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Legendary rock band The Who reunited with drummer Zak Starkey – the son of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr – just days after firing him, revealing that their “communication issues” have been “aired happily.”
“News Flash! Who Backs Zak!” the group’s guitarist and co-founder, Pete Townshend, wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday. “He’s not being asked to step down from The Who. There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.”
Townshend, 79, and Roger Daltrey, 81, parted ways with Starkey, 59, following his performance during their two charity shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at London’s Royal Albert Hall in late March.
The two legendary rockers were allegedly “upset” with Starkey over the gigs on March 27 and March 30.
“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” the spokesperson for The Who told The Sun. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”
Starkey, who joined the band in 1996, spoke out about his blindsided departure, revealing that he “suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf” in January.
“This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running,” Starkey said in a statement. “After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?”
In a social media post announcing their reunion, Townshend shared more details about their performance issues from those nights.
“Maybe we didn’t put enough time into sound checks, giving us problems on stage,” Townshend wrote. “The sound in the centre of the stage is always the most difficult to work with. Roger did nothing wrong but fiddle with his in-ear monitors. Zak made a few mistakes and he has apologised. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.”
Townshend added that having a show just over four weeks after his own “complete knee replacement” was probably not the best idea.
He acknowledged how the news about Starkey’s departure “blew up very quickly” but insisted the band is moving forward “with optimism and fire in our bellies.”
“As for Roger, fans can enjoy his forthcoming solo shows with his fabulous drummer, Scott Devours, who it was rumoured might replace Zak in The Who and has always been supportive of the band,” Townshend added. “I owe Scott an apology for not crushing that rumour before it spread. He has been hurt by this. I promise to buy him a very long drink and give him a hug.”
“V grateful to be a part of the who family Thanks Roger and Pete xx,” Starkey responded.
Starkey’s gigs with The Who are not the only project on his plate.
He is also writing an autobiography and developing a new album with his other band, Mantra Of The Cosmos, which features Oasis’s Noel Gallagher.
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