Pete Townshend says Zak Starkey is 'not being asked to leave' The Who despite previous claims
Zak Starkey is "not being asked" to leave The Who. The 59-year-old drummer parted ways with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend after almost 30 years following their two Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall last month and admitted how "saddened" he was by his departure but now Pete has claimed that the whole thing has been blown out of proportion. On Saturday (19.04.25), he wrote on Instagram: "He's not being asked to step down from The Who. There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily. Roger 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. I take responsibility for some of the confusion. Our TCT shows at the Royal Albert Hall were a little tricky for me. I thought that four and a half weeks would be enough time to recover completely from having a complete knee replacement. (Why did I ever think I could land on my knees?) "Wrong! Maybe we didn't put enough time into sound checks, giving us problems on stage. The sound in the centre 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 apologised. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer. We are a family, this blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen. It's over. We move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies." The rock star insisted that he owes Scott Devours "an apology" for not quashing the rumours before they started and will be buying him a drink to apologise. He added: "As for Roger, fans can enjoy his forthcoming solo shows with his fabulous drummer, Scott Devours, who it was rumoured might replace Zak in The Who and has always been supportive of the band. I owe Scott an apology for not crushing that rumour before it spread. He has been hurt by this. I promise to buy him a very long drink and give him a hug. Pete Townshend." The statement comes just days after Zak revealed how upset he was at the development. He told The Mirror: "I'm very proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my Godfather, 'uncle Keith' has been the biggest honour and I remain their biggest fan. They've been like family to me. 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? I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of Domino Bones by Mantra Of The Cosmos with Noel Gallagher in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me. Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.' A spokesperson for the 'Pinball Wizard' group previously said: "The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future." According to Metro, during The Who's London show on 30 March, Roger stopped the performance multiple times and complained he was unable to hear over the sound of Zak's drumming. Stopping the concert during the final track, 'The Song Is Over', the 81-year-old rocker told the audience: "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."
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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. As a film critic who hosts a podcast called Roger (Ebert) & Me, I watch it all so I can bring you recommendations you can trust, and this week there are tons of movies to put on your radar. 28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to 2003's 28 Days Later (which, hot tip, is available to stream on Pluto TV) arrives in theaters alongside Elio, the latest from Disney-Pixar in the kiddie sci-fi adventure genre. At home, recent hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and A24's Friendship are now available to rent. On streaming, A Minecraft Movie comes to HBO Max, and a couple of indie flicks worth your time land on Shudder and Paramount+ with Showtime. Read on because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: First things first: 28 Years Later is the start of a planned trilogy, a fact you'd never know unless you're extremely plugged into reading about movies online. The sequel is already shot and has a January 2026 release date. The third film has not yet been produced. The movie, disappointingly, is very much part one of three, feeling like an act one more than a cohesive and fully satisfying whole. An out-of-the-blue tonal shift button at the end is the only real indicator that there's more on the way, as the story of this movie pretty much ends, and there's an extra scene that teases something entirely different to come. There's plenty to praise here, though, despite that inherent disappointment in expecting a finished product and getting merely the start of one. The creative team behind the original film returns, with Danny Boyle in the director's chair, Alex Garland penning the script and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle doing incredible work and keeping up with the digital aesthetic that became synonymous with 28 Days Later by shooting the movie on modified iPhone 15s. The film takes place, well, 28 years after the rage virus began, and in that time the infected have evolved, but I won't spoil the sheer fun and horror of discovering these new variants. Like all good zombie flicks, it reflects on the era in which it was made, and there are obvious parallels here to real-world events like Brexit. It's hard to not think of the film as a response to the mass death we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a more thoughtful and somber film than some may be expecting, lighter on zombie action than its predecessors and more focused on domestic drama and acceptance of circumstances. It's surprisingly emotionally affecting by the third act, once Ralph Fiennes, the film's MVP, enters. Protagonist Alfie Williams, a child actor making his debut, is terrific too. