Latest news with #TheSongIsOverNorthAmericaFarewellTour
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Zak Starkey breaks silence on latest firing from The Who, claims he was told to 'lie' about exit
Zak Starkey has claimed The Who asked him to "lie" about his exit from the band. The 'My Generation' rockers - Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend - have let their longtime drummer go weeks after he was fired and rehired. The 59-year-old musician was believed to have been fired from the group after almost 30 years playing live with frontman Roger and guitarist Pete in the wake of a disagreement over his performance at a show at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity in March. However, he was reinstated in a matter of days with Townshend saying in a statement: "There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily." On Sunday (18.05.25), Pete confirmed that Zak will not be joining the pair for their final tour of North America. He penned on Instagram on Sunday (18.05.25): 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best." Announcing Zak's replacement, he continued: "Scott Devours, who has worked with Roger's solo band, will join The Who for our final shows. Please welcome him.' Now, Zak has had his say and claimed he was fired two weeks after being "reinstated", and allegedly told to make up that he was leaving the legendary band due to his other work commitments. In a lengthy caption, he wrote: 'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical [endeavours]. 'This would be a lie.' Zak - who is the son of Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr - insists he would never "quit" The Who. He continued: '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." On his other projects, Zak said: "To clarify 'other projects' yes I do have other projects and always have. (sic)" He went on to list the acts he's worked with, including Johnny Marr, Oasis, The Lightning Seeds, Mike Scott, and his supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos. Zak insisted Roger and Pete never had a "problem" with him working with other bands. He said: 'None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them. "The lie is or would have been that I quit the who- I didn't. I love the who and everyone in it.' The Who have since reacted in a statement on social media, which reads: 'The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. 'He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world. (sic)" The Who will embark on 'The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour', which kicks off on August 16 at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida, and is due to wrap on September 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
The Who let Zak Starkey go weeks after he was fired and rehired
The Who have let longtime drummer Zak Starkey go weeks after he was fired and rehired. The 59-year-old musician - who is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr - was believed to have been fired from the group after almost 30 years playing live with frontman Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend in the wake of a disagreement over his performance at a show at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity in March. However, he was reinstated in a matter of days with Townshend saying in a statement: "There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily." Now, Pete has confirmed that Zak will not be joining the pair for their final tour of North America. He penned on Instagram on Sunday (18.05.25): 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best." Announcing Zak's replacement, he continued: "Scott Devours, who has worked with Roger's solo band, will join The Who for our final shows. Please welcome him.' 'The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour' is set to take place later this year. The two band members held a press conference earlier this month at the Iconic Images Gallery in Piccadilly, London, to announce that the forthcoming tour dates will mark the end of their incredible six-decade career. The tour - named after their 1971 song from their fifth album 'Who's Next' - is comprised of 16 dates and will kick-off at the Amerant Bank Arena in Florida on August 16, before making stops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Toronto and New York, among other cities. 'The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour' will end on September 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pete, 79, said: '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. The warmth and engagement of those audiences began back in 1967 with hippies smoking dope, sitting on their blankets and listening deeply and intensely. Music was everywhere. We all felt equal. 'Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle and of course, all of our long-time Who fans. I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back. Every time I do, I meet new fans and feel new energy. '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. This tour will be about fond memories, love and laughter. Make sure you join in.' Roger, 81, said: "Every musician's dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the US charts. For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever. "The warmth of the American audiences over the years have been inspirational to me, and reflect the feeling I remember getting after hearing the first rock records coming across the radio. Musical freedom! Rock gave us a feeling of generational rebellion. To me, America has always been great. 'The cultural differences had a huge impact on me, this was the land of the possible. It's not easy to end the big part of my life that touring with The Who has been. Thanks for being there for us and look forward to seeing you one last time.'
Winnipeg Free Press
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘All good things must come to an end': The Who announce North America farewell tour dates
LONDON (AP) — British rock band The Who are to say their final goodbye to North America this summer. Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed Thursday that they will perform hits from six-decade career during 'The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour,' named after the band's 1971 hit. The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world's biggest touring bands, easily filling the largest U.S. stadiums, will play their first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Vancouver, before a final date in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. 'Every musician's dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the U.S. charts,' Daltrey said. 'For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever.' The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the U.S. and becoming one of the biggest box-office draw in the world. The band were inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990. Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of rock's most prolific double acts, surviving the deaths of drummer Keith Moon in 1978 and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002. 'Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans,' Townshend said. 'I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back.' Though Daltrey didn't write songs, he was able to channel Townsend's many and complicated moods — defiance and rage, vulnerability and desperation. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Together, they forged some of rock's most defining sounds: the stuttering, sneering delivery of 'My Generation,' the anguished cry of 'They're all wasted!' from 'Baba O'Reilly,' and the all-time scream from 'Won't Get Fooled Again.' Two albums — 'Tommy' and 'Quadrophenia' — were also adapted into successful films in 1975 and 1979, respectively. Ticket pre-sales will run from May 13 ahead of the general sale beginning May 16. 'Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time,' Townshend said. 'For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible.' Daltrey, who said a throat specialist has told him he should have a 'day off' after every gig he performs, and Townshend also revealed there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the U.K. 'Let's see if we survive this one,' Daltrey said. 'I don't want to say that there won't be (a U.K. farewell tour), but equally I'm not confident in saying there will be.'
