Pete Townshend has shared his perspective on Zak Starkey’s departure from The Who. He expressed uncertainty about the circumstances while revealing tensions within the band in an interview with iNews.
The guitarist’s comments addressed the recent personnel change and his cautious approach to discussing band dynamics with Roger Daltrey.
“I couldn’t see anything wrong,” Townshend said. “What you see [in the footage of the gig] is a band who haven’t played together for a long time. But I think it was probably to do with the sound. I’ve lost my sound man as a result.”
Townshend revealed the delicate nature of his relationship with bandmate Roger Daltrey when discussing internal decisions.
“I think Roger just got lost,” he continued. “Roger’s finding it difficult. I have to be careful what I say about Roger because he gets angry if I say anything about him at all. He’ll be sacking me next. But that’s not to say that he sacked Zak. It’s a decision Roger and I tried to make together, but it kind of got out of hand.”
The veteran musician also reflected on Starkey’s role in the band and the circumstances of his involvement.
“I didn’t invite him in, right? Roger invited him,” Townshend explained. “And at that time, I don’t know quite why he chose Zak, but Zak is another Keith Moon. He comes with real, real bonuses and real, real difficulties.”
“I will miss Zak terribly,” he concluded. “But quite what the story is, I don’t fucking know. I really don’t know.”
The departure marks the end of a significant chapter in The Who’s history. Starkey’s tenure with the band spanned nearly three decades of performances and recordings.
Radio Times reported that Starkey left The Who after nearly 30 years as their drummer to focus on other projects following a medical emergency earlier this year involving blood clots in his leg. He recovered from the health scare. This incident raised concerns about his ability to perform at the band’s expected level and contributed to underlying tensions during recent shows.
The situation became more complicated when Vinyl Me Please documented that tensions escalated during performances, including a public disagreement with Daltrey at the Royal Albert Hall. These incidents highlighted the growing friction within the band that ultimately led to the drummer’s exit.
Starkey himself disputed the narrative surrounding his departure. Los Angeles Times confirmed that the drummer stated he was fired and never intended to leave the band voluntarily. He denied claims that he quit and emphasized his commitment to The Who before the split occurred.
People revealed another layer to the story. Starkey had recently declined an offer to tour with Oasis, choosing to remain with The Who before the unexpected termination. This decision underscores the drummer’s dedication to the band and makes his subsequent firing all the more surprising to industry observers.