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both feel more like plot conveniences than characters. It's a shame that the movie is undercut by the 'this is the start of a trilogy' of it all, because when it works, it's damned good, and Boyle is really back in top form. It's a terrific showcase for his heightened, damn-near experimental style. In short, it's still good but may not be the movie audiences are expecting. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are big fans of it. AP's Jake Coyle writes, "Buried in here are some tender reflections on mortality and misguided exceptionalism, and even the hint of those ideas make 28 Years Later a more thoughtful movie than you're likely to find at the multiplex this time of year." William Bibbiani at TheWrap agrees, writing that "the filmmakers haven't redefined the zombie genre, but they've refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead." 👀 How to watch: 28 Years Later is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... : The latest from Disney-Pixar arrives after a yearlong delay and a new creative team taking over the project, and the movie does show signs of tinkering. It's a story about a boy with dead parents who doesn't feel like he belongs on Earth, so he hopes to be abducted by aliens, which then happens. They mistake him for the leader of Earth, which he runs with. Despite the messiness that rears its head, mostly in the form of too many characters and subplots, it's imaginative and sweet in the way we've come to expect from Pixar, and it's fun to see the storied animation studio trafficking in sci-fi tropes that adults will recognize as references to classic films and kids will find new and exciting. It's a solid effort, but definitely not up there with the best of them. — Get tickets. :Another week, another Die Hard variant, this time it's a comedy-focused spin on the material starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and recent Oscar winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph. The premise here is 'Die Hard meets Bridesmaids,' with the action scenario unfolding at a wedding and the maid of honor being a secret agent, much to the surprise of the rest of the wedding party. It's not without a few laughs, but it's largely uninspired, and your mileage will vary depending on how funny you find Wilson. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Final Destination: Bloodlines was a box office success, making more than $273 million worldwide. Now that it's available to rent or buy at home, I hope even more people tune in. This movie is an absolute blast and finds a clever and fun way to retool the concept of the series. As I previously wrote, the bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly emotional send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes clear that the scene was written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' 🤔 If those aren't for you... I first recommended this movie when it hit theaters and now that it's available to watch at home, I stand by what I previously wrote: It's a silly movie that knows it, and it has a lot of fun getting as bloody as possible. — Rent or buy. A good old-fashioned horror flick — no irony to be found here, just pure commitment to its own spooky aesthetic — that mashes up A Nightmare on Elm Street with a more generic supernatural 'urban legend' flick. It's a cheap indie, but it has a great creature design, the backstory they've come up with is compelling, and there are several unsettling images throughout. It's solid!— Rent or buy. The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those who do appreciate his sense of humor rabidly anticipate his work. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him. It's funny throughout — if you find Robinson's antics amusing — and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time. — Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: This documentary about astronaut Sally Ride delves into an aspect of her life that was once hidden from public view. It's about her life with Tam O'Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years whose existence was only made known after Ride's death from cancer in 2012. The dramatizations of their relationship that occur in the film feel a bit off, but once you realize they're doing it because there's no documented evidence of their relationship, the tactic hits home. It's an enlightening doc about a fascinating subject. 🍿 What critics are saying: Lisa Kennedy at Variety notes that O'Shaughnessy's "candor here marries a spectacular professional saga with the personal love story convincingly." Caryn James at the Hollywood Reporter sums it up well: "Sally stands perfectly well without any fussy touches, as an important addition to the record of what we know about a pioneering cultural figure — in all her complexity, ambition and guardedness." .