Zak Starkey responds to reports he’s been fired by The Who: “I’m surprised and saddened”

Zak Starkey has responded to reports that he has been fired by The Who.

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According to a statement to The Mirror via a spokesperson for the band, yesterday (April 15) The Who’s “collective decision to part ways with Zak” comes after the recent “round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall”.

The spokesperson went on to add: “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.” An additional source told The Mirror that the split was “acrimonious to say the least”. Sources also added that the band had “few issues with the drumming… and the standard wasn’t as high as everyone wanted.”

The Who have yet to officially confirm the drummer’s departure but this evening (April 16), Starkey confirmed the news. The split comes nearly 30 years after Starkey – son of Ringo Starr – joined the band as their full-time drummer in 1996.

“I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who,” Starkey said in a written statement via Rolling Stone. “Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honour and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me. In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”

He added: “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? I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of [single] ‘Domino Bones’ by Mantra Of The Cosmos with Noel Gallagher in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me. Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”

NME has contacted a spokesperson for Starkey for further comment.

According to a report in the Metro, The Who frontman Roger Daltrey openly complained several times of Starkey “overplaying” at the Royal Albert Hall gig on March 30, at one point saying in front of 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.”

Contrary to reports of Starkey “overplaying” at recent The Who shows, comments on Starkey’s drumming no longer being at the “standard” the band wanted, seems to stem from him suffering a blood clot in his leg earlier this year.

Starkey’s supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos were due to perform a secret gig in Soho in January, but had to cancel at the last minute after the drummer was revealed to have a blood clot in his right leg, and was ordered by a doctor to take blood thinners for the condition and rest for two weeks.

A replacement for Zak Starkey in The Who has yet to be announced.

Elsewhere, the sticksman was also one of the favourites among the rumours to be joining Oasis as drummer on their reunion tour, however it has since been revealed to NME that it will in fact be Joey Waronker behind the kit.

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