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Zak Richard Starkey (born 13 September 1965) is an English rock drummer who toured and recorded with the Who from 1996 to 2025. Other musicians and bands he has worked with include Johnny Marr, the Icicle Works, the Lightning Seeds, and the Semantics. He is the son of the Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey.
At the age of eight, Starkey was given a drum kit by the Who's drummer, Keith Moon. Moon (known to young Zak as "Uncle Keith") was one of his father's closest friends and Starkey's godfather. Although they never sat together at a drum kit, Moon discussed drumming with him as a boy. The drum kit was later sold at Sotheby's for £12,000.
Starkey subsequently began teaching himself to play the drums. His father gave him only one lesson, but he discouraged his growing interest because of the desire not to see him in the same business. Although Starr has praised his son's abilities, he had always regarded him as a future lawyer or doctor. Starr's close friend, Kenney Jones, drummer for Faces and Moon's replacement in the Who, stated that he "virtually taught" the young Starkey to play the drums.Devon Ivie. "Kenney Jones on the 'Fondness and Sadness' of His Who Era "As I'm concerned there's only one drummer for the Who, and that's Keith Moon."" Vulture. 8 July 2021. [1] By the age of twelve, Starkey was performing in pubs as a member of the garage band the Next. After Moon's death, Jones gifted the teenage Starkey a white drum kit formerly owned by Moon, which had been kept in storage by the Who.
In 1985, Starkey played on John Entwistle's solo album The Rock (released in 1996). Starkey replaced Chris Sharrock as the drummer in the Icicle Works in 1988, leaving the band after a brief tenure and appearing on only one recording. Founder member Ian McNabb issued a B-side after Starkey's departure from the band. The song features Starkey on drums and, as it includes band personnel from the time, is presumed to date from his tenure with the group. Starkey also plays on the 1989 album Silver and Gold, a solo work released by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith.
On 20 October 2001, he performed with the Who at the Concert for New York City at Madison Square Garden. This was heralded as the Who's "comeback" performance and they stole the show. Rolling Stone called their performance "one of the 50 moments that changed rock and roll". It was also one of John Entwistle's final appearances with the band. On 7 February 2010, Starkey appeared with the Who during the half-time show of Super Bowl XLIV at the Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida.
Starkey was not available to record for most of the Who's 2006 album Endless Wire, as he had been on the road with Oasis and only had time to play on one track. However, he did join the Who for The Who Tour 2006-2007 in support of the album, during which they headlined at Glastonbury Festival in 2007. The tour finished at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland on 9 July 2007. Pete Townshend's official website stated that Starkey was afterwards invited to become a full member of the Who, stating: "Some of you may have noticed in one of my recent diary postings that I welcomed Zak into the Who as a permanent member. This is something he doesn't feel he needs or wants. Let's just say that the door is always open to this amazing musician and whenever we can, we will always try to make it possible for Zak to work with the Who in the future." On 12 July 2008, Starkey played the drums for the Who at the 3rd annual VH1 Rock Honors, which celebrated the band's long career.
On 30 March 2010, he played with the band during their performance of Quadrophenia at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. On 12 August 2012, he played with the Who at the finale of the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony and later that year, on 12 December, he joined them at . Starkey also joined the Who on their 2012–13 Quadrophenia and More tour, but he had to back out in February 2013 when he developed tendonitis but he re-joined the Who in September 2014 for their Who Hits 50 tour of UK and Europe and North America. in July 2015 and other shows during this year as part of The Who Hits 50! tour, which had started in 2014. This tour went on to include the Who at Desert Trip concert at Coachella Festival in California on 28 June 2015. Starkey also appeared with the Who when they performed as the headline act at the Glastonbury Festival. During this time, Starkey also played shows with Mick Jones of the Clash and formed the Silver Machine with Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, Glen Matlock and Little Barrie.
In September 2016, Starkey was interviewed by Rolling Stone about the new covers album he was working on with Sshh Liguz, compiled with songs that had influenced them. They recorded these with the original members from each of the relevant bands. Funding for the album's ten tracks was raised by a crowdfunding campaign through the Pledgemusic site. Under the name SSHH, Starkey and Liguz also recorded other tracks.
On 15 April 2025, it was reported that Townshend and Daltrey had sacked Starkey as their drummer. It was alleged that Daltrey complained during a charity concert on 30 March at the Royal Albert Hall of not being able to sing over the sound of the drums and halted the show multiple times, with Pete Townshend carrying on when he could not. Starkey stated: "I was surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night" but added: "I remain their biggest fan" and "wish them the best." On 19 April, the band publicly announced that Starkey would be remaining with the band after all, with Townshend stating that all communication issues between Starkey and the band had been "aired happily". However, a month later on May 18, Townshend announced on Instagram that Starkey would be leaving to pursue other projects. Starkey refuted this statement on Instagram, saying he had been fired two weeks after reinstatement and had been asked by the band to state that he had quit. The band then released a formal announcement reiterating their impending retirement and that Starkey "needs to devote all his energy" towards his other projects. He later claimed that he had been "retired rather than fired".
He travelled as a sideman on the year-long Oasis tour that followed and appeared in promotional videos for the associated singles. Despite this, he was not an official member of the band and rarely appeared with them in promotions. In April 2005, Noel Gallagher confirmed that Starkey was still a member of the who. On 14 February 2007, Starkey appeared with Oasis when they received the BRIT Awards for outstanding contribution to music.
Starkey recalled that playing with them was "massive" and called the band "some of the smartest musicians I've ever met".
In 2025, ahead of their The Song is Over tour, Starkey was fired from the Who.
Starkey married Sshh Liguz, his partner of 18 years, on 21 March 2022. The couple had chosen the date in honour of their daughter, Luna Lee Lightnin, who was born a year earlier. The wedding was held at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, California. Eddie Vedder and Johnny Marr served as Starkey's best men, while reggae musician Pato Banton officiated the ceremony.
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