After more than a year of public tension, drummer Zak Starkey and The Who have reconciled following recent rehearsals together. Starkey’s dismissal in April 2025, just before the band’s U.S. farewell tour, had sparked considerable controversy and speculation about the underlying causes of the split.
The reunion came to light when Roger Daltrey announced during a solo performance at Las Vegas’s Encore Theater that the band had recently rehearsed with Starkey, describing the session as sounding excellent. Starkey subsequently confirmed the development through social media, sharing enthusiasm about reconnecting with the iconic rock group after three decades of drumming with them. In a formal statement to media outlets, Starkey expressed his happiness at returning to perform music he loves alongside bandmates he values.
The exact reasons for Starkey’s initial firing have remained ambiguous, with various accounts circulating about potential performance issues and interpersonal dynamics. Starkey had previously expressed frustration about being asked to claim the separation was his voluntary decision, ultimately refusing to misrepresent the circumstances publicly.
While The Who completed their American farewell tour last October without Starkey, band leadership has indicated additional international performances remain possible. Daltrey emphasized that the U.S. tour represented only a chapter in the band’s story, leaving room for future European dates and potential one-off concerts stateside.
Originally reported by Variety →
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