It’s a tough time to be a drummer in the rock world right now. In the last few months, several bands, including the Who and Foo Fighters, have parted ways with their drummers. Some bands gave their timekeepers the boot for good reason. Others didn’t publicly justify ousting the man behind the kit. A few fortunate drummers decided to leave their band for new endeavors.
Videos by American Songwriter
Below, we’ll take a brief look at a few of the rock drummers who parted ways with their bands. Unfortunately, not all parties have made the reason for their splits public. In fact, at least one drummer doesn’t know why he got the boot.
Foo Fighters
Josh Freese joined the Foo Fighters in 2023, replacing the late Taylor Hawkins behind the kit. Earlier this month, the band told him they were going “in a different direction” and informed him he was no longer in the group. Freese then took to social media to share the news. Later, he released a humorous list of reasons why the rock band decided to find a new drummer.
The Who
From the outside looking in, the situation that unfolded between legendary rock band The Who and their former drummer, Zak Starkey, is mildly entertaining. Earlier this month, the band and Starkey publicly announced they were parting ways. Then, a few days later, Starkey was back in the band. Less than a week later, he had been “retired” from his position.
Starkey revealed the reason he got the boot in an interview with BBC Breakfast. “I didn’t leave. I never left,” he said. “We did a gig and there’s a song that’s called ‘The Song Is Over’ that they’ve never played live. It’s on Who’s Next, which is their biggest record, and I suggested it,” he added. “We played it at the gig and it went wrong. I’m not going to name names, but it went wrong. It went four bars wrong. We stopped it again, and it was all about the drums being too loud,” he explained. Then, Starkey pointed out, “My drums are electric–if you stand in front of them, you can’t hear them. They’re just in my ears. The next thing I know, I’m getting the sack.”
Days after welcoming Starkey back to the band, Pete Townshend later announced the band decided to “retire” the drummer so he could pursue other projects. However, he was only working with The Who full-time.
Godsmack
Last month, rock band Godsmack announced that their longtime drummer, Shannon Larkin, had left the band. Additionally, guitarist Tony Rombola stepped down. In the statement, the band stated that both former members wanted to live quiet lives and end their touring careers. According to Blabbermouth, they quit the band in 2024. However, the rest of the statement was factual. Larkin and Rombola felt it was time to retire.
Guns N’ Roses
Frank Ferrer was the drummer for rock legends Guns N’ Roses for nearly two decades. In March, the band announced that they and Ferrer were parting ways. While they didn’t share the reason behind the split, he appears to have exited his position on good terms. In a statement, Ferrer took time to thank the band for giving him memories he’ll cherish for the rest of his life.
Umphrey’s McGee
Umphrey’s McGee, the jam band behind Summer Camp Music Festival, parted ways with drummer Kris Myers after 22 years earlier this month. The band posted their statement on the lineup change along with a note from Myers on social media on May 18. The post made it clear that Myers and her former bandmates were still close. However, he wanted to explore other creative outlets.
Featured Image by Daniel DeSlover/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.