Latest news with #Zak
Wales Online
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Oasis band member with world famous dad brutally replaced by American musician
Oasis band member with world famous dad brutally replaced by American musician Zak Starkey is the former drummer of Oasis but has also worked with The Who and Mantra of the Cosmos Zak Starkey as the touring drummer for The Who during a performance in Las Vegas in 2017 (Image: Getty Images ) The former drummer of Oasis, Zak Starkey, has voiced his disappointment at being excluded from the band's monumental reunion. Last August, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher surprised fans by announcing they would reunite for the first time since their explosive split in 2009, with the landmark Oasis 2025 shows starting in Cardiff on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. Zak Starkey, who was a member of Oasis from 2004, appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss his latest track with Mantra of the Cosmos, which features Bez and Shaun Ryder from Happy Mondays and ex-Oasis bass guitarist Andy Bell. While on the news programme, Starkey discussed how Oasis member Noel Gallagher originally wrote the group's new single Domino Bones but then passed it on, suggesting the track was better suited to them. Noel had previously heaped praise on the group, likening them to "Dylan, Dalí and Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the Clangers". As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Zak told presenter Ben Thompson about his surprise when he received the song from Noel, saying: "I was blown away by it - I couldn't believe it. "The greatest songwriter of my generation sending me a tune." The conversation naturally turned to Zak's thoughts on the eagerly awaited comeback tour, where he openly admitted to feeling "gutted" for not being asked to join the upcoming shows. He commented: "I texted them and said 'why am I not in it?' "You know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don't you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that's what's happened and I'm alright with that." Noel and Liam Gallagher will embark on a huge reunion tour, 16 years after last performing together, this summer (Image: PA ) He went on to express his enthusiasm about the possibility of touring, telling the BBC: "God, yeah. "Greatest rock and roll band of my generation. Greatest rock and roll singer of my generation." But this isn't Zak's only connection to music fame. Zak Richard Starkey is also the son of a famous drummer - none other than The Beatles' Ringo Starr, whose real name is Richard Starkey. Zak was born in 1965 to Ringo and his first wife, Maureen Starkey (nee Cox). According to The Mirror, Zak had an illustrious childhood, growing up around major stars while enjoying private education and a home in a gated community in Surrey. He spent much of his younger days with The Who's original drummer, Keith Moon, who bought his first drum kit. Moon died in September 1978, with his position in the band filled by Kenney Jones. In 1996, Zak Starkey officially joined The Who during their Quadrophenia tour. As reported by NME, Starkey's departure from The Who has played out in recent months, with the precisionist appearing to publicly confirm that he had been let go, but guitarist Pete Townshend later denied it. In May, Townshend confirmed that Starkey was no longer with the band and added: "the time has come for a change". Meanwhile, it has been confirmed who will be joining the Gallagher brothers on their highly anticipated reunion tour. Zak Starkey's famous dad is none other than Ringo Starr, the drummer of The Beatles (Image: Getty Images ) Andy Bell, the bass player from Mantra of the Cosmos, confirmed recently that he would be joining the brothers on their reunion tour. Gem Archer and Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs will be on guitar, while Christian Madden will be on keys, and the drummer has been confirmed as Joey Waronker. Waronker is an American drummer and has also worked with Beck, R.E.M. and the late American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. He is also a music producer and has collaborated with Tracy Chapman, Nelly Furtado, Paul McCartney and David Byrne, amongst others. Article continues below Oasis has a string of 17 UK dates lined up for the summer, as they kickstart the tour in Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, July 4, with their second gig in the Welsh capital taking place on Saturday, July 5. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The tour will also feature seven appearances at London's Wembley Stadium, and other highlights include performances at Manchester's Heaton Park.
