Pete Townshend has admitted that Zak Starkey’s exit from The Who earlier this year was “a mess,” shedding light on the behind-the-scenes drama that’s gripped the legendary rock band.
Starkey, the long-time drummer and son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, was dropped from the lineup, rejoined, and then dismissed again – all within a short and chaotic window.
The turmoil reportedly stems from The Who’s performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall in April, where issues with sound and performance were highlighted. Townshend told the i newspaper that he didn’t see anything wrong with the show, suggesting the conflict may have been more personal than professional. “What you see is a band who haven’t played together for a long time,” Pete said. “But I think it was probably to do with the sound. I’ve lost my sound man as a result.”
Townshend pointed to Roger Daltrey as a key figure in the tension, saying: “I think Roger just got lost. Roger’s finding it difficult. I have to be careful what I say about Roger because he gets angry if I say anything about him at all. He’ll be sacking me next.” He added that Zak’s dismissal was “a decision Roger and I tried to make together, but it kind of got out of hand.”
Asked if it was difficult to let Zak go, Pete was blunt: “Well, I’ve never been a huge… I didn’t invite him in, right? Roger invited him.” He went on to compare Zak to original Who drummer Keith Moon, calling him both a blessing and a challenge: “Zak is another Keith Moon. He comes with real, real bonuses and real, real difficulties.”
Despite the clash, Townshend made it clear he has no hard feelings. “I will miss Zak terribly. But quite what the story is, I don’t f****** know. I really don’t know.”
Zak Starkey, meanwhile, has also spoken out, placing the blame squarely on Daltrey. He told the Telegraph: “What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong. I watched the show and I can’t find any dropped beats.” According to Zak, Pete sided with Roger simply to avoid conflict after decades of disagreements.
Zak has even reached out to Bob Dylan, asking if he needs a drummer. No reply yet. Still, the door with The Who may not be fully shut. “I spoke to Roger last week and he said: ‘Don’t take your drums out of The Who’s warehouse yet in case we need you.’ I said: ‘Best let me know.’”
For now, it’s clear that the Zak Starkey exit from The Who wasn’t just about music – it was about personalities, history, and the unpredictable storm that has always followed this iconic band.
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