Japan Today
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
The Who announce North America farewell tour dates
Roger Daltrey, left, Pete Townshend and Claire Sturgess during the announcement of ' The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour' on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP) By PAN PYLAS British rock band The Who are to say their final goodbye to North America this summer. Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed Thursday that they will perform hits from six-decade career during "The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour," named after the band's 1971 hit. The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world's biggest touring bands, easily filling the largest U.S. stadiums, will play their first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Vancouver, before a final date in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. 'Every musician's dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the U.S. charts," Daltrey said. 'For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever.' The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the U.S. and becoming one of the biggest box-office draws in the world. The band was inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990. Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of rock's most prolific double acts, surviving the deaths of drummer Keith Moon in 1978 and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002. 'Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans," Townshend said. 'I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back.' Though Daltrey didn't write songs, he was able to channel Townsend's many and complicated moods — defiance and rage, vulnerability and desperation. Together, they forged some of rock's most defining sounds: the stuttering, sneering delivery of 'My Generation,' the anguished cry of 'They're all wasted!' from 'Baba O'Reilly,' and the all-time scream from 'Won't Get Fooled Again.' Two albums — 'Tommy' and 'Quadrophenia' — were also adapted into successful films in 1975 and 1979, respectively. Ticket pre-sales will run from May 13 ahead of the general sale beginning May 16. 'Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time," Townshend said. 'For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible.' Daltrey, who said a throat specialist has told him he should have a 'day off' after every gig he performs, and Townshend also revealed there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the UK. 'Let's see if we survive this one,' Daltrey said. 'I don't want to say that there won't be (a UK farewell tour), but equally I'm not confident in saying there will be.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Economic Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
The Who announces 'bittersweet' farewell tour: Schedule, tickets and more details here
Key dates to remember Live Events The Who talks about North America tour Tickets and other details FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel British rock band The Who is all set to hold its final tour in North America this summer. On Thursday, May 8, the band officially announced its "bittersweet" final tour, which will take place across multiple locations in the US and Canada. They have termed it as the grand finale of their six-decade-long illustrious career in the music announcement comes at the time when the band's singer Roger Daltrey is 81 years old, while its lead guitarist Pete Townshend turns 80 on May 19. Named after its 1971 hit single, the tour has been titled The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour, ABC News Who is scheduled to kick off its tour in North America from Florida in mid-August and will wrap it up in September-end, with the final show in Las Vegas, according to USA Today. In total, the band members will perform 16 concerts, covering cities like Boston, Toronto, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles and Vancouver, among these events, The Who fans can expect them to perform some of the classic hits from their 60-year-long to Variety, it could be assumed that Daltrey and Townshend will perform alongside their longtime drummer Zak Starkey. But Starkey's name was not mentioned by the band in the official announcement. He was fired from the band for a brief period earlier this year.A media briefing was organised at London's Iconic Images Gallery on May 8. At the event, Townshend was joined by his bandmate Daltrey via video conferencing, since the singer's wife continues to recover from an at the event, Daltrey called it "every young musician's dream" to perform in America. He added that it "meant so much" for them to see that people in the US have put them "into their hearts".Remembering the band's old days, Townshend shared that they were "indoctrinated into the way American music fans were different."Fans of The Who in the US and around the world planning to watch them perform live can look forward to purchasing tickets at the time of Citi presale as well as with the Whooligan Fan Club. This starts at 10 AM (local time) from May 13 and will remain available until 10 PM on May general onsale will be starting at 10 AM (local time) on May 16. These will remain available on interested fans can even join the Whooligan Fan Club. For this, they will have to visit Here, they get an all-exclusive merchandise, which includes early ticket access as well as the band's unreleased album, Live at the Oval of the band's iconic singles include I Can't Explain, Baba O'Riley, Won't Get Fooled Again, Behind Blue Eyes, Who Are You and I Can See for Miles, among several packages include exclusive benefits for fans, such as invitation to pre-show VIP Lounge, soundcheck access prior to the event, limited edition autographed tour poster and others.
