The Who Fires Drummer Zak Starkey After Royal Albert Hall Performance
The iconic rock band The Who has parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey, son of legendary drummer Ringo Starr, following a series of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. According to reports, the decision to fire Starkey came after lead singer Roger Daltrey expressed frustration with Starkey’s drumming style during a March 30 performance.
*Reasons Behind the Split*
– *Tension Between Daltrey and Starkey*: Daltrey was reportedly unhappy with Starkey’s performance, feeling that he was overplaying and overpowering the rest of the band. During one song, Daltrey paused and told the audience, “To sing that song, I 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.”
– *Health Issues*: Contrary to reports of Starkey “overplaying,” sources suggest that comments on his drumming no longer being up to standard stem from him suffering a blood clot in his leg earlier this year. This forced Starkey’s supergroup, Mantra of the Cosmos, to cancel a secret gig in Soho in January.
*Aftermath and Future Plans*
– *Acrimonious Split*: The split between The Who and Starkey is reportedly “a little acrimonious to say the least,” with the band having “few issues with the drumming” but feeling that the standard wasn’t as high as everyone wanted.
– *No Replacement Announced*: A replacement for Zak Starkey has yet to be announced, leaving the band’s future drumming plans uncertain.
– *Daltrey’s Health Concerns*: In a separate development, Daltrey revealed that he has been told he is going blind, joking that if he lost his voice, he would “go full Tommy,” referencing the band’s iconic rock opera.¹ ²
