It’s been a tough month for drummers, to say the least. Just two weeks ago, within days of each other, both Josh Freese and Zak Starkey (son of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr) were let go from their drumming gigs with Foo Fighters and The Who. While Freese’s exit was unexpected and abrupt, Starkey’s departure came with a bit of drama. After nearly 30 years with The Who, Starkey was fired, rehired, and then fired again (and allegedly told to lie about it) over the course of a month.
On top of this, Guns N’ Roses also recently announced “the amicable exit” of longtime drummer Frank Ferrer, and last year Sammy Hagar parted ways with Jason Bonham (son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham).
Now, during an appearance on the podcast “Office Hours Live With Tim Heidecker,” Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy reflected on this recent flurry of big-name drummers being canned.
“I think it’s the Spinal Tap conspiracy. I think nobody is safe. Ringo’s [Starr] son was fired from The Who. John Bonham’s son was fired from Sammy Hagar’s band. I mean, if the spawn of Ringo and Bonzo are not safe, nobody is safe… Jason Bonham got let go by Sammy months ago, last year, I think, when he was out on the summer tour,” Portnoy said. It’s just crazy. It’s craziness.”
He continued, speaking specifically about Freese (who joined Foo Fighters in 2023 following the death of Taylor Hawkins one year prior): “Frankly, it’s shocking. I thought Josh was perfect… So, yeah, it’s scary. It’s scary times for drummers.”
When asked about the rumors that Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane may take over on drums for Dave Grohl and co., Portnoy responded: “But even famous drummers’ sons are not safe, like I just pointed out. It doesn’t matter.”
He then went on to defend Starkey, who prior to his firing was accused by frontman Roger Daltrey of playing too loud during one of their shows last month.
“Well, I don’t know if you saw the clips. The whole thing with Zak Starkey started – [The Who] did a show last month at the Royal Albert Hall. They were doing ‘The Song Is Over’, and Roger [Daltrey] came into the second verse early and stopped the band, turned around and blamed it on his mix, that the drums were powering out his mix,” Portnoy explained.
“Now, mind you, Zak Starkey is on an electronic kit; they already downgraded it [from] an acoustic kit. They have him playing an electronic kit, which is fully controllable in terms of volume through the sound guy. So, if anything, he should have fired the monitor guy, not Zak.”
Somewhat jokingly, Portnoy added that all of this has led him to be concerned about his status as a drummer. “I’m scared for my life and career at this point,” he said. “And I’m in, like, 15 bands, so I have 15 times the chance of getting fired right now. The odds are very much stacked against me right now.”
