Who Parted Ways With Zak Starkey
WHO has been reported to have terminated their relationship with former drummer Zak Starkey following stress experienced during their recent performance at the Royal Albert Hall—find out more below.
Statement From The Band
According to a statement from Mirror, the group “Collective Solution of WHO” announced the separation from Zak after the recent “round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall.”
The representative continued, “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” A further source informed the Mirror that the split was “sharp, if not more.” Sources also mentioned that the band had “a few issues with the drums… and the standard was not as high as everyone desired.”
The parting comes nearly 30 years after Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, joined the group as their permanent drummer in 1996. As of now, neither WHO nor Starkey have confirmed the dismissal following their performance at the Royal Albert Hall last month for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
According to a Metro report, Roger Daltrey openly expressed concerns about Starkey’s performance during their concert at the Royal Albert Hall on March 30, stating to the audience, “To sing this song, I need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I have is the drums that go boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing. I apologize, guys.”
It seems Starkey hinted at the dismissal over social media on Sunday (April 13), using a pun on Daltrey’s name to suggest that Roger wanted him “a drummer’s ZA (dismissal).” Starkey posted a photo with Daltrey and wrote, “The heart is from the source today… that (Roger Daltrey) is the vocalist and main songwriter of the group, unhappy with the drummer’s performance at Albert Hall a few weeks ago, making formal charges of reevaluation and literally going to Zak the Drummer.” See the full post below.
In contrast to reports regarding Starkey’s “rethinking,” it appears that comments about his drumming no longer meeting the group’s desired “standard” may stem from his recent health issues, as he suffered from a blood clot in his leg earlier this year.
The supergroup Starkey Mantra of the Cosmos was scheduled to have a secret concert in Soho in January, but it had to be canceled at the last minute once it was revealed that the drummer had a blood clot in his right leg, leading to a doctor’s order for rest and blood thinners for two weeks.
An announcement regarding Starkey’s replacement in WHO is still pending.
In other news, Daltrey recently told audiences that he was informed he would “go blind.” Referring to the titular character of the 1969 rock opera, he added, “Thank God, I still have my voice. If I lose it, I will go full Tommy.”
https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-who-fire-drummer-zak-starkey-following-tension-at-recent-royal-albert-hall-gigs-its-a-little-acrimonious-to-say-the-least-3855272?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-who-fire-drummer-zak-starkey-following-tension-at-recent-royal-albert-hall-gigs-its-a-little-acrimonious-to-say-the-least
