Music Townshend about Zak Starkey resignation on The Who: ‘It was a mess’ I need to be careful what I say about [Roger Daltrey]because he gets angry if I say anything. He will fire me, ‘jokes the guitarist by writing

Pete Townshend commented on the drummer’s troubled departureZak Starkey of the band The Whoadmitting, “It was a mess.”

In April, The Who – or rather, the remaining duo formed by Townshend and Roger Daltrey – announced that he had made “a collective decision to separate from Zak“, Ending a collaboration of over 30 years with the drummer. Three days later, Townshend Published: “Last news! The Who readmite Zak! ”But he turned back about a month later, reaffirming the Starkey. The drummer himself confirmed that he was “retired” by Daltrey before the farewell tour The Song isOver.

The trigger of the rupture would have been the unsatisfactory performance of Starkey in the charity shows of the Teenage Cancer Trust node Royal Albert Hallin March 2025. “[Daltrey] entered four measures before, ”said Starkey the Rolling Stone at the beginning of the month. “But he just got lost. He blamed the drums because he was too high, and then everything became this drama on social networks.”

In an interview with INEWS, Townshend He said he didn’t see any big problems in the shows: “I didn’t see anything wrong. What you see is a band that doesn’t play together for a long time. But I think it had to do with the sound. I lost my sound technician because of it.”

He added: “I think the Roger got lost. He is having difficulties. I have to be careful what I say about him, because he gets angry if anything I say. It will end up firing me too. But I’m not saying that he fired the Zak alone. It was a decision we tried to make together, but it got out of control. ”

Townshend also pointed out that it was Daltrey who brought Starkey For the band: “I didn’t invite him, ok? It was Roger.” Even so, he confessed: “I will miss the Zak. But what is the real story, I have no idea. Sincerely.”

The Who has already announced that Scott Devrs – Banda Banda Solo de Daltrey – It will be the substitute for Starkey on the farewell tour. A tour, by the way, that does not seem to excite much Townshend: “I don’t know if I want to do something with the Who Since 1973, he joked. “But I’m excited. Not because it’s the end, but because I hope we can keep exploring other things. ”

+++ Read more: The WHO element that generates greater disagreement between Daltrey and Townshend