Zak Starkey’s story is nothing short of amazing. The son of The Beatles rock royalty Ringo Starr and then long-time drummer for legendary rock band The Who, it’s fitting he was the subject of one one of the most talked-about rock stories of the year. And it’s equally amazing to hear him talk about it as if it were just another Sunday afternoon phone call. In a recent interview, the beloved drummer, who played with The Who for nearly three decades, said he’s genuinely at peace with his split from the band and that the old friendships haven’t faded.
If you followed the headlines earlier this year, you know this wasn’t always how the tale sounded. Starkey’s exit from The Who involved moments that felt messy and public. There was talk of him being fired, briefly brought back, and then let go again right before the band’s final tour dates. At times it almost felt like the kind of rock-and-roll twist no one expected from a group so steeped in history, because how often do you hear about a longtime bandmate of The Who both leaving and staying friends with the others?
In the new interview, Zak laughed about the confusion, even noting how back-and-forth the decisions were. He said he and Roger Daltrey had chatted on the phone just weeks after the departure and that there were never “enemies or anything” between them. “I wouldn’t bury a friendship over it,” he said, noting how long the relationship has lasted.
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That word friendship feels like the heart of this new chapter. After all, Starkey joined The Who back in 1996 and carried the rhythmic torch his actual godfather Keith Moon once lit. He watched legendary albums and iconic shows unfold with the band, and it sounds like the memories still mean something real to him, even if the farewell tour happened without him behind the drums.
What’s striking is how grounded his perspective sounds here. There’s none of that bitter rock-star edge you might expect after being shown the door (twice). Instead, he frames it as part of band business, complicated and messy, but not something to let sully decades of connection. Zak talks about how normal his upbringing seemed despite being constantly surrounded by rock superstars, and how deep his connection the to The Who runs.
Fans seem to be responding with relief and respect. “It’s Moon, then Starkey. No question. Both cut from the same drummer cloth,” one shared online after the interview dropped. And maybe that’s the real point here: a story that could’ve been all conflict ends up as a reminder that sometimes art and friendship go deeper than the headlines.
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