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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallZak Starkey’s first response to his separation from The Who was that he was proud of his nearly 30 years with the band and surprised that anyone objected to his Royal Albert Hall performance. The story then changed: the band announced he would return three days after the initial separation news, before Pete Townshend announced another departure in May. Starkey called that second exit a firing; The Who described it as a change. The public accounts do not settle the private reason for it.
What Zak Starkey said in his first response
After news of the initial separation broke in April 2025, Starkey said he was proud of his long tenure with The Who and surprised and saddened that anyone had taken issue with his performance at the band’s Royal Albert Hall shows. In a statement reported by The Independent on 17 April, he said: “I’m very proud of my near-30 years with The Who.”
He added: “After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened [that] anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?” At that point, representatives described the first separation as a collective decision, according to The Independent. That was not the end of the matter.
How the separation, return and second departure unfolded
| Date | What happened | What the statement establishes |
|---|---|---|
| 30 March 2025 | The Who performed at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. During the final song, “The Song Is Over,” Roger Daltrey was reported to have said he could not hear the key over the drums. | The performance became the subject of competing accounts; the reported onstage remark does not, by itself, establish a technical cause for the later personnel decisions. The Guardian’s June report covers Starkey’s account. |
| 16–17 April 2025 | The initial separation became public, and Starkey issued his first response. | Starkey expressed pride in his tenure and surprise at the criticism; the initial split was described by representatives as collective. The Independent reported both. |
| 19 April 2025 | Pete Townshend announced that Starkey would return. | Townshend cited confusion, difficult sound checks and Starkey’s apology for mistakes, and said Starkey had agreed to adjust his evolved style for the band’s non-orchestral lineup. The Who’s official statement gives Townshend’s account. |
| 18 May 2025 | Townshend announced that it was time for a change and named Scott Devours as the new drummer. | The band’s announcement framed the exit as a change. Starkey later said he had been fired and asked to describe it as voluntary. The Guardian reported the competing accounts. |
| 26 December 2025 | In a retrospective interview, Starkey reflected on the sequence. | He said he remained confused, held no grudge and considered the band members friends. Louder/Classic Rock reported the interview. |
| 4 September 2026 | Roger Daltrey said Starkey had played drums at a recent rehearsal. | The comment indicates a rehearsal, not a confirmed reunion or scheduled shows. MusicRadar reported it. |
Why the March performance is disputed
The Royal Albert Hall performance is the context for the first rupture, but the accounts differ. Reports described Daltrey saying he could not hear the key over the drums during “The Song Is Over.” Starkey later disputed the performance narrative, saying Daltrey came in four bars early. Those are attributed statements, not an independent technical finding about who was at fault.
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In his 19 April reinstatement statement, Townshend took responsibility for some confusion and described the Royal Albert Hall shows as difficult, citing sound-check problems. He also acknowledged that Starkey had made mistakes and apologised. Townshend said: “Roger and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line up and he has readily agreed.” He also wrote: “Zak made a few mistakes and he has apologised.” These remarks explain the band’s public account of the April return; they do not identify a settled cause for the May departure.
Why Starkey called the May exit a firing
When Townshend announced the second departure on 18 May, he said the time had come for a change, wished Starkey well and named Scott Devours as his replacement. The band also pointed to Starkey’s other musical projects in explaining the move.
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Starkey rejected the idea that he had chosen to leave. In a social media post reported by The Guardian on 19 May, he said: “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit to follow my other musical endeavours.” He said that version would be untrue. The band’s public framing and Starkey’s account therefore differ on whether the second exit was voluntary; the available statements do not resolve the precise private reason for the decision.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Starkey said later—and what is known now
In an interview reported by Louder/Classic Rock on 26 December 2025, Starkey said the episode remained difficult to make sense of: “It was pretty confusing. And I think they’re still confused. I’m still confused.” He also said he held no grudge and regarded the members of The Who as friends.
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The latest status update in the cited reporting is Daltrey’s 4 September 2026 comment that Starkey had played drums at a recent rehearsal: “We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer.” Daltrey also said the band was rehearsing to see whether it could do shows the following year. That does not confirm that Starkey has rejoined The Who or that future shows are booked.
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