Pete Townshend recently shared his perspective on Zak Starkey’s departure from The Who. He expressed uncertainty about the circumstances while revealing tensions within the band in an interview with iNews.
The guitarist’s comments addressed the recent personnel change and his cautious approach to discussing band dynamics with Roger Daltrey.
He said, “I couldn’t see anything wrong. What you see [in the footage of the gig] is a band who haven’t played together for a long time. But I think it was probably to do with the sound. I’ve lost my sound man as a result.”
Townshend revealed the delicate nature of his relationship with bandmate Roger Daltrey when discussing internal decisions.
He added, “I think Roger just got lost. Roger’s finding it difficult. I have to be careful what I say about Roger because he gets angry if I say anything about him at all. He’ll be sacking me next. But that’s not to say that he sacked Zak. It’s a decision Roger and I tried to make together, but it kind of got out of hand.”
The veteran musician also reflected on Starkey’s role in the band and the circumstances of his involvement.
Townshend explained, “I didn’t invite him in, right? Roger invited him. And at that time, I don’t know quite why he chose Zak, but Zak is another Keith Moon. He comes with real, real bonuses and real, real difficulties.”
He concluded by saying, “I will miss Zak terribly. But quite what the story is, I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
The departure marks the end of a significant chapter in The Who’s history. Starkey’s tenure with the band spanned nearly three decades of performances and recordings.
