Although preparing for their final North American tour, The Who sat at the center of controversy after the group decided to part ways with longtime drummer Zak Starkey. While not unusual for bands to have lineup changes, Starkey was a member of the group for three decades. And when looking at the last few months, it all started when the band had a disagreement during a performance at the Royal Albert Hall. With Starkey fired then not fired, the drummer recently discussed the decision with Roger Daltrey, who did little to set the record straight.
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Keeping fans updated about what happened with The Who, Starkey posted a picture on Instagram that read, “Drummers: From Keith Moon to Zak Starkey and Beyonce.” Although somewhat confusing, the drummer broke it down when he wrote in the caption, “NOISE&CONFUSION!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!! Rog said I hadn’t been ‘fired’…I had been ‘retired’ to work n my own projects.”
Zak Starkey Got Nothing But An “Oh” From Roger Daltrey
While it might sound nice of Daltrey to give Starkey the chance to work on other projects, the drummer never wanted that. “I explained to Rog that I have just spent nearly 8 weeks at my studio in Jamaica completing these projects, that my group Mantra Of The Cosmos was releasing one single at the beginning of June and after that had run its course ( usually 5/6 weeks ) I was completely available for the foreseeable future….”
With that knowledge, one would think The Who would jump at the opportunity to have the drummer back. But no – “Rog said ‘Oh!’ and we kind of left it there- On good terms and great friends as we have always been . Gotta love these guys. As my mum used to say ‘The mind boggles!!!’ XXX”
Holding no animosity toward Daltrey or The Who, the confusion surrounding the entire ordeal continues to intrigue fans. But for now, Starkey is not expected to hit the road with the band for its final North American tour as Scott Devours replaced him.
(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
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