Tony Awards: Pete Townshend warns of the lessons in The Who’s ‘Tommy’
Pete Townshend tells USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa about the lessons that can be taken in 2024 from The Who’s “Tommy.”
The Who is reinstating the band’s longtime drummer just days after booting him from the role.
Guitarist Pete Townshend announced in an April 19 statement on The Who’s website that drummer Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, is no longer “being asked to step down” from the band.
“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily,” he said. “Roger (Daltrey) and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line up and he has readily agreed.”
Last week, a representative for the band told multiple outlets, including Rolling Stone and The Guardian, that The Who “made a collective decision to part ways with” Starkey after a round of shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”
In his own statement to Rolling Stone, Starkey, who joined The Who in 1996, expressed surprise at his firing and indicated it was sparked by his performance during a March show at the Royal Albert Hall. According to Metro, Daltrey expressed frustration on stage during the show, saying he was having difficulty hearing because “all I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry, guys.”
In his statement, Starkey wrote, “In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running. After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?”
He added, “Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”
On Saturday, Townshend said the Royal Albert Hall shows “were a little tricky for me,” in part because of his recent knee replacement. But he also blamed Starkey, 59, for making some “mistakes” on stage.
“Maybe we didn’t put enough time into sound checks,” Townshend said. “The sound in the center of the stage is always the most difficult to work with. Roger did nothing wrong but fiddle with his in-ear monitors. Zak made a few mistakes and he has apologized. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.”
Townshend added that the situation surrounding Starkey’s firing “blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen,” and the band will “move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies.” He also apologized for “not crushing” a rumor that drummer Scott Devours would replace Starkey.
On Instagram, Starkey said he is “grateful to be a part of the who family” and thanked Townshend and Daltrey for reinstating him. He previously seemed to apologize to Daltrey for his performance in an April 17 Instagram post, writing, “Sorry Rog, I dropped a few beats … I’ll pick em up next time if I can.”
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