The Who singer Roger Daltrey made his feelings clear on the recent drama surrounding the band, telling an audience at a solo show it was fake news and denying any involvement.
A dispute over the future of drummer Zak Starkey took place earlier this month, with reports saying the 29-year veteran had been fired after being accused of overplaying during a concert in London.
Starkey announced he was ‘surprised and saddened” to discover he’d been dismissed – but the situation was overturned when guitarist Pete Townsend said the drummer was still a member of the band, and took responsibility for some elements of a communication breakdown.
After the first two shows on his current Alive and Kicking and Having Fun! solo tour – Daltrey paused to tell the crowd: “The last few weeks in my life, I’ve felt like I’ve been starring in an episode of The Twilight Zone. I’ve been reading about me in the press, doing things I don’t remember ever doing.”
Reflecting that an impostor must be acting in his name, he continued: “According to an inside source there was a war of words in a dressing room. It wasn’t my fucking dressing room, that’s for sure!”
Roger Daltrey Blames Social Media for Who Drama
He’d earlier hinted that he’d experienced a bumpy ride, wryly saying, “I could have done with this song last week" before performing a track titled “Waiting For a Friend.” Later, addressing the fact that some quotes had been attributed to “an inside source,” he added: “It makes you wonder – ‘How far inside?’”
More seriously, Daltrey continued: “All I want to say is, it’s fake news. I am not guilty. I have not got a press spokesman. I speak for myself.”
Seemingly apportioning blame for the drama, he went on: “And fuck social media. I’ve never done it; I’ve never want to do it – it’s taken civilization to the pits.”
