Zak Starkey Rejoins The Who After Resolving Internal Band Dispute

Zak Starkey, longtime drummer for The Who and son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has officially rejoined the legendary rock band just days after reports surfaced that he had been dismissed. The confusion surrounding his status was addressed in a detailed statement by guitarist Pete Townshend, who explained that communication issues and performance challenges during recent shows had led to misunderstandings. Townshend clarified that Starkey was not being asked to step down and accepted responsibility for some of the miscommunication, citing personal recovery from knee surgery and technical issues during the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts in March.

Townshend emphasized that both he and frontman Roger Daltrey had spoken to Starkey, asking him to adjust his drumming style to better fit the band’s current non-orchestral setup. Starkey accepted the request and expressed gratitude for remaining part of The Who. He reposted Townshend’s statement with a message of appreciation.

Amid rumors of Starkey’s replacement by drummer Scott Devours, Townshend also apologized to Devours for not dispelling the speculation sooner. Devours continues to support Daltrey on his solo tour. Starkey has been a part of The Who since 1996 and is also involved in other musical projects, including the supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos.