Zak Starkey Back With The Who After Year of Departures and Reunions

Zak Starkey has confirmed he is returning to The Who as their drummer, closing a turbulent chapter that saw him fired, rehired, and fired again within the space of a few months.

Starkey wrote on Instagram on Friday, 28 August: "Nice one Rog x. Lookin forward to tearin it up with The Who again." In a separate statement to Variety, he said the band had rehearsed for an afternoon and were "absolutely on fire," adding: "I'm so happy to be back playing the music I love with people I love. It's good to be home." Billboard

The news follows comments Roger Daltrey made to a Las Vegas audience at the Encore Theater on Wednesday, 26 August, telling them the band was gearing up to come back together with Starkey on drums after a rehearsal that "sounded great." Billboard

Starkey described the rehearsal in unusually intense terms. "I don't think we've ever rehearsed as tough as that," he wrote on Instagram. "Usually we drink tea and talk about what time we're going home!" Billboard

The reunion caps a chaotic stretch for the drummer and the band. Starkey, who first joined The Who in 1996 — nearly three decades behind the kit — was asked to step down last April, following a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. He was rehired days later, only to be dismissed again roughly a month after that. Drummer Scott Devours then stepped in for what was billed as The Who's farewell North American tour, which completed its run in October of last year. Billboard

Despite the "farewell" label, Daltrey has been clear that the band is not finished. He told the Arizona Republic ahead of a solo tour: "It's not over by any means," while acknowledging that the completed run was "the last tour of America for the Who." Billboard

What those future plans look like remains unclear. No tour dates have been announced with Starkey back in the fold, and the band has not specified whether new live commitments are imminent.

For Starkey, the return closes a circle he may not have expected. Before his second dismissal, he said he had turned down reunion shows with Oasis — the band ultimately chose Joey Waronker as drummer for their reunion tour, which opened on 4 July. Billboard Starkey's father, Ringo Starr, publicly criticised Daltrey over the firing last year, adding a family dimension to what was already a very public split.

Now, all of that appears to be in the rear-view mirror. Starkey is back, the rehearsal was tough by his own account, and Daltrey is telling audiences it sounded great. What The Who do next — and where — is the open question.