The former drummer of The Who, Zak Starkey, had a nearly three-decade run with the band, which has come to an unexpected end. The sudden split has sparked speculation, especially after their recent performance at the Royal Albert Hall. This has prompted fans to wonder what happened. Read on to know more.
Here’s what happened to The Who and drummer Zak Starkey
After nearly three decades as drummer for The Who, Zak Starkey has officially parted ways with the legendary rock band. According to a representative for The Who, the decision to part ways was mutual.
The representative said, “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.” (via The Guardian)
The split reportedly started from tensions during their recent performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The frontman, Roger Daltrey, appeared visibly frustrated on stage during their March performance. According to a Metro review, Daltrey paused the final song and said, “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 seemed to respond to the news with a sarcastic post on Instagram. Alongside a photo of himself with Roger Daltrey, he joked about “formal charges of overplaying.”
Starkey later issued a sincere statement, calling his 29 years with the band an “honor,” and revealed he had recently recovered from a serious health scare involving blood clots in his leg. He added, “I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me.” (via The Hollywood Reporter)
He expressed surprise at the criticism of his performance and said he’s now shifting his focus to spending time with his family. The drummer also remains focused on the upcoming release of his band Mantra of the Cosmos’ album with Noel Gallagher and finishing his autobiography.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.
