English rock band The Who have parted ways with longtime drummer Zak Starkey following a dispute between him and frontman Roger Daltrey during their Royal Albert Hall concert last month, as per reports by the UK media.
Starkey, 59, son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his first wife Maureen Starkey, has been The Who’s full-time drummer since their Quadrophenia tour in 1996.
A representative of the band stated that the decision was mutual and followed their performance at the Royal Albert Hall in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT).
“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 said in a statement, according to a report by Guardian.
However, a review of the March gig suggested tension onstage, with Daltrey allegedly voicing frustration about Starkey’s drumming. During the band’s final song, The Song Is Over, Daltrey reportedly paused the performance 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.”
Starkey has also given a statement to People magazine. “I’m very proud of my near-30 years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my godfather, ‘Uncle Keith’ — the band’s original drummer, Keith Moon — has been the biggest honour, and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me,” he said.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Starkey shared a photo of him and Daltrey with a cheeky caption that read, “Heard today from inside source that Toger Daktrey [sic], lead singer and principal songwriter of the group, unhappy with Zak the drummer’s performance at the Albert Hall a few weeks ago, is bringing formal charges of overplaying and is literally going to Zak the drummer.”
Starkey, who also plays in the indie band Mantra of the Cosmos and previously replaced Oasis drummer Alan White in 2004, is currently working on his autobiography.
