Zak Starkey Still in the Who, Pete Townshend Says

After the Who announced that they had parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey earlier this week, band co-founder Pete Townshend took to social media to say this is not the case.

“News Flash! Who back Zak!,” Townshend wrote on Instagram. “Zak is 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.”

It’s unclear what “communication issues” transpired, but ostensibly that information is forthcoming. The guitarist’s post directed fans to visit the band’s official website “for the full statement,” which was not yet posted on the site as of this writing.

“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” a representative for the band said in a statement announcing the news on Wednesday following their performances at Royal Albert Hall. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”

By Wednesday afternoon, Starkey confirmed the news. “I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who,” Starkey —the oldest child of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr who grew up around original Who drummer Keith Moon — told Rolling Stone in a written statement. “Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honor 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.”

He added: “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.”

This is a developing story…