On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Zak Starkey has left The Who.
The 59-year-old drummer has 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.
A spokesperson for the 'Pinball Wizard' group 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."
The statement comes a few days after Zak himself suggested Roger wanted to "Zak the drummer" because he was unhappy with his "overplaying" during the gigs.
In a largely deliberately-misspelt post on Instagram, the sticksman wrote: "HEARD TODAY FROM INSIDE SOURCE WITHIN WHOSE HORSES NOSE THAT TOGER DAKTREY LEAD SINGER AND PRINCIPAL SONGWRITER OF THE GROUP UNHAPPY WITH ZAK THE DRUMMER’S PERFORMANCE AT THE ALBERT HALL A FEW WEEKS AGO IS BRINGING FORMAL CHARGES OF OVERPLAYING AND IS LITERALLY GOING TO ZAK THE DRUMMER AND BRING ON A RESERVE FROM ‘THE BURWASH CARWASH SKIFFLE ‘N’ TICKLE GLEE CLUB HARMONY WITHOUT EMPATHY ALLSTARS’ THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY WHOSE LONG TIME MANAGER WILLYA YOUWONTYOUKNOW (sic)"
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."
Zak has suffered health issues this year, with a blood clot in his right leg, forcing his supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos - which also features Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez and former Oasis bassist Andy Bell - to pull out of a performance at their own party in London.
The drummer was prescribed blood thinners and ordered to rest for two weeks, leaving him "devastated".
Shaun quipped to guests at the Soho bash: “As soon as I get out of here I’m going to take some tights to get on Zak’s legs.”
More must-reads:
- 15 acclaimed directors whose children followed in their footsteps
- 'High School Musical' director confirms Zac Efron did sing in the first film
Breaking News
Trending in Entertainment
TODAY'S BEST
Justin Timberlake's Lyme Disease Brought 'Clarity' After Months of Pain as Jessica Biel 'Could Tell He Wasn't Himself'
Tom Holland is ready for 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
Tom Holland has one very important question for you: are you ready? After yesterday's exciting teaser, we're getting our first real look at the actor in his brand new Spider-Man suit for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This will be his fourth solo movie as Peter Parker after 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2019's Spider-Man: Far from Home, and 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, which delighted fans with the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Destin Daniel Cretton will serve as director with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon coming back, but it's unclear how they will be incorporated since both of their characters had Peter erased from their memories in No Way Home. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are writing the script. As for new cast members, this will be Liza Colón-Zayas and Sadie Sink's first introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, and Michael Mando are reprising their roles as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Bruce Banner/The Hulk, and Scorpion. Holland and Bernthal sharing the screens as their Marvel characters will be a full circle moment for the two since they read with each other for the projects. "He knew [he would be perfect for the role]," Bernthal expressed. "He is the best, and he had such drive that young kid, he's like, 'I am gonna get this.' I was like, 'I don't know, a lot of people probably want it, buddy.'" The actor continued to share, "He read with me for Punisher, and I read with him for Spider-Man, and we both got cast." They will next be seen together in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, set to be released on July 17, 2026, and previously worked together on 2017's Pilgrimage. Get ready for Spider-Man's next chapter on July 31, 2026, exclusively in theaters.
'Wild Card' Flashing for Packers Defense During Training Camp
Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is going to need to figure out how to put a rhetorical jigsaw puzzle together this season. At cornerback, the Packers have gone so far as to convert former wide receiver Bo Melton to cornerback in hopes of trying to replace former Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander, who was released this spring. The puzzle and potential combinations may be even more wide open at linebacker, as training camp continues and the 2025 regular season approaches. Isaiah Simmons Standing Out for Packers While it would seem that there is plenty of competition at linebacker, for Green Bay, heralded by some ascending young talent, one veteran is making his presence felt this summer. According to the Packers’ Mike Spofford, Isaiah Simmons has been standing out for the Packers, at linebacker, this summer. “Cooper and Walker are the only ones I’d say offer a lot to the pass rush,” Spofford writes for the team’s official website. “We’ll see about Simmons there. He’s the real wild card in this mix. What I like is the range of body types and strengths. McDuffie isn’t all that big or fast but knows the defense and diagnoses plays to put himself in the right spot. Hopper is a thumper. The other guys can attack, run and/or chase in any direction asked. It’s an intriguing bunch.” Simmons, 27, who spent the past two seasons playing safety for the New York Giants, adds not just a veteran presence but the versatility that comes with experience playing multiple positions to the Packers’ linebacking corps. How the Packers wind up using Simmons remains to be seen, but his physicality upfront alongside a player as dominant and talented as Cooper has the potential to be a significant upgrade for Green Bay in the season ahead.
