The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have axed their long-time drummer Zak Starkey. The rock legends made the decision to part company after their two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in March.
He has been The Who’s full-time drummer since their Quadrophenia Tour in 1996. A spokesperson for The Who said: “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.”
Sources claim the decision has upset Zak. An insider said: “It’s a little acrimonious to say the least.” Sources claim there were question marks over Zak’s drumming at the March shows, which were in honour of Daltrey’s Teenage Cancer Trust charity.
The shows over two nights featured a star-studded audience including Bill Murray, Sadie Frost, Paul McKenna and Tracy-Ann Oberman. Hollywood star Murray was pictured catching up with Daltrey backstage after the gig.
While fans gave the band a standing ovation, insiders claim there were a “few issues with the drumming….and the standard wasn’t as high as everyone wanted.”
But others believe Zak has been hard done by, and disagree. A source said: “He is an extremely talented drummer and it doesn’t make any sense.”
It comes after Zak suffered a blood clot in his leg in January. The drummer, 59, who also plays in the indie band Mantra of the Cosmos, was advised to rest and take blood thinners for two weeks following the clot.
In 2004, Zak joined Oasis, filling a void left by long-time member Alan White’s departure. The band split in 2009. He was rumoured to be involved in the upcoming Oasis reunion. The Mirror revealed last August how Zak was banned from staying at a Victorian manor house on Airbnb after he let slip he was planning a party.
Zak had booked the six-bed pad in the Chilterns for his wife Sharna Liguz’s 40th birthday. But while he was looking around the plush property, Zak told the cleaners he was throwing a bash, with a host of showbiz pals – including Liam Gallagher, 51, and 60-year-old Johnny Marr – invited.
Zak said: “The Airbnb hosts cancelled after Googling me and seeing Oasis and The Who – the two worst-behaved bands in the history of rock ’n’ roll . It would look great on a T-shirt.”
Zak wed Sharna, known as Sshh, in 2022 in an intimate do at the Sunset Marquis hotel in West Hollywood. Dad Ringo attended the bash and Zak’s best man was Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam. Marr watched the ceremony via a video link.
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