Zak Starkey, longtime drummer for The Who and son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, is setting the record straight about his recent absence from the iconic rock band’s current tour. After weeks of speculation and fan chatter about whether he was quietly let go, Starkey has clarified that he was not fired—he was “retired.”
Speaking candidly in a new interview with Classic Rock Weekly, Starkey addressed rumors that tensions between him and lead singer Roger Daltrey were to blame for his exit. “There’s no bad blood. I wasn’t fired. I was retired,” Starkey said with a laugh. “I found out like everyone else, really. But I’m cool with it. I’m on good terms with Rog. He even sent me a nice message recently.”
The phrasing—“I was retired”—suggests the decision may not have come directly from Starkey himself, but the drummer made it clear he’s not holding any grudges. “It’s a legacy band,” he added. “They’re entitled to do what they want with it. I had a good run—28 years behind the kit with them. That’s not nothing.”
Starkey first joined The Who in 1996, becoming a fixture in their live performances and a key part of their post-Moon era sound. Known for his powerful yet nuanced drumming, many fans viewed him as the closest thing the band could get to channeling the wild spirit of original drummer Keith Moon—both musically and genetically. He was, after all, Moon’s godson.
When The Who recently announced a new run of orchestral shows without Starkey on drums, fans quickly noticed—and questions followed. Neither Daltrey nor Pete Townshend initially addressed his absence, leading to online speculation ranging from health issues to a behind-the-scenes falling out.
But Starkey’s calm, reflective response appears to have cooled the rumors. “I’m doing my own thing now—recording, producing, playing when I feel like it. No drama. Just a new chapter.”
While The Who marches forward with a revamped lineup, Zak Starkey seems at peace, living up to the rock ‘n’ roll ethos his father helped define: don’t explain too much, and always keep playing.
