The controversy surrounding Zak Starkey's departure from The Who persists, with Zak refuting Roger Daltrey's allegations of character assassination in response to the news of the band's new drummer.
In a recent turn of events, drummer Zak Starkey has strongly denied accusations of character assassination made by his former bandmate, Roger Daltrey. The dispute stems from an incident at the Royal Albert Hall in April 2025, where a botched performance of "The Song Is Over" led to Starkey's eventual exit from the iconic British rock band, The Who.
Starkey maintains that Daltrey's accusations are unfounded, stating that his comments about the incident on his Instagram were misconstrued. He clarified that no argument occurred before or after the show and that the controversial post has since been taken down.
Daltrey, on the other hand, described Starkey's public remarks as a "character assassination" and said they were "incredibly upsetting." However, he later clarified that his onstage comments were meant to address a sound issue, not personally attack Starkey.
Despite the public controversy, Starkey expresses no personal ill-will towards Daltrey, calling him "a f** amazing singer" and noting their long history together. The saga seems unresolved in public discourse, but the band has moved on with a new drummer.
The Who is currently planning a farewell tour, and the issue of Starkey's dismissal remains a significant ongoing topic this year. Starkey himself initially chose to ignore the news about the interview in The Times, but it has since been picked up by various outlets.
Starkey's Instagram post, a lengthy screed, can be found under the handle @therealzakstarkey. The post, which was shared on an unspecified date, contained comments about Daltrey that have since been removed to quell the dispute.
Starkey was unaware of his dismissal from The Who until a week after the show, and he emphasized there was no conflict with Daltrey before or after the Royal Albert Hall show where the dispute originated.
The latest developments show that the disagreement remains publicly tense, but Starkey stresses no personal ill-will. He reiterates his admiration for Daltrey and his belief that the news about the interview in The Times is inaccurate.
As The Who prepares for their farewell tour, the public will likely continue to follow the ongoing saga between Zak Starkey and Roger Daltrey.
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