London, Apr 20 (UNI) English rock pioneers The Who have brought back their longtime drummer Zak Starkey, after apparently having fired him. The band said that the issue was a “communication error” leading to misunderstanding on all fronts.

The band posted the news on social media, confirming that Starkey was not fired. “News Flash! Who Back Zak! He’s not being asked to step down from The Who,” wrote guitarist Pete Townshend on the band’s official website.

“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily. 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. I take responsibility for some of the confusion,” he wrote.

Starkey, the son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has been with the rock legends since 1996, having replaced Keith Moon after his passing. However, it seemed that Starkey’s long stint with the group had ended, after he was criticised by vocalist Roger Daltry for his drumming during the band’s performance in London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Townshend addressed the show’s performance in his statement on the band’s website, and wrote: “Our TCT (Teen Cancer Trust) shows at the Royal Albert Hall were a little tricky for me. I thought that four and a half weeks would be enough time to recover completely from having a complete knee replacement. (Why did I ever think I could land on my knees?) Wrong!”.

“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 apologised. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.”

“We are a family, this blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen. It’s over. We move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies,” he added.

Starkey shared the post on his Instagram account a short time later, writing, “V grateful to be a part of The Who family Thanks Roger and Pete xx.”

The Who are known for their highly experimental and unorthodox style of playing, and are considered one of the most important and influential figures in the history of rock music. The band’s innovative approach to songwriting has led to them experimenting with various styles, including rock’ n roll, hard rock, arena rock, pop, and even helping in pioneering genres such as punk rock, progressive rock, art rock, and heavy metal.



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