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'Gutted' Oasis star texts Liam and Noel Gallagher after 'being axed' from reunion tour
'Gutted' Oasis star texts Liam and Noel Gallagher after 'being axed' from reunion tour Former Oasis member said he was 'gutted' to have been 'axed' from Liam and Noel Gallagher's upcoming reunion tour An Oasis star has been dropped from the line-up (Image: PA ) A former Oasis drummer has expressed his disappointment at being left out of the band's monumental reunion. Last August, Noel and Liam Gallagher stunned fans by announcing they would reunite for the first time since their explosive rift in 2009, with the landmark Oasis 2025 shows kicking off in Cardiff on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. Zak Starkey, who was part of Oasis from 2004, made an appearance on BBC Breakfast to talk up his latest track with Mantra of the Cosmos, which includes Bez and Shaun Ryder from Happy Mondays and ex-Oasis bass guitarist Andy Bell. Son of Beatles icon Ringo Starr, Zak delved into how Oasis member Noel Gallagher originally penned the group's fresh single Domino Bones but then handed it over, suggesting the track better suited them. Noel had previously lavished praise on the group characterising them akin to "Dylan, Dalí and Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the Clangers". Above all, Zak shared with presenter Ben Thompson just how astonished he was upon receiving the song from Noel, remarking: "I was blown away by it - I couldn't believe it. The greatest songwriter of my generation sending me a tune.", reports the Manchester Evening News. The conversation naturally veered towards Zak's thoughts on the eagerly anticipated comeback tour, where he candidly admitted to feeling "gutted" for not being enlisted to join the forthcoming shows. He remarked: "I texted them and said 'why am I not in it?' You know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don't you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that's what's happened and I'm alright with that." He continued with enthusiasm about the possibility of touring, mentioning to the BBC: "God, yeah. Greatest rock and roll band of my generation. Greatest rock and roll singer of my generation." Chris playing the drums (Image: Getty Images ) In related news, Andy Bell from Mantra of the Cosmos confirmed last week his participation in Liam and Noel's reunion tour. The bass player, who was part of Oasis from 1999 to 2009, expressed his excitement about reuniting with the band. The BBC Breakfast featured an interview with Zak where he discussed his tenure with The Who, for whom he has drummed since 1996. Recent headlines claimed he was sacked following a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in March, but during the interview, Zak cleared the air by saying: "I didn't leave, I never left. We did a gig and there's a song that's called The Song is Over that they've never played live. It's on Who's Next, which is their biggest record, and I suggested it." Zak detailed how The Who agreed to play 'The Song is Over' live, albeit with some hiccups. He recounted: "We played it at the gig and it went wrong. I'm not going to name names, but it went wrong. It went four bars wrong. "We stopped it again and it was all about the drums being too loud, but my drums are electric - if you stand in front of them, you can't hear them, they're just in my ears. The next thing I know I'm getting the sack." He added: "Sack the drummer.... everybody's called me. I posted something about it, and three days later I got my job back. Then two days later, I secretly didn't get my job back and it's all gone haywire since then. "I found out the other day I wasn't fired, I was retired because I was too busy but I've actually got nothing on besides this single - and half the band are in Oasis, half the band are in Happy Mondays so they can't work, I'm totally free." Oasis is set to perform an impressive 17 dates across the UK this summer, including seven shows at London's Wembley Stadium. The list also includes performances at Manchester's Heaton Park, Cardiff's Principality Stadium, among others. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . So far the cheapest date we've found is July 25 at Wembley, with the lowest cost tickets at £230. Meanwhile, the cheapest price for Cardiff Principality Stadium is July 5, at £290. If you're keen to conduct your own research on these resale websites, here are the links you need: Article continues below
Edinburgh Live
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
'I was gutted' says former Oasis member who was 'fired' from band
A former Oasis drummer has expressed his disappointment at being left out of the band's highly anticipated reunion gigs this year. Last August, Noel and Liam Gallagher announced they would be reuniting for the first time since their dramatic split in 2009, with their Oasis 2025 shows kicking off in Cardiff in July before moving on to Manchester's Heaton Park for five performances later that month. Zak Starkey, who drummed for Oasis from 2004 to 2009, appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning (May 27) to discuss his new single with supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos, which includes Bez and Shaun Ryder from Happy Mondays and ex-Oasis bassist Andy Bell. The son of Beatles icon Ringo Starr, Zak spoke about the group's new track Domino Bones, which was penned by Noel Gallagher. Noel had offered the song to the group, believing it suited them better, having previously likened the band to 'like Dylan, Dalí and Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the Clangers'. During the interview with host Ben Thompson, Zak shared his astonishment at receiving a song from Noel, remarking: "I was blown away by it - I couldn't believe it. The greatest songwriter of my generation sending me a tune," reports the Manchester Evening News. When the conversation shifted to the upcoming Oasis reunion tour, Zak didn't hesitate to reveal his feelings, admitting he was 'gutted' not to be included in the lineup for the shows. He remarked: "I texted them and said 'why am I not in it?'. You know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don't you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that's what's happened and I'm alright with that." He also expressed that he would have been keen to join the tour if invited. Speaking to a BBC programme, he said: "God, yeah. Greatest rock and roll band of my generation. Greatest rock and roll singer of my generation." Last week saw Andy Bell of Mantra of the Cosmos fame confirm his participation in Liam and Noel's reunion tour. The bassist, who was part of Oasis from 1999 until their split in 2009, shared his excitement about the upcoming tour. While on BBC Breakfast, Zak also discussed his tenure with The Who. As the iconic band's drummer since 1996, he was recently in the news over claims he'd been sacked after a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in March. In addressing the rumours, Zak clarified: "I didn't leave, I never left. We did a gig and there's a song that's called The Song is Over that they've never played live. It's on Who's Next, which is their biggest record, and I suggested it." He detailed how The Who eventually decided to play the song live, but things didn't pan out as expected during the performance. Zak recounted: "We played it at the gig and it went wrong. I'm not going to name names, but it went wrong. It went four bars wrong. "We stopped it again and it was all about the drums being too loud, but my drums are electric - if you stand in front of them, you can't hear them, they're just in my ears. The next thing I know I'm getting the sack." He added: "Sack the drummer, everybody's called me. I posted something about it, and three days later I got my job back. Then two days later, I secretly didn't get my job back and it's all gone haywire since then. "I found out the other day I wasn't fired, I was retired because I was too busy but I've actually got nothing on besides this single - and half the band are in Oasis, half the band are in Happy Mondays so they can't work, I'm totally free."
