Ringo Starr may be best known as the easy-going Beatle, but when it comes to his son, Zak Starkey, he’s not afraid to speak up. The 84-year-old music star reportedly came to Zak’s defense during a tense split from The Who.
Zak, 59, had been drumming for The Who for almost 30 years when things suddenly went south. What followed was a whirlwind of confusion, firings, reinstatements, and public statements that changed nearly every time. Through it all, Ringo stood firmly behind his son, even taking a jab at The Who’s frontman, Roger Daltrey.
Ringo Starr didn’t hold back while standing up for his son, Zak Starkey
CELEBRITY NEWS
Ringo Starr (pictured) has reportedly criticised the way “that little man” Roger Daltrey runs the Who rock ban after Starr’s son was sacked from the band.
Zak Starkey, 59, who was sacked as the Who’s drummer over a disagreement about his performance, said he was… pic.twitter.com/RGrg9bb8R3
— Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) June 19, 2025
In a recent chat with Rolling Stone, Zak revealed just how strongly his father felt about the situation. When things got heated behind the scenes, Ringo reportedly told him, “I’ve never liked the way that little man runs that band,” seemingly referring to Roger Daltrey. It was a rare public show of emotion from the drummer-turned-dad, but for Zak, it meant a lot. “I’m very proud of him standing up for me,” he said.
Although Daltrey hasn’t responded to the comments, the tension had been building for months. In April, it was first announced that Zak would be leaving The Who. Then Pete Townshend chimed in, saying Zak hadn’t really left, that it was just a mix-up. But by May, the band confirmed he was out again. “After many years of great work, the time has come for a change,” Townshend wrote.
“In an out like a bleedin’ squeezebox.”
Zak wasn’t quiet about what happened. On Instagram, he told his fans he didn’t quit. He was fired and pressured to say he left on his own. “This would be a lie,” he wrote. “I love The Who and would never have quit.” His statement caught attention not just for the message but also for how it was said. It was said in an unmistakably British way: “In an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin’ squeezebox.”
Still, Zak made it clear there were no hard feelings. After a confusing phone call with Daltrey, the two cleared the air. “Rog said I hadn’t been ‘fired,’ I’d been ‘retired,’” Zak explained. “We kind of left it there on good terms and great friends as we have always been.” These days, Zak is focused on his own music, including work with his group Mantra of the Cosmos.