RINGO STARR Slams ROGER DALTREY Over Firing Of Son: 'Never Liked How That Little Man Runs The Band'

Summary

• Ringo Starr took a jab at Roger Daltrey, calling him a ’little man’ after Zak Starkey was dropped from The Who.
• Zak says he was fired, not that he left, and refused to lie about it to cover up the band’s PR mess.
• Despite the drama, The Who’s farewell tour goes on without Zak, while Ringo stays vocal from the sidelines.

Zak Starkey didn’t bother hiding his disappointment after being pushed out of The Who, a gig he held for nearly 30 years as the band’s live drummer. It all unraveled after a messy show at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year, which ultimately triggered the official announcement of his departure in April.

Pete Townshend initially tried to put a soft cushion under the fall, claiming Zak was still part of the group.

That tune didn’t last long. By May, even Townshend changed his story, saying it was “time for a change” and confirming that Scott Devours would be taking over drums for The Who’s farewell North American tour.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Zak revealed that his father, Ringo Starr, didn’t exactly handle the firing with British restraint. As Zak put it, the ex-Beatle let loose: “He said, ‘I never liked the way that little man runs this band.’” The “little man” in question? Roger Daltrey.

Ringo apparently watched the controversial show that started it all, and wasn’t impressed. According to what Zak told The Sun, “He wasn’t happy. He saw it on TV and just went, ‘What the fuck is this?’” As far as Ringo’s concerned, there was nothing in the performance to justify firing anyone, except maybe the ticket price.

Despite the drama, Zak isn’t walking around holding grudges. Talking to Rolling Stone, he kept it light (or at least sarcastic): “It’s The Who. I’ve seen weirder shit happen. I’ve heard weirder shit come out of them. They’re the craziest band that ever existed.” He chalked it up to standard operating procedure: “They have this weird attraction to chaos. They’re completely nuts.”

After being dismissed, Zak said there was an attempt to get him to spin the situation. The idea was to tell the public that he left voluntarily to focus on his other band, Mantra of the Cosmos. Zak wasn’t having it: “I got fired two weeks after returning, and then they asked me to say I was leaving to pursue other musical projects. That would’ve been a lie. I love The Who and I never would’ve left. So I didn’t make a statement.”

Meanwhile, The Who moves ahead with their final tour across North America between August and September. Zak’s out, Devours is in, and Ringo’s watching it all from the sidelines, ready to back his son or take another swing at the “little man” if he feels like it.

Got a tip for us? Email: [email protected]