The Who's Inner Struggles Explode as Zak Starkey Is Sacked Again
Shake-ups in legendary bands aren’t rare, but the sacking of Zak Starkey from The Who—just as they gear up for a much-hyped farewell tour—has fans doing double takes. Anyone who follows rock knows Starkey carries iconic bloodlines as Ringo Starr’s son, and after keeping time for The Who for 28 years, no one saw this coming… at least, not like this.
The tension started bubbling over after The Who’s annual Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall back in March. Frontman Roger Daltrey, according to eyewitness accounts and even a review from Metro, was thoroughly unimpressed with Starkey’s drumming on certain classic tracks. This wasn’t a quiet, behind-the-scenes feud. It reached the stage, and by all accounts, spilled over into days of arguments and uncertainty in the band’s camp.
On the surface, guitarist Pete Townshend tried to keep things above board, claiming “the time has come for a change” and wishing Starkey well with new projects. But Zak himself shot back with a very different version. He says he was outright fired—not walking away voluntarily—and claims he was pressured to put out a public statement about leaving for other musical endeavors that wasn’t true. For him, the past few weeks have been nothing but “mayhem.” He called the ordeal a heartbreak, especially knowing he’d let down The Who’s legion of devoted fans.
Farewell Tour in Question and Legacy on the Line
This drama lands at a tough time for *The Who*. Their upcoming farewell tour is meant to be a victory lap for decades of anthems and sold-out shows. Instead, they’re facing a critical lineup reshuffle. Scott Devours, a regular with Daltrey’s solo work, is officially stepping in behind the kit—so fans can expect a different feel at these historic shows.
Starkey’s musical resume stretches past The Who, including work with Oasis, Johnny Marr, and more recently the supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos. The break is personal too, given how much Starkey openly loved being part of The Who’s world. He pointedly said, “the truth has to come out,” and didn’t hide his disappointment at being sidelined so abruptly.
It’s not the first time The Who has rotated drummers. Josh Freese, who’s played with the band before, voiced his own shock about the news, saying he’d never been let go from a group in his career and supported the band’s choices. But with so many moving pieces and emotions raw, the usual sense of stability that comes with iconic rock institutions looks shaky here.
As the farewell tour approaches, all eyes are locked on how Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey steer the ship through these choppy waters. For long-time followers, this is more than just a personnel change; it’s a test of The Who’s legacy, unity, and what it really means to say goodbye.
