According to reports from that fateful Royal Albert Hall performance in March (a charity gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust), lead singer Roger Daltrey expressed his unhappiness with Starkey’s accompaniment on stage. He supposedly paused their final song, “The Song Is Over,” telling the audience: “To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.” He had also admitted to age-related vision and hearing problems during these Teenage Cancer Trust concerts.
Starkey got snarky ahead of his official dismissal, posting a photo of himself and Daltrey branded “The Daily Who Breaking News” with an all-caps message on Instagram: “Heard today from inside source that Toger Daktrey [sic] lead singer and principal songwriter of the group unhappy with Zak the drummer’s performance at the Albert Hall a few weeks ago is bringing formal charges of overplaying and is literally going to Zak the drummer and bring on a reserve from ‘The Burwash Carwash Skiffle ‘N’ Tickle Glee Club Harmony Without Empathy Allstars’ this has been confirmed by whose long time manager Willya Youwontyouknow.”
Legend has it that it was not Ringo who gave Starkey his first drum kit, but The Who’s own original drummer Keith Moon. Besides his tenure with The Who, Starkey has also played for Oasis, Johnny Marr, the Lightning Seeds, Sly and Robbie, and his ex-Beatle dad. Most recently he’s also been a part of the supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos alongside Shaun Ryder and Bez of the Happy Mondays and Black Grape, and Andy Bell of Oasis and Ride. Earlier this year, they released the single “Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)” with Oasis’ Noel Gallagher.
