Latest news with #TheSongIsOver
Irish Independent
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Sacking of Who drummer Starkey shines light on session players who sprinkle their magic on recordings
In the entire history of popular music, I am not sure if there has ever been so much public recrimination about who was responsible for dropping a couple of beats from a song. Essentially, after 30 years in the Who's drum seat, Starkey (who is Ringo Starr's son) was fired following a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in May. The offending incident was a sloppy intro to 1971 ballad The Song Is Over, during which Daltrey missed a cue, struggled to sing in key and grumbled 'all I've got is drums going boom-boom-boom!' while pointing accusingly at Starkey. Daltrey's latest interview seems to contain a grudging acceptance that it wasn't actually Starkey's mistake. The band use an electronic drum kit, with mixes controlled by a sound engineer and sent to in-ear monitors. 'We had so much sub-bass on the sound of the drums that I couldn't pitch,' explained Daltrey. 'I was pointing to the bass drum and screaming at him because it was like flying a plane without seeing the horizon. So when Zak thought I was having a go at him, I wasn't. That's all that happened.' Well, not quite all. The Who also terminated their long-serving drummer's employment, then re-employed him (on condition he publicly apologise), then sacked him again. What seems to have upset Daltrey is that Starkey declined to go quietly, arguing in his defence onstage, and subsequently telling journalists 'I got it right and Roger got it wrong'. Starkey claimed that he turned down the Oasis tour (he drummed for them from 2004-2008) due to his now-cancelled commitments with the Who. He even dragged his famous dad in, claiming Ringo told him 'I've never liked the way that little man runs the band'. Daltrey described Starkey's comments as 'a character assassination', 'incredibly upsetting', and 'crippling to me'. Who knew the lung-busting, mic-swinging rocker was so sensitive? Starkey was treated shabbily, effectively sacked because the singer made a mistake and couldn't admit it. But Daltrey's crucial and unarguable point was that 'Pete [Townshend] and I retain the right to be the Who. Everyone else is a session player.' When people pay to see the Who, the band's job is to supply what their rock star employers need to deliver their best performances. Starkey lost Daltrey's confidence and lost the gig as a consequence. But I'm not sure anyone really cares who is in the drum seat, as long as they sound as much as possible like the Who's original drummer, the late, great Keith Moon. The Who are currently touring with a new drummer, Scott Devours, their fourth since Moon died in 1978. In the lead up to his live debut last week, Devours (who has played with Don Felder, The Sixties Show and Daltrey's solo band) admitted to 'a strange contradiction of emotions' knowing that 'the greatest moment of my professional career' was 'someone else's loss'. Such is the lot of guns for hire. One player's loss is another player's opportunity. It led me to think about the unsung musicians whose playing has been integral to the soundtrack of our times, the untold number of virtuosos who are lucky to even get their names in the small print. You could argue that it was session players who really formed the sound of the Sixties and Seventies. Motown house band the Funk Brothers played on more than 100 number one singles, Phil Spector's recording ensemble the Wrecking Crew infused their talents on hundreds more (including the Beach Boys' all-time great 1965 album Pet Sounds) whilst Los Angeles collective the Section can be heard on so many classic 1970s soft rock albums that they became known in the industry as the Mellow Mafia. A few have emerged from session ranks to become solo stars, including Glen Campbell, Leon Russell and Dr John (all from the Wrecking Crew). Led Zeppelin and Toto were formed by session musicians, with Steve Lukather, the Toto guitarist, credited on more than 1,500 recordings (the American prog rock band are all over Michael Jackson's Thriller album). Some have been so ubiquitous that they achieved a kind of half fame, such as bassist Carol Kaye, who played on more than 10,000 sessions spanning Frank Sinatra to Stevie Wonder, or pianist Nicky Hopkins who featured on more than 250 albums including classics by the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who and the Kinks. British bassist Herbie Flowers is said to have played on 500 hits including Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side, for which he concocted a bassline made up of two separate parts. Flowers once said that 'in those days, the recording rate for a three-hour session was £12 but if you overdubbed another instrument, you got double the money. Not that I did it for that reason'. He was paid £24 for possibly the most famous bassline in pop history. Session musicians don't generally get royalties. They get a flat rate up front and that's that. It might seem unjust when something they create goes on to become an integral part of a classic song, but I suspect most wouldn't have it any other way. 'You've got to remember most recordings don't make any money for anyone,' as a musician friend once put it to me. 