Legendary Brit rock band fire drummer for second time in a month as he issues savage statement
THE WHO drummer Zak Starkey has hit out at the band after being sacked for the second time in just four weeks.
Starkey, 59 - son of Beatles legend
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English drummer Zak Starkey has been fired from The Who
Credit: AFP
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Pete Townshend confirmed Starkey's axe for the second time in four weeks
Credit: Getty
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Roger Daltrey slammed Starkey on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
Credit: Redferns
His axe was confirmed by
He also revealed Scott Devours, who plays with Roger Daltrey's solo band, will take over behind the kit, adding: 'Please welcome him.'
But Starkey quickly shut down any suggestion he walked away - reposting Townshend's image with his own furious message scrawled across it.
'This would be a lie. I love The Who and would never have quit,' he wrote.
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He thanked fans who backed him through the 'weeks of mayhem' after being previously axed, then briefly reinstated before getting the boot again this week.
'Quitting The Who would let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more),' he said.
Hitting out at Townshend's claim he had other things going on, Zak said: "To clarify 'other projects'… yes I do have other projects and always have - Johnny Marr, The Lightning Seeds and more.
'None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them.
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'The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who - I didn't. I love The Who and everyone in it.'
Zak has played with the band since the mid-90s and was widely seen as their unofficial third member.
The Who's Roger Daltrey performs Pinball Wizard during Tommy Live at The Royal Albert Hall
He was fired from The Who in April following a clash over their
The Sun exclusively revealed
He told the crowd: 'To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can't. All I've got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can't sing to that. I'm sorry guys.'
Tensions erupted and Starkey publicly braded Roger "Toger Daktrey" and said the the singer was "bringing formal charges of over playing" against him.
He was fired but three days later reinstated, with Townshend releasing a statement.
He said: 'There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.'
On Friday, another drummer spoke out about being axed from a world famous band.
Who is Zak Starkey? Five key facts
ZAK Starkey has been unceremoniously sacked as The Who's drummer - yet who is he?
The Who's
Roger Daltrey, 81, and bandmate Zak, 59,
at
London
's Royal Albert Hall.
Zak had been The Who's drummer since their Quadropenia tour in 1996
He is
is
the son of legendary
Beatles
drummer
Aside from his drumming duties for The Who, Zak is also known for playing with
Oasis
He has been tipped to play at the Manchester band's UK reunion tour
In January it was revealed
, hours before taking to the stage with Brit supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos
Freese said he was devastated to be let go in an emotional statement.
He wrote: 'The
Foo Fighters
called me Monday night to let me know they've decided 'to go in a different direction with their drummer.' No reason was given. :(
'Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.
'In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I've never been let go from a band, so while I'm not angry - just a bit shocked and disappointed.
'But as most of you know, I've always worked freelance and bounced between bands, so, I'm fine.
'Stay tuned for my 'Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters' list.'
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Zak, 59, had been The Who's drummer since their Quadropenia tour in 1996 prior to his sacking
Credit: Getty
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Roger complained abou him on stage
Credit: Getty
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