Latest news with #DesertTrip
New York Post
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Ringo Starr's son, Zak Starkey, clarifies the truth about his second firing from The Who
From fired to retired. Drummer Zak Starkey posted a statement on Instagram Monday clearing up the circumstances surrounding his latest exit from The Who. Starkey, 59, claimed that bandmate Roger Daltrey told him he wasn't 'fired' from the group for a second time, but rather 'retired' and free to work on his own projects. Advertisement 8 Zak Starkey of The who performs in Berlin in June 2023. dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images 'NOISE&CONFUSION!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!!' Starkey wrote. 'Rog said I hadn't been 'fired'…I had been 'retired' to work n my own projects,' Starkey shared. 'I explained to Rog that I have just spent nearly 8 weeks at my studio in Jamaica completing these projects, that my group Mantra Of The Cosmos was releasing one single at the beginning of June and after that had run its course ( usually 5/6 weeks ) I was completely available for the foreseeable future….Rog said 'Oh!' and we kind of left it there.' Advertisement 8 Roger Daltrey, Zak Starkey and Pete Townshend perform in Las Vegas in 2017. Getty Images Starkey insisted that he and Daltrey, 81, are 'on good terms and great friends as we have always been.' 'Gotta love these guys,' the musician added. 'As my mum used to say 'The mind boggles!!!' XXX.' 8 Zak Starkey and Pete Townshend. The Who/Instagram Advertisement Starkey, who is the son of the Beatles legend Ringo Starr, joined The Who in 1996. He was fired from the band for the first time last month following his performance during the group's two charity shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall in late March. Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend were allegedly 'upset' with Starkey over the gigs. 8 Zak Starkey and his father Ringo Starr at The Box in London in 2016. David M. Benett Advertisement Starkey spoke out about his blindsided departure, revealing that he 'suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf' in January. But The Who quickly rehired Starkey. Townshend, 80, claimed that the drama had to do with 'some communication issues' that were 'aired happily.' 8 The Who performs in Berlin in June 2023. Redferns Starkey was let go from the band, again, earlier this month. 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,' Townshend wrote on Instagram. 'A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' Townshend also announced that drummer Scott Devours will replace Starkey on The Who's upcoming farewell tour that starts in August. 8 Zak Starkey of The Who performs during Desert Trip in Indio, California in 2016. Kevin Mazur 8 Zak Starkey performs at The Who's Las Vegas residency in July 2017. Getty Images Advertisement Starkey shared his own statement where he disputed Townshend's reasons for his exit. 'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical endeavors,' he wrote. 'Not true. I love The Who and would never have quit and let down so many amazing people who stood up for me through this madness.' 8 The Who performs in Austin, Texas on May 3, 2022. Getty Images for The Who Advertisement He also clarified that while he does have 'other projects' that he's working on, none of them have 'ever interfered' with his gig with The Who. 'I love The Who and everyone in it,' Starkey said.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
The Who drummer Zak Starkey fired for the second time in 1 month: ‘Madness'
Déjà vu. The Who has fired drummer Zak Starkey for the second time ahead of their upcoming farewell tour. Starkey, 59, was previously let go from the band and then re-hired just days later in April. Advertisement 9 Zak Starkey of The Who performs at the band's residency in Las Vegas in 2017. Getty Images Guitarist and co-founder Pete Townshend shared the news of Starkey's latest firing on Instagram Sunday. 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,' Townshend, 80, wrote. 'A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' Advertisement 9 Pete Townshend announces Zak Starkey's second firing. The Who/Instagram Townshend also announced that drummer Scott Devours will replace Starkey on 'The Song Is Over North American Farewell Tour' that starts in August. Starkey shared his own statement about his firing and disputed Townshend's reasons for his exit. 'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical endeavors,' he wrote. 'Not true. I love The Who and would never have quit and let down so many amazing people who stood up for me through this madness.' Advertisement 9 Zak Starkey and Pete Townshend. The Who/Instagram 9 Zak Starkey clarifies his exit from The Who. Zak Starkey/Instagram Starkey added that there were 'weeks of mayhem of me going 'in and out and in and out' … like a bleeding squeezebox'. He went on to clarify that while he does have 'other projects' that he's working on, none of them have 'ever interfered' with his gig with The Who. Advertisement 'The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who- i didn't,' he reiterated. 'I love The Who and everyone in it.' 9 Zak Starkey performs during Desert Trip at The Empire Polo Club on October 16, 2016. Kevin Mazur Starkey was fired from The Who last month following his performance during the group's two charity shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall in late March. Townshend and lead singer Roger Daltrey were allegedly 'upset' with Starkey over the gigs. 9 The Who performs in Las Vegas on July 29, 2017. Getty Images 'The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,' the spokesperson for The Who told The Sun. 'They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.' Starkey spoke out about his blindsided departure, revealing that he 'suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf' in January. 9 Zak Starkey and Roger Daltrey of The Who perform in California in August 2004. Getty Images Advertisement 9 Zak Starkey at the 'Moonage Daydream' premiere in London in September 2022. Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images 'After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I'm surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?' he added. But days later, The Who announced that Starkey was back in the band. 'He's not being asked to step down from The Who. There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily,' Townshend wrote on Instagram. Advertisement 9 Zak Starkey performs at The Box in London in June also acknowledged that the news of Starkey's initial departure 'blew up very quickly' but insisted the band was moving forward 'with optimism and fire in our bellies.' Starkey, the son of The Beatles' Ringo Starr, joined The Who in 1996.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Who Announces Farewell U.S. Tour
The Who announces The Song Is Over tour as a final farewell, with 16 North American dates set for ... More August through September 2025. INDIO, CA - OCTOBER 09: Musicians Roger Daltrey (L) and Pete Townshend of The Who perform onstage during Desert Trip at the Empire Polo Field on October 9, 2016 in Indio, California. (Photo by) Throughout the decades, The Who changed the sound of rock music and delivered some of the most critically-acclaimed and commercially successful singles and full-lengths in the genre. The group has split up and reunited multiple times, and only two original members typically associated with the act remain. As both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend enter their 80s, the musicians are ready to hang it up for good — but not before one last hurrah. On Thursday (May 8) the band announced one final concert tour, which the group is calling The Song Is Over. The venture will feature 16 dates — at least as of now—in both the United States and Canada. It's highly likely that, due to what is sure to be incredible demand for a goodbye tour, more dates will be added. The run begins on August 16 in Sunrise, Florida. The two musicians will visit major markets across North America, including Madison Square Garden in New York City, Toronto, Chicago, and a pair of dates at the Hollywood Bowl. For the moment, the slate is scheduled to finish on September 28 in Las Vegas. The band announced the tour during a press conference at a gallery in Piccadilly, London. Roger Daltrey appeared on via Zoom, while Pete Townshend was on hand to pose for photos. The Song Is Over Tour gets its name from a tune on The Who's album Who's Next. That full-length was released in 1971, and the project features what may be the band's most famous track, 'Baba O'Riley.' Though 'The Song is Over' wasn't pushed as a single, and it isn't remembered as one of the more famous cuts from the act, the title is perfect for this occasion. In a press release announcing the tour, both Townshend and Daltrey, English musicians, talked about their love for American audiences. Daltrey commented, 'Every musician's dream in the early 60's was to make it big in the US charts. For the Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever." His bandmate Townshend also stated, 'Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time. For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible." Townshend also casually addressed unrest in the group, saying that 'although the road has not always been enjoyable for me,' the upcoming goodbye trek 'will be about fond memories, love and laughter.' Tickets will go on sale next week, though there are different offerings available for specific credit card holders and members of The Who's official fan club.