'I get paid in full when I walk out the studio door.' I am sure Zak Starkey will be fine The age of the session player is far from over. Even in these days of drum machines and programmed keyboards, producers still call on gifted players to sprinkle magic on recordings, while the proliferation of solo artists means there's plenty of work on the live circuit. How many of the million plus ticket-holders for the Oasis comeback tour know that their latest session drummer, Joey Waronker, has played with REM, Nelly Furtado, Neil Diamond, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters? All they care about is that he keeps the beat behind the Gallagher brothers, for which he is being handsomely rewarded. And I am sure Zak Starkey will be fine. He's a talented drummer, with impressive names on his CV. Have sticks, will travel.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Roger Daltrey hopes to ‘make it through' The Who's farewell tour
Roger Daltrey has seen better days. The Who frontman, 81, admitted that he is 'nervous' about his health as the 'Baba O'Riley' band prepares to kick off their 'The Song Is Over' farewell tour later this month. 'This is certainly the last time you will see us on tour,' Daltrey told The Times during an interview published Friday, Aug. 1. 'It's grueling.' 7 Roger Daltrey live in concert at the Piece Hall in Halifax, UK. FARRELL / BACKGRID 7 Roger Daltrey performing at the Armadillo in Glasgow, Scotland, on April 28, 2025. James Edmond/Shutterstock 'In the days when I was singing Who songs for three hours a night, six nights a week, I was working harder than most footballers,' he continued. 'As to whether we'll play concerts again, I don't know. The Who to me is very perplexing.' However, the 'Pinball Wizard' crooner also acknowledged that his 'voice is still as good as ever,' even after performing for over six decades. 'I'm still singing in the same keys, and it's still bloody loud, but I can't tell you if it will still be there in October,' he shared. 'There's a big part of me that's going: I just hope I make it through.' 7 Guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, drummer Keith Moon and singer Roger Daltrey of The Who at the Coliseum Theatre in London on December 14, 1969. Getty Images Daltrey, who formed The Who alongside guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon in 1964, previously fell ill with a serious case of meningitis back in 2015. He said that he still feels the after-effects, and added that the virus had done 'a lot of damage.' 'It's buggered up my internal thermometer, so every time I start singing in any climate over 75 degrees, I'm wringing with sweat, which drains my body salts,' the 'Won't Get Fooled Again' singer shared. 7 Roger Daltrey of The Who performs at the TQL Stadium on May 15, 2022, in Cincinnati. Amy Harris/Invision/AP 'The potential to get really ill is there, and I have to be honest, I'm nervous about making it to the end of the tour,' he concluded. Daltrey reflected on his life during another chat with The Times published last year. After sharing that all his 'dreams came true,' the rock legend said that he is now 'ready to go at any time.' 7 Roger Daltrey headlining Heritage Live 2025 at Audley End House. Lee Blanchflower – Splash News / 'You've got to be realistic,' he explained. 'You can't live your life forever. Like I said, people my age, we're in the way. There are no guitar strings to be changed on this old instrument.' More recently, Daltrey joked about going deaf and blind in his old age, much like the blind, deaf and mute main character of The Who's 1969 album and rock opera 'Tommy.' 'The joys of getting old mean you go deaf. I also now have got the joy of going blind,' he told the crowd at London's Royal Albert Hall during a concert in March. 7 Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who perform at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on July 29, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images 'Fortunately, I still have my voice,' he joked, 'because then I'll have a full Tommy.' The Who's farewell tour is set to kick off in Florida on Aug. 16, and wrap up in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. Daltrey and Townshend, 80, announced their final tour back in May as Moon died in 1978 from a drug overdose, and Entwistle passed away in 2002 after suffering a heart attack triggered by cocaine. 7 Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who perform during the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show at the Sun Life Stadium on February 7, 2010, in Miami Gardens, Florida. WireImage 'It's not easy to end the big part of my life that touring with The Who has been,' Daltrey said at the time. 'Thanks for being there for us and look forward to seeing you one last time.' 'Well, all good things must come to an end,' Townshend added. 'It is a poignant time.' 'Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans, and hopefully to new ones who might jump in to see what they have been missing for the last 57 years,' the iconic guitarist added. 'This tour will be about fond memories, love and laughter,' Townshend concluded. 'Make sure you join in.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Who Kick Off Farewell Tour in Italy, Perform First Show Since Zak Starkey Sacking
