(Credits: Patrick Gunning / Dena Flows)
Sun 18 May 2025 21:01, UK
After firing and re-hiring their long-standing drummer in April, The Who have released an official statement blaming the age gap as the reason they let go of Zak Starkey.
On the afternoon of May 18th, guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend revealed that the band were letting go of their drummer of 29 years by way of an Instagram post: It read: “After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for change.” This was the second time in two months the band fired Starkey.
Starkey re-posted the same photo with his own message written over the top. It said: “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie.”
This saga comes after a public on-stage struggle at a charity show at the Royal Albert Hall, it was presumed the drummer of 29 years had been fired from the band. A spokesperson for The Who confirmed his departure at the time, stating, “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.”
After Starkey’s response, The Who released an official statement in the comment of an Instagram post that brandished the logo for their upcoming farewell tour. The statement began: “The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects.”
It continued: “He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world.”
In his original post, Townshend had mentioned that Scott Devours would replace Starkey on future show dates. Devours had been rumoured to be Starkey’s replacement the first time he was “fired”. Now, the official statement reveals this was true: “Scott Devours – Who fans will know him from Roger’s solo shows – will be replacing Zak. We hope all our fans will welcome him.”
They sign the post off, simply: “Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.”
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