Legendary Rock Band's New Drummer Makes Powerful Statement

Yahoo

23-05-2025

The Who's new drummer Scott Devours has issued a statement on Instagram following the news of his new role, and he's paying tribute to the legendary band's history int he process.
Devours, who was previously Roger Daltrey's solo band drummer, was named The Who's new drummer after Zak Starkey's firing. Devours did not take his new role lightly.
'It's hard to express the tsunami of emotions that I'm processing since that incredible news,' he wrote. 'The amount of positivity thrown my way has been overwhelming, I truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Also, please don't ask me for tickets, lol.'
In his post, Devours acknowledged that fans might feel "gutted" by Starkey's departure, admitting that, as a devoted fan himself, he's also grappling with the loss and feeling the weight of it.
'In my world, there are no bigger shoes to fill than those behind Pete and Roger,' Devours wrote. 'The weight of this responsibility is enormous and I am feeling every ounce of it. What I want to say to all of the fans is that I will do everything I can to honor the legacy of The Who, Zak, Kenney Jones, Simon Phillips and the memory of the great Keith Moon. For my name to even be mentioned in a sentence like that literally sends shivers down my spine and I know I need to earn this honor. Since this is the last time Pete and Roger will be touring the US, playing the greatest songs ever written, I will be giving them every second of my time, every beat of my heart, and every drop of my sweat and blood. This is my ultimate goal.'
In the meantime, Starkey is speaking out on his firing from the band.
In a lengthly Instagram post. Starkey expalined he was fired from The Who two weeks after being reinstated. Starkey said he was asked to make a statement explaining his departure was due to other musical endeavors.
'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie,' Starkey wrote. 'I love the Who and would never had quit. So I didn't make the statement ….quitting the Who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going 'in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox.'
Despite his firing, Starkey expressed fondness for his former band members.
Legendary Rock Band's New Drummer Makes Powerful Statement first appeared on Men's Journal on May 22, 2025