{"id":115878,"date":"2025-08-03T15:08:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T15:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/115878\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T15:08:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T15:08:14","slug":"roger-daltrey-accuses-zak-starkey-of-character-assassination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/115878\/","title":{"rendered":"Roger Daltrey Accuses Zak Starkey of ‘Character Assassination’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Roger Daltrey<\/a> has accused Zak Starkey<\/a> of character assassination, declaring that the fuss over the Who<\/a> drummer’s recent dismissal was “incredibly upsetting.”<\/p>\n

Starkey served in the band for 29 years before he was fired in April after an onstage incident during the band’s performance at Royal Albert Hall.<\/p>\n

Daltrey is\u00a0said\u00a0to have complained about Starkey overplaying during the show, telling the crowd<\/a>: \u201cTo sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can\u2019t.\u00a0All I\u2019ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can\u2019t sing to that. I\u2019m sorry, guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Less than a week later, the group rehired Starkey<\/a>. “He’s not being asked to step down from the Who,” guitarist Pete Townshend<\/a> explained. “There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.”<\/p>\n

A month later, Starkey was out again, this time insisting that he had been asked to lie about his dismissal. \u201cI was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the Who to pursue my other musical endeavors,\u201d he\u00a0wrote<\/a>. \u201cThis would be a lie. I love the Who and would never had [sic] quit.”<\/p>\n

Read More: Why Are So Many Rock Bands Changing Drummers in 2025?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In a new interview with the Times<\/a>, Daltrey gave his side of the Royal Albert Hall story and everything that has happened since. \u201c[The sound] is controlled by a guy on the side, and we had so much sub-bass on the sound of the drums that I couldn\u2019t pitch. I was pointing to the bass drum and screaming at [Starkey] because it was like flying a plane without seeing the horizon. So when Zak thought I was having a go at him, I wasn\u2019t. That\u2019s all that happened.”<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of a character assassination and it was incredibly upsetting,\u201d he added of the ensuing fallout. “Pete and I retain the right to be The Who. Everyone else is a session player.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Who launched their The Song is Over farewell tour last month in Italy<\/a>, with\u00a0Scott Devours taking over for Starkey on drums. The tour hits the United States on Aug. 16 in Sunrise, Florida and is currently scheduled to conclude on Sept. 28 in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

The Who Albums Ranked<\/p>\n

Half of the Who’s studio albums are all classics, essential records from rock’s golden age. But where should you start?<\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci<\/a><\/p>\n