Rock n Roll
The Who Just Fired Ringo Starr’s Son Zak Starkey —Again
In a surprising and dramatic development, Zak Starkey has been dismissed from The Who for the second time in a month, just weeks before the band’s scheduled farewell tour. The announcement, made by guitarist Pete Townshend on Instagram, brings renewed attention to growing internal tensions within the legendary British rock group. Zak Starkey is the son of The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr.
“After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for a change,” Pete Townshend wrote. “A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”
Zak Starkey, who has been the band’s drummer since 1996 and is the son of The Beatles icon Ringo Starr, quickly pushed back on Pete Townshend’s framing. In his Instagram post, Zak Starkey revealed that he was asked to issue a statement claiming he had voluntarily left to pursue other musical interests, which he firmly denied.
“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit to follow my other musical endeavours. Not true,” Zak Starkey wrote. “I love The Who and would never have quit and let down so many amazing people who stood up for me through all this madness.”
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Reports of tension within the band first surfaced in March during their annual Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. A Metro review of one performance noted that lead singer Roger Daltrey appeared visibly frustrated, even stopping a song mid-performance to say: “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.”
Following initial reports in April that Zak Starkey had been let go, The Who’s official social media account briefly reversed course. A statement titled “News Flash! Who Backs Zak” declared that Starkey was not being asked to step down. Pete Townshend admitted at the time there had been “communication issues” and suggested Zak Starkey’s evolving drumming style needed some adjustments for the band’s current non-orchestral setup. At the time, Starkey reposted the message with gratitude: “V grateful to be a part of The Who family. Thanks, Roger and Pete xx.”
But that resolution appears to have unravelled. Zak Starkey’s confirmed second dismissal seems definitive and comes at a delicate time, as The Who prepares to embark on what is being billed as their final major tour.
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Despite the setback, Zak Starkey remains active in the music scene. He continues to perform with the supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos—alongside Shaun Ryder and Bez of Happy Mondays and Andy Bell of Ride and Oasis—and has previously collaborated with artists such as Oasis, the Lightning Seeds, and Johnny Marr.
His sudden departure raises questions about how The Who’s internal dynamics may affect their final run, and whether the band’s long farewell will be as harmonious as fans had hoped.
