Inside The Who star's health scare ahead of being sacked by rock legends (2025)

The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey have parted ways with their drummer, Zak Starkey, after sources claimed they wanted a change just months after his health scare

Members of The Who have fired their long-time drummer Zak Starkey after their two shows at the Royal Albert Hall last month. Rock legends Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have since confirmed the new that they have parted ways with Zak.

Zak, who is the son of Beatles' icon Sir Ringo Starr, has been The Who’s full-time drummer since their Quadrophenia Tour back in 1996. However, a spokesperson for The Who said tonight: “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.”

It comes months after the drummer was forced to cancel a performance with Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder and Bez at the last minute following a health scare in January. He had to pull out of the gig and was rushed to see medics just hours before due to a blood clot in his leg. Zak, 59, and his band Mantra of the Cosmos were due to play a secret gig in Soho, yet doctors immediately put the drummer on bed rest.

The musician, who has performed with Oasis and The Who, has been given a two-week course of blood thinners. Mantra of the Cosmos is made up of Zak, Happy Mondays stars Bez and Shaun Ryder as well as Oasis and Ride guitarist Andy Bell. Bez, Shaun and Andy were still able to attend Karma Sanctum Soho but didn't perform.

They celebrated the band alongside fans and insisted Zak's health is "the most important thing". Shaun even joked: "As soon as I get out of here I’m going to take some tights to get on Zak’s legs."

The band decided to screen their latest performance at Liverpool's iconic Cavern Club to fans while Zak rested at home.

Bez told the crowd: "First of all can I say how special it was to play the Cavern with Zak Starkey. He’s never been to the Cavern before and it felt special. It was better than anything I ever imagined in my life. I couldn’t believe how good it was. To play there... I had to show off right at the end, ‘His f***ing dad’s Ringo Starr! Know what I mean?' We felt like the Beatles - well I did for a little moment!"

Mantra of the Cosmos performed at two shows at the venue this weekend and had a little helping hand from pal Noel Gallagher. Zak told the Liverpool ECHO: "It was very surreal. I was s***ting it - proper s***ting it until I got on there and it was amazing. The music is like holy music isn't it. Before I was s***ting my pants. I was sitting in my room and I text Noel saying I was s***ting it. He said 'get down there and get on, what are you talking about?'."

Asked if he found the occasion daunting, Zak said: "No, this is our band - it's not daunting, it's just great. But The Beatles are daunting." Zak first met Oasis star Noel in a London rehearsal room in early 1995 when he was in a band called Face before he began drumming for Oasis in 2004 – playing on albums Don’t Believe The Truth and Dig Your Own Soul.

Noel joined Mantra of the Cosmos for their latest single Domino Bones, as Zak said: "It's not every day that the greatest songwriter of my generation – not to mention Shaun, the greatest beat poet of our times – sends a tune to me and I was in a daze for a bit cos it’s not something you want to f*** up.

"It came together great – everyone digs it. Noel loves Shaun. He texted me to say 'Do you know what you've got? The British Bob Dylan' – and he’s not f****g about because now I've witnessed what Shaun does.

Noel calls him the 'king of lyrics'." Noel praised: "Mantra Of The Cosmos is like Dylan, Dali and Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the clangers."

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