The Who have kicked off their farewell tour 'The Song Is Over' in Italy with their new drummer, marking their first show since the departure of longtime time-keeper Zak Starkey. The rock icons announced the tour last May and kicked it off on Sunday night (July 20) at the Anfiteatro Camerini in Piazzola sul Brenta. They will also perform at the Parco Della Musica in Milan Tuesday night (July 22), before frontman Roger Daltrey plays a run of solo shows in the U.K. early next month. More from Billboard Pusha T Says Hunter Biden's Crack vs. Cocaine Explanation Is 'Deep' Drake Responds to 'F-k Kendrick' Chants at U.K. Tour Stop: 'Can't Say That I Don't Agree' With 'Burning Blue,' Mariah The Scientist Finds Her First Radio Chart No. 1 At the Anfiteatro Camerini, The Who performed a 20-song set, which included hits such as 'Baba O'Riley,' 'Pinball Wizard,' 'My Generation,' 'Won't Get Fooled Again' and 'I Can't Explain'. Watch footage here. The gig suffered from a few blips. A YouTube video shows that Daltrey sang 'See Me, Feel Me' while kneeling down, since he was experiencing leg cramps. 'The Song is Over' was reportedly listed as the final song, meanwhile, but it was cut from the set. Notably, this is The Who's first tour without longtime drummer Zak Starkey, who was fired earlier this year. A public and protracted dispute between Starkey – the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr – and the band began in April, following a charity show for the Teenage Cancer Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall. The longstanding member, who joined the band in 1996, was initially fired before being rehired, and eventually fired again within a matter of weeks. Starkey's exit became more complicated when he claimed he was asked to say he'd quit the band due to other musical projects, writing on Instagram: '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 this would be a lie.' Now, Scott Devours has taken over drumming duties, having previously performed in Daltrey's solo band. 'Yesterday, with a short, simple Instagram post, Pete and Roger, once again, changed my life forever,' he said in a statement posted to social media back in May.'I understand and accept the reality that there are many lifelong Who fans who are absolutely gutted by the news that Zak is no longer on the throne behind The Who,' it continued. 'As a huge fan myself, there is a part of me that's processing this loss with a heavy heart too.' 'The Song Is Over' tour will resume in North America on Aug. 16 in Florida. The series of shows will continue through the fall, including two dates at the iconic Hollywood Bowl (Sept. 17 & 19), as well as a night at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 30. The Who setlist at Anfiteatro Camerini, Piazzola sul Brenta: 1. 'I Can't Explain'2. 'Substitute'3. 'Who Are You'4. 'Love Ain't for Keepin''5. 'Bargain'6. 'The Seeker'7. 'Pinball Wizard'8. 'Behind Blue Eyes'9. 'The Real Me'10. '5:15'11. 'I'm One'12. 'I've Had Enough'13. 'Love, Reign O'er Me'14. 'Eminence Front'15. 'My Generation'16. 'Cry If You Want'17. 'See Me, Feel Me'18. 'You Better You Bet'19. 'Baba O'Riley'20. 'Won't Get Fooled Again' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary '90s Rocker Gets Candid About Departure From Band
Legendary '90s Rocker Gets Candid About Departure From Band originally appeared on Parade. After a whirlwind month of band drama—Zak Starkey, longtime drummer and son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr—is finally setting the record straight about where he stands with The Who. In a candid new interview with The Telegraph, Starkey, 59, says things took a turn following a rare live performance of "The Song Is Over" at the Teenage Cancer Trust benefit at London's Royal Albert Hall earlier this year. "What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong," Starkey said of the musical misstep, claiming that frontman Roger Daltrey came in a bar ahead of schedule during the song. Just a week later, Starkey says he got a call from The Who's longtime manager, Bill Curbishley, ousting him from the group. The alleged reason? "Roger says you dropped some beats," Starkey, who has drummed for both The Who and Oasis, recalls being told. But according to the musician, he's reviewed the tape and didn't hear those missing beats. "Then Pete [Townshend] had to go along with it because Pete's had 60 years of arguing with Roger," he added of the alleged incident. The drama with the band didn't stop there, however, with Starkey revealing that he briefly rejoined the group, but only after being pressured to accept blame for the onstage snafu—and spoiler alert, the reunion didn't last long. "It became clear Roger couldn't work with me," he shared. "I don't blame anyone. I blame The Who, because they're unpredictable, aggressive and f--king insane." Even still, Starkey isn't ruling out a return to the group, especially after he says Daltrey, 81, told him to keep his drums on standby. "Don't take your drums out of [The Who's] warehouse yet in case we need you," Starkey says Daltrey told him, with him urging the frontman to let him know should The Who have a change of heart. For now, drummer Scott Devours has taken over, as The Who gears up for their The Song Is Over farewell U.S. tour, kicking off August 16 in Sunrise, Florida. The tour will run through September 28, capping off in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Legendary '90s Rocker Gets Candid About Departure From Band first appeared on Parade on Jun 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey reveals alleged altercation with The Who's Roger Daltrey got him fired
