Drummer Zak Starkey is not parting company with The Who despite issuing a statement to the contrary.
Pete Townshend, who co-founded the English rock band, clarified Starkey’s status with the band after the son of The Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr issued a statement earlier this week saying he was parting ways with the band.
Zak is “not being asked to step down from The Who”, Townshend said in a statement on Instagram on Saturday, alongside a photo of him hugging Starkey on a stage.
“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily,” he explained.
He noted that he and The Who singer and co-founder Roger Daltrey asked Zak to “tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line-up”, which the drummer agreed to.
The guitarist also said that he takes “responsibility for some of the confusion” following The Who’s Royal Albert Hall show last month.
“We are a family, this blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen. It’s over,” he continued. “We move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies.”
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE
Follow us at https://bsky.app/profile/noise11.bsky.social
Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook
