The Who dismiss drummer Zak Starkey for the second time within a month's span.
London - After a series of back-and-forth announcements, legendary rock band The Who have once again parted ways with their drummer Zak Starkey. On Sunday, band member Pete Townshend and Starkey — son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr — separately shared the news on Instagram, ending weeks of speculation.
Townshend, who is the band's guitarist and main songwriter, hinted at a mutual decision in his post, while Starkey claimed he had been "fired" and "asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endeavors."
Earlier in April, following criticism of his performance at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Starkey was initially dismissed from the band. However, less than a fortnight later, both Townshend and Starkey announced his return, citing resolved communication issues.
Speaking about the Royal Albert Hall incident, Townshend addressed the difficulty of achieving optimum sound on stage and highlighted Roger Daltrey's minor adjustments to his in-ear monitors during the performance. Starkey, in turn, apologized for minor errors, making a playful reference to a rubber duck drummer.
It remains unclear as to why the decision to rehire Starkey was reversed. CNN has reached out to the band's representatives for comment.
Addressing his departure, Townshend stated that it was the right time for a change, wishing Starkey the best with his upcoming projects. Starkey asserted that his other commitments have never posed a problem for the band in the past.
In light of this development, Scott Devours, who has previously collaborated with Daltrey, will replace Starkey for the remaining shows on The Who's upcoming farewell North American tour. Devours has previously filled in for Starkey as The Who's drummer.
The publicly announced alteration in personnel comes just three months before The Who are set to embark on their farewell tour, nearly six decades after the band first started performing in North America. Of the band's original four members, only Townshend and Daltrey remain alive. Bass guitarist John Entwistle passed away in 2002, while drummer Keith Moon, who was Starkey's godfather, died in 1978.
Since Moon's demise, Starkey has been described as "unofficial official drummer" for the band by the band's website.
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of musician John Entwistle's last name.
News outlets are now reporting that Scott Devours, a previous collaborator of Roger Daltrey, will replace Zak Starkey as the drummer for The Who during their upcoming farewell North American tour. Despite earlier announcements of Starkey's return, it seems that the band has decided to focus on entertainment options beyond the longtime drummer, exploring music by a new drummer for their final performances.
