Beatles vs The Who: Ringo Defends Son in Explosive Band Exit

Mia Reynolds, 6/19/2025Ringo Starr defends his son Zak Starkey amid a dramatic exit from The Who. The tension escalated when Roger Daltrey criticized Starkey's drumming during a performance, leading to mixed messages about his departure. Starkey isn't dwelling on the past, launching a new project featuring notable collaborators.

Rock and Roll Family Drama: Ringo Starr Takes Aim at The Who

The usually peaceful world of classic rock got a jolt this spring when Beatles legend Ringo Starr waded into a messy situation involving his son Zak Starkey and iconic band The Who. The drama? Well, it's complicated — and getting messier by the day.

Starkey dropped quite the bombshell recently, sharing his father's unvarnished opinion of The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey. "I've never liked the way that little man runs that band," Ringo apparently declared, throwing some serious shade at the legendary vocalist. Coming from a fellow rock icon, those words carry some weight.

The whole mess started at London's Royal Albert Hall during a Teenage Cancer Trust show — pretty ironic, considering these charity gigs are supposed to bring people together. Instead, things went sideways when Daltrey, in classic rock star fashion, stopped mid-performance of "Can You See The Real Me" to complain about Starkey's drumming. "I can't sing to that f***ing racket," he declared, right there on stage. Talk about awkward.

What happened next reads like something out of Spinal Tap. Starkey (who'd been The Who's drummer for nearly three decades, mind you) announced he'd been fired. Then Pete Townshend said he hadn't. Then came official statements, take-backs, and — according to Starkey — some sketchy requests to "massage the truth" about his departure.

Here's where it gets properly bizarre. Starkey shared a recent chat with Daltrey that perfectly captures the chaos. "He said, 'Don't take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you,'" Starkey revealed to Rolling Stone. His response? "These guys are fuckin' insane! I've been fired more times than Keith Moon in 10 days."

That Keith Moon reference hits different — he wasn't just The Who's original drummer, he was Starkey's godfather. Talk about family complications.

The Who tried smoothing things over with a carefully worded statement about a "collective decision" and their "admiration" for Starkey. But the drummer's subsequent revelations paint a different picture, suggesting Daltrey had been "unhappy" with his performances for some time.

This isn't just another band breakup — it's a proper rock dynasty drama. Starkey's got Beatles blood running through his veins, Keith Moon's spiritual blessing, and spent more time with The Who than some folks spend in marriage. His exit marks the end of an era that connected multiple generations of British rock royalty.

But Starkey isn't sitting around moping. He's already knee-deep in a new project called Mantra Of The Cosmos, featuring Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder and Bez, plus Andy Bell. They've even roped in Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney — keeping those Beatles connections alive and kicking as we head into 2025.

Sometimes the best rock drama happens offstage. This saga's still unfolding, proving that even after half a century, the world of rock 'n' roll can still serve up surprises that'd make even the most seasoned roadie raise an eyebrow.

Rock and Roll Family Drama: Ringo Starr Takes Aim at The WhoThe usually peaceful world of classic rock got a jolt this spring when Beatles legend Ringo Starr waded into a messy situation involving his son Zak Starkey and iconic band The Who. The drama? Well, it's complicated — and getting messier by the day.Starkey dropped quite the bombshell recently, sharing his father's unvarnished opinion of The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey. "I've never liked the way that little man runs that band," Ringo apparently declared, throwing some serious shade at the legendary vocalist. Coming from a fellow rock icon, those words carry some weight.The whole mess started at London's Royal Albert Hall during a Teenage Cancer Trust show — pretty ironic, considering these charity gigs are supposed to bring people together. Instead, things went sideways when Daltrey, in classic rock star fashion, stopped mid-performance of "Can You See The Real Me" to complain about Starkey's drumming. "I can't sing to that f***ing racket," he declared, right there on stage. Talk about awkward.What happened next reads like something out of Spinal Tap. Starkey (who'd been The Who's drummer for nearly three decades, mind you) announced he'd been fired. Then Pete Townshend said he hadn't. Then came official statements, take-backs, and — according to Starkey — some sketchy requests to "massage the truth" about his departure.Here's where it gets properly bizarre. Starkey shared a recent chat with Daltrey that perfectly captures the chaos. "He said, 'Don't take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you,'" Starkey revealed to Rolling Stone. His response? "These guys are fuckin' insane! I've been fired more times than Keith Moon in 10 days."That Keith Moon reference hits different — he wasn't just The Who's original drummer, he was Starkey's godfather. Talk about family complications.The Who tried smoothing things over with a carefully worded statement about a "collective decision" and their "admiration" for Starkey. But the drummer's subsequent revelations paint a different picture, suggesting Daltrey had been "unhappy" with his performances for some time.This isn't just another band breakup — it's a proper rock dynasty drama. Starkey's got Beatles blood running through his veins, Keith Moon's spiritual blessing, and spent more time with The Who than some folks spend in marriage. His exit marks the end of an era that connected multiple generations of British rock royalty.But Starkey isn't sitting around moping. He's already knee-deep in a new project called Mantra Of The Cosmos, featuring Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder and Bez, plus Andy Bell. They've even roped in Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney — keeping those Beatles connections alive and kicking as we head into 2025.Sometimes the best rock drama happens offstage. This saga's still unfolding, proving that even after half a century, the world of rock 'n' roll can still serve up surprises that'd make even the most seasoned roadie raise an eyebrow.