THE WHO Fires Drummer ZAK STARKEY For A Second Time In A Month

The Who's drummer situation is a mess these days. It all started on April 16, when The Who issued a statement saying they decided to part ways with Starkey: "The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future."

Starkey issued his own statement at the time to Rolling Stone, in part noting that he was "surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night." So the issue was absolutely a catalyst for being let go.

"I'm very proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my Godfather, 'uncle Keith [Moon]' has been the biggest honor 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.

"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 '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."

Then on April 19, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend said Starkey wasn't fired and blamed the whole thing on "some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily." So Starkey wasn't fired at all? Well, for that instance, yeah – he was still in the band.

On May 18, Townshend posted a photo on his Instagram saying Starkey had been fired for real this time, and made some statements that Starkey himself would later call out to be false: "After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best. Scott Devours who has worked with Roger's solo band will join the Who for our Final shows. Please welcome him."

Starkey said he was told by The Who to say he had other projects and that he quit the band, noting that he refused to make the statement The Who's management wanted him to make: "I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie. I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn't make the statement… quitting the who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox x."

The Who has the following farewell dates lined up, before which I'm sure Starkey will be re-hired and fired at least twice more. Get your tickets here.

7/20 Piazzola sul Brenta, IT Anfiteatro Camerini
7/22 Milano, IT Parco della Musica
7/30 Halifax, UK The Piece Hall
8/1 Saffron Walden, UK Audley End
8/8 Margate, UK Dreamland
8/16 Sunrise, FL Amerant Bank Arena
8/19 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
8/21 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
8/23 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
8/26 Boston, MA Fenway Park
8/28 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
8/30 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
9/2 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
9/4 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
9/7 Chicago, IL United Center
9/17 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
9/19 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
9/21 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
9/23 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
9/25 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
9/28 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena