Roger Daltrey has spoken about the difficulties The Who have experienced with the drummers they’ve used since Keith Moon died in 1978.
“It’s never been the same since Keith died,” Daltrey tells Joann Butler, in an interview with Life Minute TV. “I can’t pretend it has. We were firing on all cylinders. We could throw anything out there and make something of it. That kind of disappeared when Keith died.”
Moon was replaced by former Faces drummer Kenney Jones, who played with the band for a decade, before Simon Phillips took his place for the band’s US tour in 1989. Zak Starkey joined in 1996, and remained until his protracted dismissal last year. The Who’s 2025 American Farewell Tour was completed with American drummer Scott Devours behind the kit.
“We tried Kenny Jones, who is a great drummer, but a straight drummer just does not work with The Who,” says Daltrey. It just does not work. But Zak Starkey, he’s not Keith Moon, but he comes very close.”
Last week Daltrey told his audience at a solo show at the Encore Theater in Las Vegas that The Who had been rehearsing, with Starkey rejoining the lineup.
“We love Zak,” says Daltrey. “We do love Zak. Sometimes the road doesn’t love Zak. It gets on top of him, so it becomes difficult, but we love him.”
“We did the rehearsal to see if we can possibly do shows next year, still hit the notes, still get the drive. Who music demands an incredible amount of drive, and without that, it would be like Herman’s Hermits without Herman.”
Daltrey is currently on his A Great Night Out tour in the US – full dates below.
Roger Daltrey: A Great Night Out Tour
Sep 04: Santa Rosa Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, CA
Sep 05: Reno Grand Theatre @ The Grand Sierra Resort, NV
Sep 09: Nashville Ryman Auditorium, TN
Sep 11: New Buffalo Four Winds Casino, MI
Sep 12: New Lenox Performing Arts Pavilion, IL
Sep 15: Milwaukee The Riverside Theater, WI
Sep 17: Lewiston Artpark, NY
Sep 20: West Springfield The Big E, MA
Sep 22: Port Chester The Capitol Theatre, NY
Sep 24: Washington The Theater at MGM National Harbor, DC
Sep 25: Bensalem Parx Xcite Center, PA
Sep 27: New York The Town Hall, NY
Sep 29: Medford The Chevalier Theatre, MA
Oct 02: Brookville Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, NY
Oct 03: Selbyville Freeman Arts Center, DE
Nov 21: São Paulo Parque Ibirapuera, Brazil
