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The Who fire Zac Starkey

Dear lord, Zac was using VDrums?!?! Irrespective of whether that still managed to trigger Roger, that's a high crime and misdemeanor. Glad I never saw that.

The irony is that Zac was the best drummer The Who ever had. Ever. And that includes Simon Phillips ...who obviously can play rings around Zac, and Kenny, and Keith, but in terms of being The RIght Drummer For The Group just didn't have the mojo Zac mustered

...when he played a real (acoustic) drum kit, at least.

Pete, Roger, time to hang it up!
Considering they are a few years older than me and I am approaching 76, I have to agree.
 
"a source claimed there were a 'few issues with the drumming....and the standard wasn’t as high as everyone wanted."

So after 29 years with them they just decide his drumming wasn't good enough for them anymore??? Zac also had a serious blood clot in his right calf back in January, and had to cancel some shows. Jeez, give the guy a break! Roger & Pete need to hang it up!! Their days are done!
 
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Glad I saw them before John passed.
Yeah. Same. And I missed Moony entirely - such an idiot to have not seen them when I was 12 ;)

I think Townshend and Daltrey calling their act "The Who" is not a good idea, even if they're doing all The Who songs. The band really was greater than the sum of the parts, and the parts were all pretty great. I think they'd still do just as well as themselves, not pretending to be what they were back when. I have no comment on the Starkey situation, I can't imagine how this sort of thing might happen, but yeah of course Zac will land on his feet. He's a pro, like his da.
 
I see alot of comments basically saying theyre too old and pathetic, but, I've heard that said about guys in the 50s playing in coverbands too so.
Idk.

Would you rather go see the remaining members of the who play, or not see them at all? "I saw them back in the day" Well good for you! Not all of us were alive back then.

I'm sure theres way more to it than "drums being too loud". These are people who've been successful muscicians for most of their lives, I'm pretty sure they know a thing or two about live sound.
Speculating in 2 sentences on an online forum is easy. Putting yourselves in their shoes, not so much.

I'd also like to mention that refusing to retire on top is an extremely common thing, not just among musicians. In any job. The moment you do, most people wither away quite fast. There is absolutely no shame in wanting to continue doing what you know and love.

Tbh I gotta say I'm abit ashamed of this community for the reactions I'm seeing here. Pure speculation and degrading one of the bands that shaped rock and roll forever, over an issue none of you have much insight into.
I'm sure none of you forget things, ever, or mess up live once in a while, especially not when under the pressure of playing infront of tens of thousands of people, which I'm sure you do all the time.
 
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After reading Roger Daltreys book, it doesn't surprise me at all.

He wrote page after page of self serving nonsense while speaking ill of the dead (The Ox), and tearing down the others as well.

Anyway, who cares? (See what I did there?)
Starkey has a lot of good years in front of him, and a lot of great connections in the biz.
 
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I see alot of comments basically saying theyre too old and pathetic, but, I've heard that said about guys in the 50s playing in coverbands too so.
Idk.

Would you rather go see the remaining members of the who play, or not see them at all? "I saw them back in the day" Well good for you! Not all of us were alive back then.

I'm sure theres way more to it than "drums being too loud". These are people who've been successful muscicians for most of their lives, I'm pretty sure they know a thing or two about live sound.
Speculating in 2 sentences on an online forum is easy. Putting yourselves in their shoes, not so much.

I'd also like to mention that refusing to retire on top is an extremely common thing, not just among musicians. In any job. The moment you do, most people wither away quite fast. There is absolutely no shame in wanting to continue doing what you know and love.

Tbh I gotta say I'm abit ashamed of this community for the reactions I'm seeing here. Pure speculation and degrading one of the bands that shaped rock and roll forever, over an issue none of you have much insight into.
I'm sure none of you forget things, ever, or mess up live once in a while, especially not when under the pressure of playing infront of tens of thousands of people, which I'm sure you do all the time.
Disagree, 100%

The proof is on the pudding.

Townsend has been absurd, or worse, for years. Daltrey hasn't been able to properly sing the songs for at least a decade.

Didn't they 'retire' back in the 90s? I distinctly remember a farewell tour.

If they're going to continually be putting it out there, and charging a premium to hear it, then I, as a consumer, can exercise my right to have an opinion about it.

I've been a fan since the 70s, but I have NO interest in seeing them in 2025. I've heard the music they're playing today. No thank you.
 
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I remember when Entwistle died, Pete Townshend made some pretty reprehensible remarks about his passing. Something to the tune of, "We only did this tour because John keeps snorting all of his money up his nose, and then he's got the balls to up and die on us the day before we start." Kind of funny coming from a guy that got his "research" confiscated by the government.
 
Funny. IIRC, when The Who tapped Pino Palladino to cover the tour following The Ox's untimely demise, Pete's instructions to him were "Play LOUD". 🤷‍♂️

BBB

I saw them on that very tour. Zac was excellent. As was Pino, but that pretty much goes without saying.

FWIW, I've seen them with Kenny Jones as well. No disrespect to Mr. Jones, but I liked Zac better in that particular environment.

I always felt that they should've called it a day when Keith Moon passed away.

My $0.02 only...
 
Disagree, 100%

The proof is on the pudding.

Townsend has been absurd, or worse, for years. Daltrey hasn't been able to properly sing the songs for at least a decade.

Didn't they 'retire' back in the 90s? I distinctly remember a farewell tour.

If they're going to continually be putting it out there, and charging a premium to hear it, then I, as a consumer, can exercise my right to have an opinion about it.

I've been a fan since the 70s, but I have NO interest in seeing them in 2025. I've heard the music they're playing today. No thank you.
The Who and Elton John are the OGs of *retiring" bands.😁 I remember the first being in the early 80s for the Who.