👀 How to watch: Sally is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'Sally' My recommendation: Why you should maybe watch it: I previously recommended A Minecraft Movie and what I thought then still stands: I am not the target demographic so I did not enjoy it but the movie is a huge hit and kids are going absolutely feral for it. Helmed by director Jared Hess, the man behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, it feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic about the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics gave it a 48%, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is 85%. The Atlantic's David Sims wrote that it's "the first genuine smash hit of the floundering 2025 movie season, and I exult in anything that's bringing young people to cineplexes, even if the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil." Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. .👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'A Minecraft Movie' 🤔 If that's not for you... Musician turned filmmaker Flying Lotus directed this derivative sci-fi horror flick that's all style over substance. If you've seen genre classics like The Thing, Alien or Solaris, or even something like Event Horizon, you've seen this movie, which plays like a mash-up of all of those films and more. It never transcends the fact that it's a love letter to other films to become its own movie, even if it has some striking visuals. Starring Eiza Gonzáles and Aaron Paul. — Now streaming on Shudder. Love Me couldn't be stranger: It's a love story set in a post-apocalyptic, human-free future, between a buoy and a satellite. The story spans billions of years as they learn what life was like on Earth, and the two sentient beings discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. It's easier to watch than it is to explain, and it stars Kirsten Stewart and Steven Yuen. — Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Ringo Starr trashes ‘little man' Roger Daltrey for firing son Zak Starkey from The Who
Not letting it be. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Starr's son, Zak Starkey, revealed how his famous father, Ringo Starr, stuck up for him after he was fired from The Who by frontman Roger Daltrey. 'I'm very proud of him standing up for me,' said Starkey, 59. Advertisement 8 Zak Starkey and Ringo Starr at The Box in London in 2016. David M. Benett When asked how the 84-year-old Beatles legend reacted, Starkey replied: 'He said, 'I've never liked the way that little man runs that band.'' Starr appeared to be referring to Daltrey, who had an alleged altercation with Starkey that led to his exit from the band. Advertisement 8 Ringo Starr with his wife Maureen and their baby son Zak in 1965. Getty Images 8 Ringo Starr, Zak Starkey in 1992. Getty Images In April, it was announced that Starkey was leaving The Who after performing with the group for almost 30 years. But Starkey was quickly rehired by The Who, only to be let go from the band, again, in May. 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,' guitarist Pete Townshend wrote via Instagram on May 18. 'A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' Advertisement 8 Roger Daltrey, Zak Starkey and Pete Townshend of The Who perform in Las Vegas in 2017. Getty Images In the Rolling Stone interview, Starkey gave more context into his firing, which happened after his bandmates were unhappy with his performance at London's Royal Albert Hall in late March. 't was all a bit vague. It was just like, 'You're getting fired,'' Starkey claimed. 'And Pete had to hang in there with Rog because I think it was…I don't know. I'm not going to name names or who did what. But Pete called me and said, 'Are you strong enough to fight for your job back?' I said, 'I'm not strong enough to have you do it for me. I don't want you doing it.'' 8 Zak Starkey and Roger Daltrey of The Who perform in California in 2004. Getty Images Advertisement Starkey said that Townshend, 80, called him a week later and asked him to rejoin the group. 'I got my job back. And then 10 days later, I got a call saying 'It's never going to work. We want you to put out a statement saying you're moving on to do your own thing,'' Starkey explained. 'And I said, 'But I'm f—in' not.' So I just left it and didn't do it. It would be a lie. I'd never leave the Who. I love the Who.' 8 Ringo Starr, Zak Starkey in 1992. Getty Images 8 Roger Daltrey talks to Peter Frampton and Zak Starkey in 1998. AFP via Getty Images Despite his double firings and The Who announcing that drummer Scott Devours will replace Starkey on the band's upcoming farewell tour, Starkey said that he's still unsure where he stands with the group. 'I spoke to Roger last week,' Starkey told Rolling Stone. 'He said, 'Don't take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you.' What the f–k? These guys are f–kin' insane!' 8 Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend perform at The Who's residency in Las Vegas in July 2017. Getty Images Advertisement When asked if he blames Daltrey for the drama, Starkey responded, 'I don't blame anyone. I don't hold any grudges. It's the Who. Weirder sh-t than this has gone down. I've heard them say weirder sh-t than this. It's the Who — the maddest band there's ever been.' Starkey also confirmed that he'd 'of course' return to the band again.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Drummer fired twice from legendary band calls members ‘insane'
Drummer Zak Starkey was fired by The Who, then rehired, then fired again within the span of a month. While Starkey, who has played with the band since 1996, says he still considers Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey family, he does take issue with the reasons they gave for dismissing him from the band. Starkey, who is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey, detailed what led to his firing in a recent interview with The Telegraph. 'What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong,' Starkey said, referring to The Who's performance of 'The Song is Over' at the band's second show at Royal Albert Hall in March. A review of the band's March gig in the Metro implied that Daltrey openly bashed Starkey's performance while on stage. While performing 'The Song Is Over,' Daltrey stopped and said, '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,'' according to the review. However, Starkey told The Telegraph that The Who doesn't typically play the 1971 hit live and didn't rehearse it enough. He also said Daltrey 'took a bit out' of the song because it was too long and came 'in a bar early.' 'I watched the show and I can't find any dropped beats,' Starkey told The Telegraph. 'Then Pete had to go along with it because Pete's had 60 years of arguing with Roger.' The Who kicked Starkey out of the band seven days later. Afterward, Townshend called Starkey to ask if he wanted to fight for his place back. He said no. But a week later, Townshend called again, and Starkey had changed his mind. 'I said, 'I want my gig back,'' Starkey told The Telegraph. The drummer's reunion with The Who was short-lived after he was dropped again just two weeks later. 'It was like, 'Roger says he can't work with you no more, and we'd like you to issue another statement saying you're leaving to do your other projects, and I just didn't do it because I wasn't leaving [of my own volition],' Starkey said. The drummer added that the band's team 'didn't specify' why Daltrey felt he couldn't work with Starkey. The singer later told him that 'you're not fired, you're retired because you've got so many other projects,' according to Starkey. Despite the situation, Starkey regrets how some fans sided with him and slammed Daltrey and Townshend. 'I don't blame anyone. I blame The Who because they're unpredictable, aggressive and (expletive) insane,' he said. Starkey was first fired by The Who in mid-April, two weeks after the second Royal Albert Hall show. The band was said to have 'made a collective decision' to part ways with the drummer, The Sun reported at the time. Starkey, who first joined The Who in 1996, later told Rolling Stone that he was 'surprised and saddened' by his firing, but was grateful for his time with the band. 'I'm very proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my Godfather, 'uncle Keith [Moon]' has been the biggest honor, and I remain their biggest fan. They've been like family to me,' Starkey wrote in the statement. 'Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.' In mid-May, Starkey was fired for the second time prior to The Who's farewell tour. 'After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for a change. A poignant time,' The Who's Pete Townshend wrote on Instagram on May 18. 'Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.' In a counter-statement also posted on Instagram, Starkey called Townshend's announcement a lie. 'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical endeavors‚" Starkey wrote. 'This would be a lie. I love The Who and would never had quit. So I didn't make the statement ... quitting The Who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me ...' Starkey clarified that although he does have other projects, it would not have interfered with the tour and cited other points in time when he would balance both plans, from the 1990s through 2020. 'None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them,' Starkey said. 'The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who — I didn't. I love The Who and everyone in it.' Although the farewell tour was expected to include Starkey, he has already been replaced by Scott Devours. 'The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour' will feature 16 shows, including a concert at Fenway Park in Boston on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Meanwhile, Starkey is taking time to focus on his other projects, including his band Mantra of the Cosmos. The group includes Shaun Ryder and Bez of the Happy Mondays and Black Grape, and Andy Bell of Oasis and Ride. Rock singer calls brother's claims he sexually abused him 'wildly misleading' Shawn Mendes 2025 tour coming to Boston, where to buy tickets online Green River Festival returns to Greenfield with world-class music lineup Rock band Gov't Mule to open The Big E Arena on 2025 fair's first night Live Wire: Four under-the-radar acts not to miss at Green River Festival Read the original article on MassLive.
