Daltrey, Townshend Blame Starkey in The Who Split

Roger Daltrey of The Who has accused former drummer Zak Starkey of 'character assassination' following Starkey's dismissal from the band after a disputed onstage mistake during a March concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Both Daltrey and Pete Townshend blamed Starkey for the error, while Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, argued that Daltrey was at fault due to technical sound issues and inadequate rehearsal. Starkey was fired, briefly reinstated, and then dismissed again, with conflicting accounts about whether he quit or was fired. Daltrey has emphasized that only he and Townshend are official members of The Who, describing others as session players. Technical challenges with electronic drums were cited as a factor in the onstage confusion. The Who have since replaced Starkey with Scott Devours for their farewell tour, and the dispute continues to be discussed publicly.