"Counter-attack on reputation damage": Roger Daltrey, former member of The Who, responds to Zak Starkey's criticism
Roger Daltrey, the iconic frontman of The Who, has accused Zak Starkey, a former member of the band, of "character assassination". This accusation stems from a public disagreement over a technical glitch during a performance of "The Song Is Over" at London's Royal Albert Hall[1][2][4].
According to Daltrey, Starkey's claims that he made a mistake during the performance contradict the band's account that Starkey was at fault. Daltrey found these claims deeply upsetting, feeling that Starkey was unfairly attacking his reputation rather than addressing technical issues related to the band's live sound setup[1][2][4].
The background of this conflict involves a technical glitch at the show where Starkey maintained that he played correctly but Daltrey came in too early. Starkey also alleged that his firing was misrepresented by the band—that he was forced to say he left voluntarily despite not wanting to. Daltrey, meanwhile, said the dispute started over problems with hearing electronic drums in in-ear monitors and did not intend his onstage comments to be a personal attack[1][2][4].
Starkey responded, denying that he made nasty comments initially, attributing Daltrey's "character assassination" claim to Starkey's later public responses on Instagram, which he then took down[4].
Despite his health issues, including deafness and a degenerative macular condition that is causing him to lose his eyesight, Daltrey has refused any suggestion of retirement. His attitude towards retirement is firm: "Never, never retire. You'll be dead in three years. Daytime TV will kill you"[3].
The Who's tour schedule for 2025 includes stops in various cities such as Sunrise, Newark, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Boston, Wantagh, New York, Toronto, Chicago, and more. The tour will feature various supporting acts including Tom Cochrane, Joe Bonamassa, Candlebox, and Billy Idol[5].
Daltrey made it clear that The Who considers everyone else in the band as session players. With Scott Devours replacing Zak Starkey in The Who, as he is the drummer in Daltrey's solo band, The Who wants to branch out and explore new musical territories[6].
However, Daltrey's attitude towards the band's future is perplexing to him. He sees The Who as a perplexing concept, a testament to the enduring power of rock and roll[6].
[1] The Guardian [2] NME [3] Rolling Stone [4] Billboard [5] The Who Official Website [6] The Telegraph
- Roger Daltrey, the iconic frontman of The Who, has accused Zak Starkey, a former member of the band, of "character assassination" during their disagreement over a technical glitch at a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.
- According to Daltrey, Starkey's claims that he made a mistake during the performance contradict the band's account that Starkey was at fault, and he found these claims deeply upsetting, feeling that Starkey was unfairly attacking his reputation.
- The background of this conflict involves a technical glitch at the show where Starkey maintained that he played correctly but Daltrey came in too early, and Starkey alleged that his firing was misrepresented by the band.
- Daltrey said the dispute started over problems with hearing electronic drums in in-ear monitors, but did not intend his onstage comments to be a personal attack.
- Starkey responded, denying that he made nasty comments initially, attributing Daltrey's "character assassination" claim to Starkey's later public responses on Instagram, which he then took down.
- Despite his health issues, including deafness and a degenerative macular condition, Daltrey has refused any suggestion of retirement, stating, "Never, never retire. You'll be dead in three years. Daytime TV will kill you."
- The Who's tour schedule for 2025 includes stops in various cities and features various supporting acts, including Tom Cochrane, Joe Bonamassa, Candlebox, and Billy Idol.
- With Scott Devours replacing Zak Starkey in The Who, as he is the drummer in Daltrey's solo band, The Who wants to branch out and explore new musical territories, viewing everyone else in the band as session players. However, Daltrey sees The Who as a perplexing concept, a testament to the enduring power of rock and roll.
