The Who drummer Zak Starkey breaks silence after he’s kicked out of band after almost 30 years

Drummer Zak Starkey said he is “surprised and saddened” successful his first comments since he was kicked retired of nan Hall of Fame stone set The Who.

“I’m very proud of my adjacent 30 years pinch The Who. Filling nan shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith’ has been nan biggest grant and I stay their biggest fan,” Starkey wrote, referring to nan band’s original drummer, Keith Moon, who died successful 1978, nan Mirror reported.

“They’ve been for illustration family to me. In January, I suffered a superior aesculapian emergency pinch humor clots successful my correct bass drum calf. This is now wholly healed and does not impact my drumming aliases running. After playing those songs pinch nan set for truthful galore decades, I’m amazed and saddened anyone would person an rumor pinch my capacity that night, but what tin you do?”

The 59-year-old drummer, son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, said he plans to return immoderate “much needed clip off” to walk pinch his family.

Starkey besides said he plans to attraction connected releasing a caller medium pinch his different band, Mantra Of The Cosmos, featuring Oasis’s Noel Gallagher, and to decorativeness penning his autobiography.

“Twenty-nine years astatine immoderate occupation is simply a bully aged run, and I wish them nan best,” nan rocker wrote.

The Who’s frontman, Roger Daltrey, 81, and guitarist Pete Townshend, 79, ended things pinch Starkey pursuing 2 shows successful March astatine Royal Albert Hall successful nan UK.

A root alert of nan business besides told the Mirror that nan drummer was blindsided and upset complete being kicked retired of nan group.

“It’s a small acrimonious to opportunity nan least,” nan root told nan outlet.

Daltrey raised immoderate “issues” pinch Starkey’s playing during nan band’s March 27 and 30 shows to raise money for nan singer’s charity, Teenage Cancer Trust.

“[A] fewer issues pinch nan drumming….and nan modular wasn’t arsenic precocious arsenic everyone wanted,” nan root said.

Daltrey was reportedly peeved that nan drummer was “overplaying” during nan band’s gigs, according to Metro.

“To singing that opus I do request to perceive nan key, and I can’t. All I’ve sewage is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t singing to that. I’m sorry guys,” Daltrey said to nan crowd astatine nan March 30 show, according to Metro.

Starkey had been The Who’s full-time drummer since 1996 erstwhile he was introduced to fans during their Quadrophenia Tour.

He performed pinch nan set astatine immoderate of their astir note-worthy shows successful caller years, including nan London 2012 Olympics and nan 2010 Super Bowl.

The boy of The Beatles’ drummer besides joined different iconic British band, Oasis, successful 2004 aft their drummer Alan White near nan group and performed pinch them until they divided successful 2009.

However, it is rumored that Starkey will beryllium reuniting pinch Oasis during nan upcoming reunion tour, which kicks disconnected successful July successful nan UK, according to nan Mirror.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will commencement nan North American limb of their “Live ’25 Tour” with stadium shows successful nan US, Canada, and Mexico connected Aug. 24.

That includes a monolithic performance astatine East Rutherford, NJ’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 31, and features typical impermanent Cage The Elephant.