rumored and no confirmed lineup yet, some speculate that Starkey may rejoin that circle.
