The Who’s farewell tour just got a little messier — again. Zak Starkey, who’s been bashing the skins for the band since the mid-’90s, has come out swinging after being officially replaced by Roger Daltrey’s solo drummer, Scott Devours.
In a new Instagram post, Starkey claims he was asked to “make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue other musical endeavours.” But as he bluntly puts it: “This would be a lie.”
“I love The Who and would never have quit,” he added. “Quitting would have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me… through the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out like a bleedin’ squeezebox.’”
Starkey says he was reinstated briefly after being fired, only to get the boot again two weeks later. And now he’s had enough of the PR tap-dancing.
Townshend and Daltrey followed up with their own statement, pointing to the “age gap” between them and Starkey and saying he needs to focus on his other projects. “The Who are heading for retirement,” they wrote. “Zak is 20 years younger and has a great future… we both wish him all the luck in the world.”
Which is… polite. But if you’re reading between the lines, this split was anything but mutual.
Zak’s worked with everyone from Oasis to Johnny Marr to the Lightning Seeds, not to mention his own chaos-core supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos (featuring Shaun Ryder, Bez, and Andy Bell — yes, that’s real). He says none of these gigs ever interfered with The Who’s famously sporadic touring, and he was happy to keep the ride going.
Instead, he’s out. Not by choice. And he’s making sure you know it.
For a band that once claimed “hope I die before I get old,” The Who are still finding new ways to drag out a farewell. And apparently, Zak’s not going quietly.
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