Ousted Who Drummer ‘Gutted’ He Was Also Excluded From the Oasis Reunion originally appeared on Parade.
It’s not shaping up to be the best year ever for drummer Zak Starkey.
First, he was fired, rehired and then fired again, or “retired,” from the Who after playing with the classic rock band for three decades.
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Now Starkey, 59, is confirming he was also not invited to take part in the much-ballyhooed Oasis reunion.
The son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr replaced original Oasis drummer Alan White from 2004 through 2008. He toured with the band and played on the albums Don’t Believe the Truth in 2005 and the follow-up Dig Out Your Soul in 2008.
But back in March, British publication NME revealed that American drummer Joey Waronker will be behind the kit for the Oasis reunion shows. The son of legendary record executive Lenny Waronker, the drummer has previously played with Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher on his tour last year with former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire and has also worked with Beck, R.E.M. and Elliott Smith.
Related: Legendary Band Fires Drummer for Second Time in a Month
During a recent appearance on BBC Breakfast, per NME, Starkey admitted he was “gutted” he wasn’t considered for the Oasis reunion tour, revealing, “I texted them and said, ‘Why am I not in it?’”
Starkey, however, appears not to hold any ill will against Oasis and understands their decision to go with Waronker for the forthcoming tour.
“You know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don’t you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that’s what’s happened and I’m alright with that,” he said.
He also continues to hold the band in high regard. “God, yeah, greatest rock and roll band of my generation,” he said. “Greatest rock and roll singer of my generation,” he added, referring to Liam Gallagher.
Oasis kicks off the North American dates of their tour on Aug. 24 at Rogers Stadium in Toronto. Other stops include stadiums in Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles and Mexico City before they wrap things up with two dates in London on Sept. 27 and 28.
Starkey is involved in the British supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos, which features Oasis and Ride guitarist Andy Bell and former members of the Happy Mondays Bez and Shaun Ryder. The group released the single, “Domino Bones (Get Dangerous),” featuring Noel Gallagher of Oasis, earlier this year.
Ousted Who Drummer ‘Gutted’ He Was Also Excluded From the Oasis Reunion first appeared on Parade on May 30, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
