What happened with Zak Starkey? The Who reinstates drummer days after parting ways

Zak Starkey, known for his contributions to the rock band The Who, has been brought back as the drummer for the group once again. Notably, this news comes just a few days after his exit from the band, with the latest decision being the result of The Who resolving their communication problems with Starkey.

The update on Zak Starkey’s return was confirmed through Instagram on April 19, 2025, by Pete Townshend, one of the band members, who wrote:

“Zak is 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.”

A similar statement was posted on the band’s official website that same day. Pete mentioned that he had already spoken with Starkey to adjust his drumming style with their non-orchestral lineup, and Zack has agreed to the change.

Pete noted that all the band members share a family-like relationship, which helped them move forward from the situation. Townshend also referred to their performances at the Royal Albert Hall last month, which reportedly led to some issues with Zak Starkey. He wrote:

“Maybe we didn’t put enough time into sound checks, giving us problems on stage. 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 apologized. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.”

Additionally, Pete clarified that the rumors of Scott Devours replacing Zak as the drummer are not true, adding that he would like to apologize to Scott for the same.

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Zak Starkey's exit from The Who: Band statement and other details explained

On April 16, 2025, Zak Starkey and The Who made headlines after news of his stepping down from the band started trending. This development followed a report by The Metro on March 31, 2025, which addressed issues that reportedly happened during the band’s performance at Royal Albert Hall.

According to The Metro, Roger Daltrey was not satisfied with Zak Starkey and had to stop midway while performing the single The Song Is Over, the final song for the evening. Roger allegedly expressed his disappointment at the time, saying he could only hear the drums and was unable to hear the key to perform the song.

Regarding Zak’s exit from the band, a representative for The Who told The Guardian:

“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”

On April 16, 2025, Zak Starkey also shared a lengthy statement with The Hollywood Reporter, saying that he was proud of being part of the band. He revealed that he had a medical emergency earlier this year involving blood clots in his right bass drum calf but assured that it did not impact his drumming skills.

Starkey expressed surprise over the issue with his performance, despite his years of experience, and continued:

“I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of ‘Domino Bones’ by Mantra of the Cosmos with Noel Gallager in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me. Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”

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Apart from The Who, Zak Starkey is known for his associations with bands like The Icicle Works and Johnny Marr and the Healers. He began playing with The Who in 1996, and over the years, the band has released 12 albums under record labels such as Warner Bros.