What Really Led to Zak Starkey’s Confusing ‘Firing’ from The Who

Lienor Katas

August 7, 2025

The ‘Saga’ in a Nutshell

In April 2025, The Who unexpectedly fired long‑time drummer Zak Starkey during a Royal Albert Hall show, reportedly over performance issues. Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, had been playing with the band since 1996.

Days after, Pete Townshend, the guitarist, announced that Starkey was being reinstated, citing “communication issues” as the reason for the split. But then on May 18, The Who made it official again; Starkey was replaced by Scott Devours, the drummer for Roger Daltrey’s solo project, ahead of their final North American Farewell tour.

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What the Band Says

Townshend admitted he himself didn’t hear any glaring performance flaws, suggesting the real issue might have been poor sound monitoring on stage, not Zak’s technique. He also expressed regret, saying:

“I couldn’t see anything wrong … I have to be careful what I say about Roger because he gets angry… But quite what the story is, I don’t f**king know.”- Pete Townshend

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Zak Starkey’s Perspective

In a defiant Instagram post, Starkey insisted he was fired, not retired, and rejected the band’s request for him to say otherwise. He emphasized he had no touring conflicts and was fully available for their fall schedule. He also lamented being asked to claim he left to pursue solo projects…a narrative he simply did not agree with.

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Roger Daltrey Speaks Out

Daltrey has since dismissed Starkey’s comments as “character assasination” and clarified that only he and Townshend are permanent members of the band; everyone else is considered a session or touring musician. He also reiterated that Starkey was “retired” voluntarily, not fired.

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What’s Really Going On

This back-and-forth is more than just band drama; it exposes how legacy bands operate behind the scenes. When egos, decades of history, and tight touring deadlines collide, things get messy.

What’s fascinating is the conflicting messaging: Starkey insists he was pushed out, Townshend seems confused, and Daltrey is drawing hard boundaries. It raises the question:

In legendary bands, is anyone ever truly “fired”? Or just silently faded out?

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Final Take

Zak Starkey’s confusing firing and then re-firing from The Who pulls back the curtain on how complicated band dynamics can get. Despite the public statements, it’s clear there are deeper tensions behind the scenes. And what’s most surprising? Even the band members themselves don’t seem to fully agree on what happened.

In the end, this isn’t just a story about a drummer losing a gig. It’s about how even the most legendary acts struggle with communication, creative friction, and the messy business of letting go.

Whether you believe Zak was fired, retired, or something in between, one thing’s for sure: the beat goes on but maybe with a little more drama than we realize.

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What Really Led to Zak Starkey’s Confusing ‘Firing’ from The Who