Perth Now
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Roger Daltrey informed Zak Starkey he was 'retired, not fired' by The Who
Zak Starkey says The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey told him he had been "retired, not fired" as the band's drummer. There has been much confusion about the sticksman's status in the band; having been fired and reinstated a couple of times over the past weeks. Zak recently jumped on the phone with Roger, who informed him that the rock legends - also including guitarist Pete Townshend - had decided to free him of his duties to work on other projects, including his band Mantra Of The Cosmos, but insisted he was not being "fired". Detailing their debrief, Zak posted to Instagram: "NOISE and CONFUSION!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger [Daltrey] at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!! "Rog said I hadn't been 'fired'…I had been 'retired' to work on my own projects. 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 )." It turns out, Zak - the son of Beatle Sir Ringo Starr - was "completely available", but he's "left it there" and insisted there are no hard feelings. He added: "I was completely available for the foreseeable future….Rog said 'Oh!' and we kind of left it there- On good terms and great friends as we have always been. "Gotta love these guys. As my mum used to say 'The mind boggles!!!' XXX. (sic)" Zak's caption was accompanied by a picture with the text: "Drummers: From Keith Moon to Zak Starkey and Beyonce." The drummer was believed to have been fired from the group after almost 30 years 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 Pete 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 May 18, Pete confirmed that Zak will not be joining the pair for their final tour of North America. Zak then 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. Scott Devours, who played in Roger's solo band, is Zak's replacement on the tour.
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jubilant Tottenham fans forced to miss Europa League trophy parade as they endure mad journey back to the UK
One fan is staying in another place for nearly a DAY before getting back to England Spurred on Jubilant Tottenham fans forced to miss Europa League trophy parade as they endure mad journey back to the UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JUBILANT Spurs fans are set to miss out on Friday's Europa League trophy parade - because they'll still be getting home from Bilbao. An estimated 30,000 Tottenham supporters travelled by land, sea and air to Spain for Wednesday's historic win over Manchester United. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 An estimated 30,000 Tottenham fans travelled to Bilbao for the Europa League final Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 6 But many fans are set to miss Friday's trophy parade Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 6 Spurs fans Zak, right, and Tyler, left, slept in a van overnight after being unable to find accommodation 6 The pals jetted in to Madrid from Florida just for the match Many took a long drive through the Continent, while others juggled numerous flights - and some even braved a 32-hour ferry ride from Portsmouth. And while the journey out was a true test of loyalty, the way home isn't much better. Flights to Bilbao were typically extortionate, with desperate fans forking out over £1,000 in some cases. Those keen to get back on Thursday, the day after the game, had to pay close to that. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SOLD TRAFFORD Man Utd put every star up for sale as cup loss leaves 'em in financial ruin A flight to Stansted on Thursday afternoon set two pals back £740 each, while direct flights in the morning to Gatwick were close to £900. The high costs and fact that Bilbao has relatively few international flights meant many have had to divert to various locations en route to get home. One season ticket holder is jetting out of Bilbao to Tenerife, where he'll spend 20 hours before arriving late home to Birmingham on Friday night. Father and son, Neil and Leo, from Hampshire booked a return ferry trip from Portsmouth in August and won't even leave the Basque city until Saturday. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK They will be happy to be home for Sunday's home game against Brighton, when supporters can revel once more in Spurs' first trophy in 17 years. Others, including Ben from Essex, didn't even give their journey home a second thought before setting off. Tottenham fans PARTY through the night in Bilbao after Europa League triumph He joked: "I've decided to relocate to Spain. I'm not sure if immigration will be happy but I have no return journey booked." His friend Paul was taking no such chances and was determined to get back for Friday morning. He said: "I've decided to get the bus from Bilbao to Madrid, which is about five hours. "Then catch the flight home to London, via Rome. I'm going to Italy for an hour. "Then I'll be at Heathrow at about 11 o'clock Thursday night, and hopefully be back in time for the victory parade." Two friends who will definitely miss the parade are Zak and Tyler, who jetted in from Florida just for the match. They had a few troubles getting to Bilbao - and didn't even think about the celebrations in London afterwards. Zak, who has a British Spurs-supporting dad and an American mum, said: "We couldn't find any accommodation in Bilbao, or any transportation into there - no flights, no trains, no buses. "So our only option was to fly to Madrid, rent a car and then drive to Bilbao, but then we couldn't find any hotels, so we decided to rent a van. "We slept in the van in Bilbao last night, just drove it back now down to Madrid." The pair are now heading to Budapest for some "calmer time" in Hungary. Zak added: "I would have liked to go to the parade, yeah. I just didn't think that far ahead." 6 Spurs fan Ben, from Essex, revealed he didn't have a return journey booked Credit: The Sun 6 His mate Paul was getting a five-hour bus to Madrid before flying to Heathrow via Rome Credit: The Sun
