In a surprising turn of events, The Who have officially parted ways with Zak Starkey, son of legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, after a contentious performance at the Royal Albert Hall last month. Starkey, who has been with the iconic band since 1996, allegedly faced backlash over his drumming during a benefit concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

A representative for The Who stated, "The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall" and extended well-wishes for his future endeavors. However, further comments from the band's management remain elusive.

During the performance, frontman Roger Daltrey, now 81, appeared visibly frustrated, reportedly interrupting the band's final song "The Song Is Over" by declaring, "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." Such remarks hinted at serious tensions between the old rockers.

Following the incident, Starkey took to Instagram, sharing a pun-filled post that alluded to his dismissal, cleverly swapping his name into the British slang term "sack". He jokingly implied that formal complaints had been made against him by Daltrey regarding his performance, referencing a fictitious band he called the “burwash carwash skiffle 'n' tickle glee club.” His comments seem to mock Daltrey, who has only penned a handful of tracks for the band while guitarist Pete Townshend is responsible for the bulk of their catalog.

Having grown up under the mentorship of the late Keith Moon, The Who's original drummer, Starkey has a rich musical legacy. Over the years, he has collaborated with notable artists like Oasis and the Smiths, and he even recently performed with indie veterans, suggesting that new opportunities await him following his exit from The Who.

This split raises eyebrows as it echoes past tensions within the band, including Daltrey's rocky relationship with Moon's successor, Kenney Jones. As Starkey steps into a new chapter, fans are left wondering who will take up the mantle of drummer for one of rock's longest-standing bands.