Pittsburgh Steelers Stock Watch: Rookie UDFA is on pace to skyrocket up the WR depth chart through two weeks of training camp
The Steelers have managed to get through the dog days of training camp. With the first two weeks in the rearview, it's finally game week for the Steelers in 2025. But before we look ahead to the first exhibition of the season, let's take note of whose stock is rising on the Steelers' roster... Riser No. 1: Rookie UDFA WR Roc Taylor Roc Taylor has been one of the more consistent WRs throughout the entire unit. Honestly, between up and down days from Roman Wilson, and the injury to WR Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh's most consistent wide receiver not named DK Metcalf, has been Roc Taylor. If there ever was a year where a UDFA WR makes the Steelers roster, it's 2025. There is a virtual unknown beyond CAIII and DK Metcalf. If Taylor's strong camp carries over to "in stadium" performances, as Mike Tomlin would call them in the preseason, he might be a shoe-in for the final 53. Riser No. 2: RB Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren is clearly the incumbent at RB, but there has been, and still might be, a real shot that rookie Kaleb Johnson pushed him for that role. However, the rookie was indoctrinated to the Steelers' padded practice in camp last week. After losing his Backs on Backers reps to Malik Harrison, he fumbled the ball in a team period via a punch-out from DeShon Elliott. No fumbles alone will keep Warren as the clear starter, but when you add on that he was excellent in pass protection, it's clear that the vet has the leg up. Riser No. 3: TE Jonnu Smith After a slow start to camp with a day-to-day injury, the pads came on, and so did Jonnu Smith's game. He was dominant in one-on-ones, and he's made his fair share of plays in team settings despite running with the twos in 11 personnel or when only one tight end is on the field. The more weapons, the better. With Metcalf and Freiermuth solidified as the top two pass catchers, inserting Jonnu Smith into a flex role where he can be the tight end number two in 12 personnel or a slot WR in 11 personnel will get this offense going where it needs to be.
Edmonton Oilers' Top 3 PTO Targets That Could Shake Up Training Camp
The Oilers have shaken up their roster ahead of training camp, and Viktor Olofsson, Ilya Samsonov and Brett Leason are PTO options for GM Stan Bowman. This off-season has been a busy one for the Edmonton Oilers, with the team moving on from Corey Perry, Evander Kane, Victor Arvidsson and others, while adding Andrew Mangiapane and the young Isaac Howard to give them more youth and speed. While the roster appears all but set with the team unlikely to make a change in net despite speculation heading into the summer, there's still plenty of time before training camp to make an addition or two. Now, The Hockey Writers have identified several options for the team to bring in on Professional Tryouts this off-season, with all three of Brett Leason, Victor Olofsson and Ilya Samsonov making perfect sense for the current team. The two with the best chance to make this roster are Olofsson and Samsonov, with the team potentially looking for an upgrade at the backup goaltender spot, with the former Maple Leafs and Golden Knights net minder showing the potential to be a great backup at the National Hockey League level. However, it's Olofsson that's been the most productive in recent years, posting 15 goals a season ago in Vegas after posting 55 goals over his prior three seasons, including just 7 in 2023/24 with Buffalo, showing he could be inconsistent. Leason is the wild card in potential PTO options, with the 6-foot-5, 220 pound forward potentially having the chance to be a physical threat for this team in the bottom-six, but with so many players beyond these three looking for a new role in the NHL, if the Oilers want a cheap option for competition in training camp, several names may be brought in on PTO's.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
