Zak Starkey, son of legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, did not go gently into that good night after his unceremonious dismissal from The Who. After nearly 30 years with the classic rock legends, Starkey, 59, has had much to say publicly about the confusing turn of events that allegedly led to his parting ways with the band. In a new interview, frontman Roger Daltrey fired back at his former bandmate, characterizing Starkey’s remarks as “character assassination.”
The Who Axed Zak Starkey Earlier This Year
In April 2025, The Who announced they were parting ways with longtime drummer Zak Starkey a few weeks after an onstage incident during a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London. However, the news didn’t stick. The band announced Starkey’s reinstatement three days later, with guitarist Pete Townshend blaming initial reports on “communication issues.”
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Later, The Who again announced their drummer’s departure, this time calling it a “retirement.” On his own social media, Starkey dismissed this account as “f–in total bollox… I was fired.”
While the precise reason for the Oasis member’s exit is still disputed, all parties agree it stemmed from The Who’s rendition of the seldom-performed 1971 track “The Song is Over” at the second Albert Hall show. Roger Daltrey, who suffers from hearing issues, stopped the song after losing his place. Irritated, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer apparently accused Starkey of playing too loudly.
However, that isn’t quite how Starkey remembers it. “What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong,” he claimed in a June interview with The Telegraph. The drummer blamed the glitch on under-rehearsal and poor planning.
[RELATED: Ringo Starr Slams “Little Man” Roger Daltrey After Son Zak Starkey Is Fired From The Who]
Roger Daltrey: Starkey’s Comments Were “Crippling”
In an interview this week with The Times, Roger Daltrey hit back at The Who’s ex-drummer. “It was kind of a character assassination,” Daltrey said, “and it was incredibly upsetting.”
Regarding the onstage snafu, the 81-year-old rocker explained, “It is controlled by a guy on the side, and we had so much sub-bass on the sound of the drums that I couldn’t pitch. I was pointing to the bass drum and screaming at [Starkey] because it was like flying a plane without seeing the horizon. So when Zak thought I was having a go at him, I wasn’t. That’s all that happened.”
Continuing, Daltrey made it quite clear whom he considers the backbone of the band. “Pete and I retain the right to be the Who. Everyone else is a session player,” he said. “You can’t replace Keith Moon. We wanted to branch out and that’s all I want to say about it. But [Starkey’s reaction] was crippling to me.”
Featured image by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage