Roger Daltrey has suggested he doesn’t want to tour with Pete Townshend after he said he feels like The Who is “flogging a dead horse”.
The ‘Pinball Wizard’ hitmakers have only just announced their final tour of North America.
Dubbed ‘The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour’, it kicks off on August 16 at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida, and is due to wrap on September 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Longtime drummer Zak Starkey has been kicked off the tour for the second time, and now, frontman Roger is bemused by guitarist Pete’s recent comments on The Who going on too long and suggested he doesn’t want to hit the road with him.
Roger is quoted by the Daily Mail’s Eden Confidential column as saying: “If Pete doesn’t want to tour, I don’t want to be back with The Who on the road, at 81, with someone who doesn’t want be there — if that’s what he’s saying.
“I won’t do it with someone who is half-hearted about it. But, you know, every dog has its day and it was a wonderful ride.”
Pete had told Sunday People: “The Who has gone on a bit too long with two of us dying. It does sometimes feel like flogging a dead horse.”
Zak was believed to have been fired from the group after almost 30 years in the wake of a disagreement over his performance at a show at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity in March.
However, he was reinstated in a matter of days with Pete saying in a statement: “There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.”
On Sunday (18.05.25), Pete confirmed that Zak will not be joining the pair for their final tour of North America.
He penned on Instagram: “After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”
Announcing Zak’s replacement, he continued: “Scott Devours, who has worked with Roger’s solo band, will join The Who for our final shows. Please welcome him.”
Zak then claimed he was fired two weeks after being “reinstated”, and allegedly told to make up that he was leaving the legendary band due to his other work commitments.
In a lengthy caption, he wrote: “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical [endeavours].
“This would be a lie.”
Zak – who is the son of Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr – insists he would never “quit” The Who.
He continued: “I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn’t make the statement ….quitting the who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox.”
On his other projects, Zak said: “To clarify ‘other projects’ yes I do have other projects and always have. (sic)”
He went on to list the acts he’s worked with, including Johnny Marr, Oasis, The Lightning Seeds, Mike Scott, and his supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos.
Zak insisted Roger and Pete never had a “problem” with him working with other bands.
He said: “None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them.
“The lie is or would have been that I quit the who- I didn’t. I love the who and everyone in it.”
The Who reacted in a statement on social media, which read: “The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects.
“He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world. (sic)”
Scott Devours, who played in Roger’s solo band, is Zak’s replacement on the ill-fated tour.