"Never liked the way that little man runs that band”: Ringo Starr slams The Who's frontman over son Zak Starkey’s fallout

Drummer Zak Starkey, son of The Beatles icon Ringo Starr, is still processing his latest departure from The Who, but he’s not the only one with strong feelings about the situation. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Starkey shared his father’s candid reaction to the back-and-forth surrounding his involvement with the iconic band.

“He [Ringo Starr] said, ‘I’ve never liked the way that little man runs that band.’”

Zak Starkey was referring to his father's—Ringo Starr's—opinion on The Who’s frontman, Roger Daltrey.

The younger Starr’s future with the band has been unclear in recent months following a series of firings and re-hirings. The confusion began in April, when The Who announced they had “made a collective decision” to part ways with Zak Starkey. Days later, Pete Townshend appeared to reverse the decision, only to again declare that it was “time for a change.”

By May, Starkey himself said he had not been fired but rather “‘retired’ to work [on] my own projects.”

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Starkey admitted he still doesn’t know where he stands:

“I spoke to Roger last week. He said, ‘Don’t take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you.’ What the f**k? These guys are f**kin’ insane! I’ve been fired more times than [late Who drummer] Keith Moon in ten days.”

Starkey described The Who as unpredictable and often chaotic, adding that there’s “nothing normal” about the band.

“You’ve got an abstract, conceptualist artist who thinks the band is an art installation. And then you’ve got another guy who is a street fighter. It’s all very weird.”

Ringo Starr's son also discussed their dynamic during performances, especially with Townshend:

“When me and Pete catch fire, probably anyone’s going to get lost. And probably anyone will. But we won’t. When we’re onstage, it’s like we’re f**king. Offstage it can be a little awkward after those 15 minutes. But onstage, It’s like, ‘Cigarette, darling?’”

The Royal Albert Hall performance in March was one of the flashpoints. Starkey said Daltrey blamed loud drums for vocal issues, but the drummer disagreed with that assessment:

“He came in four bars early. And he just asked for the drums to be turned up, and he couldn’t hear the piano.”

Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey says he’d still return to The Who despite being let go

Nevertheless, Starkey said that he loves Roger and praised him.

“He never misses a note. His voice is still so pure. It’s like a laser beam. He always nails it. They’ve not changed one key since the start of conceptual art as rock & roll.”

Reflecting on what followed, Starkey said he was later fired for allegedly dropping “two beats”:

“I’ve watched that film three times. I’m looking on the floor, and I can’t see it. If I drop two beats, where the f**k are they?”

Despite the tension and uncertainty, Starkey, son of The Beatles' Ringo Starr, insists there’s no bitterness:

“I don’t hold any grudges. It’s the Who. Weirder s**t than this has gone down.”

Trending

And if asked to return? Starkey said he still would.

“I said to Pete, ‘Thirty years. In the 30 years, you put the bar so f**kin’ high. What the f**k do I do now?’”

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback