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Who is Zak Starkey? The Who reportedly fires band's drummer over Royal Albert Hall performance dispute
Popular band The Who reportedly fired their drummer, Zak Starkey, over a dispute concerning his performance at the band's Royal Albert Hall gig that took place in March 2025.
Zak Starkey is an English rock drummer and son of Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr. While Starkey has been a part of The Who since the band's 1996 Quadrophenia tour, he has also played for his father, Johnny Marr, Sly and Robbie, Oasis, and the Lightning Seeds during the span of his career.
As per The Guardian's report dated April 16, 2025, the band's representative mentioned that the decision to fire Starkey from the group was unanimous and took place over the band's performance for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The representative's public statement mentioned:
“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.”
In addition to playing for The Who since '96, Starkey was recently a part of the supergroup 'Mantra of the Cosmos,' featuring Andy Bell from Ride and Oasis, Shaun Ryder, and Bez of the Black Grape and Happy Mondays. The supergroup featuring Starkey curated Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous) in collaboration with Noel Gallagher in January 2025.
More details about what led The Who to fire Zak Starkey, explored
As per The Guardian's report, The Who's lead vocalist, Roger Daltrey, is a patron of Teenage Cancer Trust, and he also functioned as a curator for TCT's annual gigs in London till 2024.
News of Daltrey's discontent over Zak Starkey's performance at the Royal Albert Hall started making the rounds after Metro's piece covering The Who's performance at the hall, highlighting that Daltrey expressed his issue with Starkey playing the drums at that very event.
The Metro stated that the highlights of the band's performance weren't in their popular and energetic tracks like The Real Me, because Roger Daltrey was struggling to hear through the sound of the drums. During the band's final song, The Song Is Over, the band's lead vocalist reportedly told the audience:
“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.”
Additionally, the drummer reportedly took to Instagram after the Royal Albert Hall performance, hinting at the fact that he was aware of what was about to come. In the alleged IG post, Starkey wrote:
“Heard today from inside source that Toger Daktrey [sic] lead singer and principal songwriter of the group unhappy with Zak the drummer’s performance at the Albert Hall a few weeks ago is bringing formal charges of overplaying and is literally going to Zak the drummer.”
Shortly after news of the band firing Zak Starkey was made official, the drummer gave a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. In the statement, Starkey expressed pride in his almost-30 years with the band, adding that filling the shoes of his godfather 'uncle Keith' was the "biggest honor" of his life.
Zak Starkey mentioned that he suffered a serious medical emergency in January 2025, wherein he had blood clots in his right bass drum calf. However, the condition was healed and didn't affect his running or drumming.
"After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?" the drummer added.
Toward the end of his statement to the publication, Zak Starkey mentioned that he plans to take some time off to be with his family. As for his professional plans, the drummer will be focusing on Mantra of the Cosmos releasing its track with Noel Gallagher in May 2025 and completing his autobiography.
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