Zak Starkey can explain. The Who's former drummer, 59, addressed his shocking exit from the band in a new interview with The Telegraph published on Monday, June 16, and shed some light on what allegedly led to his firing. In April, The Who announced they were parting ways with Starkey — who is Ringo Starr's son — following two shows at Royal Albert Hall in the UK, which saw the likes of Bill Murray, Sadie Frost, Tracy-Ann Oberman, and famed hypnotist Paul McKenna, in attendance. Advertisement 9 Zak Starkey has addressed his shocking exit from The Who after almost 30 years. Getty Images 9 Starkey claims he was kicked out following an alleged altercation with The Who's lead singer, Roger Daltrey. Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame However, days later, Pete Townshend revealed that Starkey would stay in the group despite 'some communication issues.' Advertisement All that changed in May when Starkey once again announced he was ousted from the Grammy-nominated rock band, marking his second firing in one month. Now, he claims he was kicked out following an alleged altercation with The Who's lead singer, Roger Daltrey. 9 'What happened was I got it right and Roger [Daltrey] got it wrong,' Starkey explained. WireImage 'What happened was I got it right and Roger [Daltrey] got it wrong,' Starkey told The Telegraph, referring to the rare performance of 'The Song Is Over' at London's Royal Albert Hall. Advertisement After his second firing, it was alleged that Starkey's bandmates weren't happy with his performance at the event. But, the drummer claims it wasn't his performance that was lacking. 9 Starkey with his father, Ringo Starr, in London in September 2016. David M. Benett Starkey told the outlet that The Who band members 'hate rehearsing,' noting they rarely perform their 6-minute-long 1971 hit 'The Song Is Over.' Advertisement According to Starkey, Daltrey 'took a bit out' for the show. 'Roger [came] in a bar early,' he told the outlet. Starkey also claimed that one week later, the band's manager, Bill Curbishley, called to fire him. 9 Daltrey, Starkey and Pete Townshend of The Who performing at the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show at the Sun Life Stadium on February 7, 2010, in Miami Gardens, Fla. WireImage 'He says, 'It's my unfortunate duty to inform you' — it's like Porridge or something — 'that you won't be needed from now on. Roger says you dropped some beats,'' he alleged. Starkey watched the performance but said, 'I can't find any dropped beats,' claiming, 'Then Pete [Townshend] had to go along with it because Pete's had 60 years of arguing with Roger.' But the drama didn't stop there. 9 'Roger says you dropped some beats,' Starkey was allegedly told when he was fired from The Who. Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Starkey shared that he still wanted back in the band after the alleged feud; however, he was allegedly instructed that he needed to admit that he dropped 'two beats' in the performance. Advertisement 'Two weeks later it was like, 'Roger says he can't work with you no more, and we'd like you to issue another statement saying you're leaving to do your other projects' and I just didn't do it because I wasn't leaving [of my own volition],' Starkey alleged, adding 'they didn't specify' why they fired him the second time. Starkey shockingly doesn't have any hard feelings, telling The Telegraph, 'I don't blame anyone. I blame The Who because they're unpredictable, aggressive and f—— insane,' stating those are reasons he 'loves' the band. 9 'I don't blame anyone,' Starkey said. 'I blame The Who because they're unpredictable, aggressive and f—— insane.'He also hinted that his days of playing with The Who might not be over. Advertisement 'I spoke to Roger last week and he said, 'Don't take your drums out of [The Who's] warehouse yet in case we need you,'' Starkey said. 'I said, 'Best let me know.'' Starkey didn't just expose the alleged altercation that he claimed got him fired. The drummer also alleged that he turned down the offer to tour with Oasis for The Who. The Post reached out to the band's rep for comment. 9 The Who with their original lineup, including drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwhistle, in 1965. Michael Ochs Archives Advertisement Townshend was the first to address Starkey's second firing in May. 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,' he wrote on Instagram. 'A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' Starkey immediately hit back with a different story. 9 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,' Townshend wrote on Instagram on May 18. 'A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' Getty Images Advertisement '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,' the musician said in a lengthy social media rant. '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.' Starkey claimed that Daltrey told him he wasn't 'fired' from the band for a second time but rather 'retired' and free to work on his own projects. He clarified, 'The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who — i didn't. I love The Who and everyone in it.' Starkey, the son of The Beatles' Ringo Starr, joined The Who in 1996.
