Roger Daltrey Hints at The Who Reunion With Zak Starkey: “He’s Come Very Close” to Keith Moon’s Legacy

The Who frontman Roger Daltrey has confirmed that drummer Zak Starkey recently rehearsed with the band, raising the possibility of a reunion tour just over a year after Starkey’s contentious departure.

Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, joined The Who in 1996 and served as their touring drummer for nearly three decades. His tenure was thrown into uncertainty following the band’s Teenage Cancer Trust performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall in March 2024. During a rendition of “The Song Is Over,” Daltrey halted the show, stating he could not hear the keyboards over the drums. Reports quickly surfaced of an “acrimonious” fallout leading to Starkey’s dismissal.

Starkey responded that he was “surprised and saddened,” insisting his performance had not been problematic. Days later, guitarist Pete Townshend publicly clarified that Starkey was “not being asked to step down.” Yet by May, the band announced Starkey had left, citing that “the time has come for a change.” Starkey disputed this narrative, claiming he was asked to falsely state he had quit to pursue other projects. “I love The Who and would never have quit,” he wrote at the time.

Last month, Starkey appeared to be back in the fold, with both he and Daltrey confirming they had rehearsed together. Speaking to LifeMinute, Daltrey addressed the reconciliation and the prospect of future shows. “He’s not Keith Moon, but he’s come very close,” Daltrey said of the drummer. When asked directly about a reunion with Starkey, he replied: “I don’t know. We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer. We love Zak, but sometimes the road doesn’t like Zak. Sometimes it gets on top of him, and it becomes difficult.”

He continued: “He was drumming at the rehearsal, and we did the rehearsal to see if we can possibly do shows next year. Still hit the notes, still get the drive. Who music demands an incredible amount of drive, and without that, it would be Herman’s Hermits without the Hermann.”

In an interview with NME last June, Starkey revealed he remained in regular contact with his former bandmates but expressed confusion about the situation. “I still talk to Roger every week on the phone. I still text with Pete all the time,” he said. “I spoke to Roger a few weeks ago and he said, ‘Don’t take your drums out of the warehouse just yet in case we need you’. What the fuck’s going on, man? That’s where we’re at now.”

Earlier in May, Daltrey asserted that The Who “were the first heavy metal band,” arguing they laid the groundwork for the genre in the 1960s.

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