Beatles legend Ringo Starr didn’t hold back after learning that Roger Daltrey had booted his son from The Who.
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In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Zak Starkey shared how his father stood up for him after Daltrey fired him from The Who.
“I’m very proud of him standing up for me,” the 59-year-old Starkey said.
When asked how the 84-year-old Beatles legend responded, Starkey detailed, “He said, ‘I’ve never liked the way that little man runs that band.’”
Starr seemed to be referencing Daltrey, who reportedly had a dispute with Starkey that resulted in his departure from the band.
In April, it was announced that Starkey would be leaving The Who after nearly 30 years with the band. However, he was briefly rehired before being let go again in May.
“After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for a change,” guitarist Pete Townshend shared on Instagram on May 18. “A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”
Zak Starkey Details His Complicated Relationship with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend
In a Rolling Stone interview, Starkey explained more about his firing, which came after his bandmates were dissatisfied with his performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall in late March.
“It was all a bit vague. It was just like, ‘You’re getting fired,’” Starkey alleged. “And Pete had to hang in there with Rog because I think it was … I don’t know. I’m not going to name names or who did what. But Pete called me and said, ‘Are you strong enough to fight for your job back?’ I said, ‘I’m not strong enough to have you do it for me. I don’t want you doing it.’”
Starkey shared that a week later, Townshend, 80, reached out and asked him to rejoin the group.
“I got my job back. And then 10 days later, I got a call saying ‘It’s never going to work. We want you to put out a statement saying you’re moving on to do your own thing,’” Starkey recalled. “And I said, ‘But I’m f — kin’ not.’ So I just left it and didn’t do it. It would be a lie. I’d never leave the Who. I love the Who.”
After being fired twice and with The Who announcing that drummer Scott Devours will replace him on their upcoming farewell tour, Starkey admitted he’s still uncertain about his status with the band.
“I spoke to Roger last week,” Starkey revealed. “He said, ‘Don’t take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you.’ What the f—? These guys are f—kin’’ insane!”
Drama aside, the veteran drummer admitted that “of course’ he would join the legendary band again.
“I don’t blame anyone,” Starkey told Rolling Stone. “I don’t hold any grudges. It’s the Who. Weirder s— than this has gone down. I’ve heard them say weirder s— than this. It’s The Who — the maddest band there’s ever been.”