The Who Admits Zak Starkey Firing Was Messy Ahead of Farewell Tour

Pete Townshend of The Who characterized the departure of longtime drummer Zak Starkey as "a mess" and admitted the situation "got out of hand." The split followed a problematic performance during the band's Teenage Cancer Trust charity shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, where frontman Roger Daltrey, who has hearing difficulties, reportedly became frustrated with Starkey's playing during "The Song Is Over." Townshend, who did not originally invite Starkey to the band but acknowledged he was brought in by Daltrey, said he saw no fault in Starkey's performance and attributed the issues largely to sound problems and the band not having played together recently. Starkey has publicly stated he was fired rather than having left voluntarily, contradicting the band's official narrative, and his father, Ringo Starr, criticized Daltrey's management of the situation. Townshend expressed caution in discussing Daltrey's role, noting the tension and that decisions were made jointly but the fallout escalated beyond their control. Despite the turmoil, Townshend said he will miss Starkey and reflected on the band's dynamic as they prepare for their farewell tour, with some internal disagreement over continuing to produce new music.