Zak Starkey Issues First Statement After Getting Fired From The Who

After nearly three decades behind the drums for The Who, Zak Starkey is speaking out following his unexpected dismissal from the legendary band. The son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr says he’s “surprised and saddened” by the decision, which comes shortly after their shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Fired After 29 Years

On Tuesday, The Who announced they had made “a collective decision to part ways” with Starkey. The drummer appeared to take the news in stride—at least on Instagram—where he joked that the band had brought “formal charges of overplaying” against him. The post came off as cheeky, but the story runs deeper.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Starkey gave a more heartfelt response. He said:

“I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who.
“Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith [Moon]’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me.”

Health Scare and Moving Forward

Starkey also opened up about a serious health issue earlier this year.

“In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”

He added:

“After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do? I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of Domino Bones by Mantra of the Cosmos with Noel Gallagher in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me. Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”

The Moment That Sparked It All?

Video from The Who’s March 30 show shows Roger Daltrey pausing during “This Song Is Over” to complain about the sound. “To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t,” Daltrey says. “All I’ve got is drum sound: boom, boom, boom. And I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.”

Whether it was the mix or Starkey’s style, the tension was clearly felt. Now, Starkey is moving on—with gratitude, and a few beats of his own still to come.

Watch the interrupted song performance in the video below: