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Pete Townshend of The Who is still not 100% sure why Zak Starkey was fired from the band.

The saga of Starkey’s departure has been playing out for several months now, with the drummer being fired from The Who back in April, re-hired just days later, and subsequently re-fired in May and replaced by Scott Devour. Townshend originally offered an explanation after Starkey was re-hired, with the co-bandleader claiming it was a result of “communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.”

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Now relieved of his duties a second time, Starkey has told his side of the story, claiming that Roger Daltrey was frustrated by the drummer allegedly dropping beats during a show in London. “I watched the show and I can’t find any dropped beats,” Starkey told The Telegraph this month.

Pete Townshend has weighed in on the acrimonious split between the Who and drummer Zak Starkey, admitting of the situation, “It’s been a mess.”

Back in April, the Who — or Townshend and Roger Daltrey — announced they “made a collective decision to part ways with Zak” after the drummer’s three-decade tenure with the group. Three days later, Townshend proclaimed that “News Flash! Who back Zak!” but then reversed course again a month later to re-confirm Starkey’s exit, with the drummer himself confirming he was “retired” by Daltrey ahead...

Ringo Starr is standing by his son, Zak Starkey, following his firing from The Who.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Starkey gave the full rundown on The Who firing, re-hiring, and subsequently re-firing him this year. He revealed that he turned to his father, Ringo Starr, for advice, describing him as a strong source of support throughout the ordeal. “I’m very proud of him standing up for me,” Starkey said of his father. When asked what the former Beatle thought about the situation, Starkey responded plainly: “He said, ‘I’ve never liked the way that little man runs that band’,” apparently referring to Roger Daltrey.

While Starkey didn’t reveal any other details about his father’s thoughts on the band or his firing, he did clarify that he’s not holding any grudges against Daltrey and Pete Townshend — despite referring to them as “fucking insane” and...

Three children of Beatles members have collaborated on a new song. Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney linked with Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, for “Rip Off.” The song is credited to Mantra of the Cosmos, Starkey’s supergroup with Happy Mondays members Shaun Ryder and Bez and Andy Bell of Ride. Lennon and McCartney lend vocals to the psychedelic song that Starkey previewed on his Instagram page.

While many may view the song as a sort of Beatles redux moment, Starkey swiftly pushed back on that notion. When...

Following their April 2024 collaboration, “Primrose Hill,” Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney — the sons of The Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney — have reunited for a new track, this time joined by Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey. The song, titled “Rip Off,” is the latest release from Starkey’s supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos.

Shared by Starkey on his Instagram page, the track features the three Beatles’ sons alongside the other members of Mantra of the Cosmos, comprised of Oasis bassist Andy Bell, and Happy Mondays members Shaun Ryder and Mark “Bez” Berry. Stream the lengthy snippet of “Rip Off” below.

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In a recent interview with The Telegraph, where he first teased the track, Starkey brushed off any comparisons to The Beatles. “No, it’s not [like a Beatles song],” he said. “It’s like Mantra of the Cosmos with them in it. It’s Sean of the...

The past few months have been quite a head-snapping time for Zak Starkey. The roller coaster began April 16 when the Who fired the drummer after three decades of solid work (“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak”), continued three days later when Pete Townshend announced Starkey was back in (“Zak is not being asked to step down from the Who”), and climaxed a month later when Townshend reversed himself (“After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for a change...

After being fired, re-hired, fired again, and told that he was “retired” by The Who, Zak Starkey has revealed that the ordeal not only ended his longtime run as the band’s drummer, but also cost him a major opportunity: playing with Oasis on their upcoming reunion shows.

In a new interview with The Telegraph, Starkey claimed he was invited to participate in Oasis’ historic reunion — bringing together Liam and Noel Gallagher for an international run of shows from July through November — but turned it down because he thought he was going to be touring with The Who this year.

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Now, Starkey says that had he known he wouldn’t be continuing with The Who, he would’ve gladly joined Oasis on the road. “Of course, of course,” he answered when asked if he would’ve played with the Gallaghers. Starkey served as Oasis’ touring...

These past few weeks have been a very trying time for Who fans. The difficulties started in April when word slipped out they’d fired longtime drummer Zak Starkey, calmed down a bit when Pete Townshend reversed the decision, and then went into overdrive when they announced they were calling it quits after one more tour. (Yes, they said this before in 1982, but they weren’t in their eighties back then.) And once the reality that the Who were ending sank in, they announced that Starkey was indeed getting the...

Usually, it’s the employee that does the retiring, but in the case of Zak Starkey and The Who, it appears that the band “retired” the drummer. Starkey has offered new insight into his recent firing, re-hiring, and re-firing from the legendary rock act, saying that singer Roger Daltrey insisted that Starkey wasn’t “fired,” but “retired.”

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In a new Instagram post on Monday (May 26th), Starkey noted that he had a confusing conversation with Daltrey at the end of last week. The drummer explained that it was not his decision to part ways with The Who ahead of the band’s upcoming North American farewell tour, despite the singer’s insistence on using the word “retired.” His full post reads as follows:

“Noise&confusion!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!

Zak Starkey clarified that he was apparently not “fired” from the Who, but rather “retired.” The drummer took to Instagram on Monday night to detail a phone call he had with Roger Daltrey about his much-discussed departure from the band.

“I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!!” Starkey wrote. “Rog said I hadn’t been ‘fired’…I had been ‘retired’ to work [on] my own projects. I explained to Rog that I have just spent nearly eight weeks...

The Who haven’t even launched their recently announced North American farewell tour, but things haven’t exactly been going smoothly in the lead-up to the final run. A new report claimed that singer Roger Daltrey is questioning if he even wants to tour with “half-hearted” guitarist Pete Townshend, but it turns out it was misleading.

As previously reported, the legendary rock band fired, re-hired, and then re-fired longtime drummer Zak Starkey, replacing him with Daltrey’s solo drummer Scott Devours. If that weren’t enough, Daltrey seemingly expressed disappointment in recent quotes made by Townshend.

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In an interview with the UK’s Sunday People, Townshend said, “The Who has gone on a bit too long with two of us dying. It does sometimes feel like flogging a dead horse.”

The Daily Mail reported on Thursday (May 22nd) that Townshend’s comments irked Daltrey, writing that the singer responded,...

Zak Starkey, son of the famous Beatles member Ringo Starr, has been fired from rock band The Who for the second time in two months.

Starkley announced in April that he would be leaving the rock band after 29 years as their drummer, following a series of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. Later that week, band member Pete Townshend announced that there were “some communication issues” in the band, and Starkley would be staying with the group.

The band is preparing to launch their final North American tour.

However, on May 18, The Who announced that Starkley would, in fact, be leaving. In a post to Instagram, Townshend wrote, “After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for a change. A poignant time.”

He added, “Zak has lots of new projects in hang, and I wish him the best,” and proceeded to announce, “Scott Devours,...

Roger Daltrey’s longtime solo band drummer Scott Devours, who was recently promoted to the Who after a fairly bitter and drawn-out split with Zak Starkey, has shared some emotional thoughts about his new position via Instagram.

“Yesterday, with a short, simple Instagram post, Pete and Roger, once again, changed my life forever,” he wrote. “It’s hard to express the tsunami of emotions that I’m processing since that incredible news. The amount of positivity thrown my way has been overwhelming, I truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

The Who have revealed the openers for their upcoming North American farewell tour, featuring Billy Idol, the Joe Perry Project, and more.

Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters will open on the first two dates of the Song Is Over tour, taking place on Aug. 16 in Sunrise, Florida, and on Aug. 19 in Newark, New Jersey. The Joe Perry Project — featuring Perry, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford and Buck Johnson, the Black Crowe’s Chris Robinson, and Stone Temple Pilot’s Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz — will support the band in Boston on Aug.

The Who have unveiled the support acts for their upcoming North American farewell tour, including Billy Idol, Feist, Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters, and The Joe Perry Project, among others.

Among the other special guests on the summer outing are Booker T. Jones, Candlebox, Joe Bonamassa, Tom Cochrane, and Zz Ward. The Joe Perry Project will feature the all-star lineup of Aerosmith’s Perry, Brad Whitford, and Buck Johnson alongside Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson and Stone Temple Pilots members Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz.

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The Who have also added a second Chicago show on September 9th due to popular demand. The outing, dubbed “The Song Is Over Tour,” now spans 17 dates from August 16th in Sunrise, Florida, through September 28th in Las Vegas. A Live Nation pre-sale for the newly announced Chicago gig starts Wednesday (May 21st) at 10 a.m. Ct using the code Freestyle,...

The Who famously sang about not getting fooled again, but apparently it’s okay to get fired again. A month after firing and rehiring Zak Starkey, the legendary rock band has parted ways with the drummer once more.

On Instagram, guitarist and chief Who songwriter Pete Townshend wrote, “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.” Townshend added that Scott Devours of singer Roger Daltrey’s solo band will take over behind the kit for The Who’s upcoming farewell tour dates.

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Townshend and Daltrey also issued a formal statement, writing, “The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20 yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. He needs to devote...

The Who and their drummer Zak Starkey have seemingly parted ways… again.

After initially announcing their separation last month, only to bring Starkey back days later, The Who’s guitarist-songwriter, Pete Townshend, shared on Instagram Sunday that the son of The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr has split from the band for a second time.

“After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,” Townshend wrote. “A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”

However, Starkey, who had been the drummer for The Who since 1996’s Quadrophenia tour, took to his social media shortly after, claiming that he was asked to say it was his decision to quit the rock band this time, but that “this would be a lie.”

“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying...

As The Who prepares to embark on their North American farewell tour, the 60-year old rock group’s saga with drummer Zak Starkey continues.

Following Starkey’s announced departure last month, and founding member Pete Townshend‘s issued correction, the drummer said on Sunday that he’s been fired from the band once again.

“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical [endeavors],” wrote Starkey on Instagram. “This would be a lie. 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...

Ahead of the Who’s latest farewell tour, Pete Townshend announced that the band has parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey … for real this time.

“After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,” the guitarist wrote today on his official Instagram. “A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”

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A post shared by Yolanda Tarbox (@yaggerdang)

Starkey confirmed his exit in a response to Townshend’s post:...

The Who are saying goodbye. The rock band announced on Thursday that they’ve set their final North American tour, titled the Song Is Over Tour, after their 1971 song. The band calls it the “grand finale of their illustrious six-decade career.”

The Song Is Over Tour will kick off in Sunrise, Florida on Aug. 16, taking them across the country in stops including Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles, before the tour ends on Sept. 28 in Las Vegas. So far the band hasn’t revealed dates outside of North America. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. local time.

This of course isn’t The Who’s first farewell tour, as the band first said goodbye 1982. They also had their 50th anniversary tour in 2015 and played dozens of shows in 2019.

“Every musician’s dream in the early 60’s was to make it big in the US charts.

The Who have announced a “bittersweet” final tour of the US and Canada in what the venerable rock band calls “a truly grand finale” of their six-decade career.

The series of 2025 tour dates includes stops at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, two nights at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and, as the final night of the 16-date tour, the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on September 28.

See the full tour itinerary below.

Officially titled “The Song Is Over – North American Farewell Tour” – after the title of a song from the band’s 1971 album Who’s Next – the tour kicks off August 16 at Sunrise, Florida’s Amerant Bank Arena.

The band, now consisting of original members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend as well as, presumably, longtime drummer Zak Starkey, announced the tour at a press conference in London today. Watch the press conference below.

“Every musician’s...

The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are holding a press event in London on Thursday where they will be making a “special announcement followed by an exclusive Q&a session” that will be livestreamed to fans around the world. (They’re already soliciting questions via their social channels.) Enticingly, the project is called “The Song Is Over.”

They haven’t clarified what exactly they’re announcing, but it’s very possible this is a farewell tour. Rock bands don’t generally hold press conferences to announce anything besides tours,...

The Who played an odd game of “meet the new drummer, same as the old drummer” this past week when they parted ways with longtime band member Zak Starkey (“They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future,” a statement read),” only to reverse the decision three days later (“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily”).

For a few days, it seemed like the Who were...

Only a few days ago, The Who announced they were parting ways with Ringo Starr’s son, Zak Starkey, who has been their drummer since 1996. But that didn’t last too long.

On Saturday, it was announced that Starkey was now back in: “News Flash! Who Back Zak! He’s not being asked to step down from The Who,” read a post by The Who’s guitarist-songwriter, Pete Townshend posted on the band’s official website, as well as on his Instagram.

“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily. Roger and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line up and he has readily agreed. I take responsibility for some of the confusion,” he wrote.

On Wednesday, it was reported that the band and...

The band is back together… but it turns out they were never really apart.

After The Who drummer Zak Starkey announced he was exiting the band earlier this week, founding member Pete Townshend took to social media to explain that the group has worked through their issues.

“News flash! Who back Zak! Zak is not being asked to step down from The Who,” wrote Townshend on Instagram. “There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been happily aired.”

Starkey reposted the statement on his own Instagram, writing, “V grateful to be a part of The Who family Thanks Roger and Pete xx.”

In a longer statement on the band’s website, Townshend explained that he and lead singer Roger Daltrey have asked Starkey “to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line up and he has readily agreed.

The Who have reversed course and re-hired longtime drummer Zak Starkey, days after firing him following a round of concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Pete Townshend announced the news in a statement posted to the band’s website on Saturday. “[Starkey’s] not being asked to step down from The Who, there have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily,” he explained.

Earlier this week, The Who dismissed Starkey, son of Ringo Starr and their drummer of nearly three decades, over apparent “issues with the drumming” that occurred during the band’s concerts at Royal Albert Hall. Starkey subsequently confirmed the news in a statement to Rolling Stone, saying he was “surprised and saddened” by the band’s decision.

In his lengthy statement, Townshend provided a behind the scenes account of what led...

After the Who announced that they had parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey earlier this week, band co-founder Pete Townshend took to social media to say this is not the case.

“News Flash! Who back Zak!,” Townshend wrote on Instagram on Saturday. “Zak is not being asked to step down from The Who. There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.”

The guitarist’s post directed fans to visit the band’s official website “for the full statement,...

After nearly 30 years, Zak Starkey has bid farewell to The Who.

The drummer, who is the son of Ringo Starr, confirmed his exit from the English rock band after a “serious medical emergency,” despite recent reports of drama within the 60-year old band.

“I’m very proud of my near 30 years with The Who,” he told People. “Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me.”

Starkey added, “In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”

Following reports that singer Roger Daltrey had friction with Starkey during a recent performance in which he couldn’t hear over the drums, Starkey said he was “surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night,...

The Who and Zak Starkey are going their separate ways.

Starkey, the son of The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr, who had been the drummer for The Who since 1996’s Quadrophenia tour, is apparently no longer in the band following a disagreement that occurred during their show last month at Royal Albert Hall.

A representative for The Who shared the following statement with The Guardian: “The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”

Starkey shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter on his departure: “I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my godfather, ‘Uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me,...

For nearly three decades, Zak Starkey was the force behind The Who’s fierce live shows. As the son of The Beatles legend Ringo Starr, he wasn’t just another drummer, he was rock royalty. But in 2025, fans were shocked when a shocking headline broke: Zak Starkey has been kicked out of The Who after 29 years.

The news came shortly after a performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where tensions between Starkey and lead singer Roger Daltrey were reportedly at a breaking point.

Starkey has been a prominent face with the band since 1996, playing hundreds of shows and helping keep The Who’s legacy alive. So what went wrong? Was it a personal conflict? A musical difference? Or the natural end of a long journey?

Why did The Who fire Zak Starkey? Zak Starkey playing drums for The Who (Credit @Kubacheck/Wikimedia Commons)

Zak Starkey had been playing drums...

Zak Starkey has issued a statement following news that he has been fired from The Who after 29 years with the legendary rock act. The drummer said he was “surprised and saddened” to be ousted from the band.

As reported earlier, The Who were apparently disappointed in Starkey’s performance during their recent Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. A rep 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. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”

Now, Starkey (the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr) has released his own statement to Rolling Stone, detailing some recent health struggles but insisting his playing is on point. It reads as follows:

“I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who.

Earlier today, the Who announced that they were parting ways with drummer Zak Starkey after three decades. Rumors swirled that the group was unhappy with his performance last month when they played a pair of Teenage Cancer Trust charity shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. In his first public statement since the group let him go, Starkey confirms this is indeed the case.

“I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who,” Starkey tells Rolling Stone in a written statement. “Filling the shoes of my Godfather,...

The Who have parted ways with drummer Zak Starkey just three weeks after they played a pair of shows with him at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Rolling Stone has confirmed. He has performed with them at practically every concert they’re played since he joined the band in 1996, and he appears on 2006’s Endless Wire and 2019’s Who.

“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” a representative for the band says in a statement. “They...

The Who has reportedly fired longtime drummer Zak Starkey.

The news first surfaced on Tuesday night, with a spokesperson for The Who providing a statement to The Mirror that “the band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”

Indeed, The Who recently performed several shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall for frontman Roger Daltrey’s Teenage Cancer Trust, and in videos of the performances online, it’s clear that there’s some tension in the band. Several times throughout the run of shows, there were audible mistakes and missed cues, some of which the band even acknowledged to the crowd.

During a rendition of “The Song Is Over” at a show on March 30th, Daltrey even stopped the music, telling the...

The Who released their landmark LP Who’s Next in 1971, and before the year was out they’d played seven of the nine songs live in concert. The two exceptions were “The Song Is Over” and “Goin’ Mobile.” It took 54 years and more than 1,000 concerts, but they finally broke out “The Song Is Over” Sunday evening at London’s Royal Albert Hall on the second of their two charity shows for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“We dedicate this to all the fans that heard the 2016 setlist a 100 times,” Pete Townshend told the audience.

The Who played their first show of 2025 Thursday night at London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concert series. It was their live performance of any sort since they played the same event a year ago, and the rollout of Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend’s new, stripped-down band that now features only drummer Zak Starkey, guitarist Simon Townshend, bassist Jon Button, background vocalist John Hogg, and keyboardist/backing vocalist Loren Gold. (In recent years, they toured with a lager group of musicians,...

Mark Knopfler has teamed up with a host of fellow guitar legends to record a version of his song “Going Home (Theme from Local Hero)” to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

The Dire Straits frontman tapped Eric Clapton, Slash (Guns N’ Roses), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Brian May (Queen), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Pete Townshend (The Who), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Bruce Springsteen, Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones), Joan Jett, and many more, forming what he has dubbed “Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes.” Notably, the star-studded version opens with the final recorded guitar track by the late Jeff Beck.

Knopfler’s longtime collaborator Guy Fletcher handled the production of the track, which might be the greatest assemblage of guitar talent to co-exist on a single song. The Sgt. Pepper‘s-style artwork was created by Sir Peter Blake.

The full song can be heard below now, featuring...

Shaun Ryder and Mark “Bez” Berry of Happy Mondays have joined forces with ex-Oasis members Zak Starkey and Andy Bell for Mantra of the Cosmos, the latest supergroup to come from the UK. They’ve announced the news along with their debut single “Gorilla Guerilla.”

A press release describes Mantra of the Cosmos as “the hum of the universe and the pulsating musical pathway to the beyond,” who began making music in a remote studio in outer space. Bell, also known for his work with shoegazers Ride, shared: “It’s a pleasure to be part of Mantra of the Cosmos. Four like-minded souls who get off on the same music.” Starkey describes their sound as having “fantastic psychedelic groove, from a band of misfit outsiders and innovators.” Ryder concedes that “It’s a fucking blast mate,” with Bez concluding: “I always knew the best was yet to come.”

With Bell on guitar,...

When we phoned up Pete Townshend last week at his new home in the English countryside, our only real goal was to talk about the Who’s upcoming American tour where the band will be paired with local symphonies. Before we knew it, an hour had passed and we’d covered everything from the Neil Young–Joe Rogan spat to the inflation crisis, the unlikelihood of a new Who record or solo LP, the brilliant use of his music on Freaks and Geeks, and his hatred of NFTs.

In typical Townshend fashion,...

The Who are heading back to North America in late April for an extensive tour that will keep them on the road through early November. They will once again be joined by local orchestras at every stop for an evening of music heavy on classics from Tommy, Quadrophenia, Who’s Next, and their 2019 LP Who in addition to selections from their other albums.

Some of the shows were originally booked for 2019 and delayed because Roger Daltrey was suffering from a vocal ailment, while others were scheduled for 2020 and postponed due to the pandemic.

Robbie Shakespeare, the renowned reggae bassist who helped move the genre into new sonic territory and whose playing was heard on classics by Black Uhuru and Peter Tosh as well as albums by rock icons such as Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger, has died at age 68. His death was announced on Twitter by Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but The Jamaica Gleaner noted that the musician had recently been hospitalized for kidney damage.

As half of the...

Late reggae great U-Roy and Santigold teamed up for a rendition of the reggae standard, “Man Next Door,” which will appear on the upcoming posthumous album, Solid Gold U-Roy, out July 16th via Trojan Jamaica/BMG.

“Man Next Door” was originally written by John Holt and first released in 1968 by his group the Paragons, while U-Roy previously sampled the song on his own 1982 track, “Peace and Love in the Ghetto.” This new version boasts a quick pace and steady organ stabs; U-Roy and Santigold don’t lose any dub-y magic...

Ahead of the Grammys on Sunday, Samantha Ronson has remixed Toots and the Maytals’ “Freedom Train” from their nominated album Got to be Tough.

Ronson enlisted Pete Nappi for the project, releasing the version with a video by Henry Stein. It features clips of Toots Hibbert performing with his band, producer Zak Starkey, and Sharna Sshh Liguz — Starkey’s partner and co-founder of label Trojan Jamaica. The video also features President Biden, protesters in the streets, and dancers around the world.

“Toots was a giant and his music will live on,...

On February 25th, 2020, just days before Covid-19 shut down the global concert industry, Mick Fleetwood teamed up with Pete Townshend, David Gilmour, Noel Gallagher, Steven Tyler, Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, Christine McVie, and many others to honor the legacy of Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green with a special concert at the London Palladium.

Backed by an amazing house band that included Dave Bronze, Jonny Lang, Andy Fairweather Low, Ricky Peterson, Zak Starkey, and Rick Vito, the guests took turns tearing through early Mac classics like “Rattlesnake Shake,” “The Sky Is Crying,...

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler sings the early Fleetwood Mac track “Rattlesnake Shake” alongside Zz Top’s Billy Gibbons in this clip from the upcoming concert film Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac.

Recorded exactly one year ago today — February 25th, 2020 — at the London Palladium, the all-star concert served as a tribute to Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green, who died five months later on July 25th.

The gig — which took place just weeks before Covid-19 shut down the concert industry — also featured guests like Pete Townshend,...

It’s been three decades since Ringo Starr founded his All Starr supergroup and took the stage with some of rock and roll’s biggest luminaries, creating an exceptional legacy of performances of some of the greatest hits of all time culled from Starr’s extraordinary catalog as a solo artist and as Beatle, as well as the All Starr Band members’ substantive songbook.

In celebration of this milestone, and just in time for the holiday season, a new limited-edition retrospective hardcover book titled “Ringo Rocks: 30 Years Of The All Starrs,” will be sold online exclusively beginning Wednesday, December 16 at juliensauctions.com.

This not to be missed commemorative photo memoir features some never-before-seen photos of the All Starr Band’s 30 record-setting years in the spotlight and life on the road, compiled by Henry Diltz and Jill Jarrett (who have followed Ringo Starr’s All Starr career since 1989), as well as...

Trojan Jamaica, the label that recently released Toots and the Maytals’ album Got to Be Tough, dropped a video Tuesday in honor of the late reggae legend’s birthday.

The clip features the making of Got to Be Tough, including interviews with Hibbert, producer Zak Starkey, and his partner and label co-founder Sharna Sshh Liguz. “He invented the word reggae in a song called ‘Do the Reggay,'” Starkey said. “It’s his genre.”

The clip closes with a message from Toots’ daughter, Leba Hibbert, who thanked fans and the...

On February 25th, 2020, Mick Fleetwood honored original Fleetwood Mac frontman Peter Green with a tribute show at London’s Palladium that featured guest appearances by Pete Townshend, Steven Tyler, Bill Wyman, Neil Finn, Noel Gallagher, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Kirk Hammett, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Jeremy Spencer, and Zak Starkey.

A lucky audience of 2,200 witnessed the amazing concert, but on March 23rd and March 28th, 2021, it will screen at movie theaters all across the country. (Go to the official website for more information.) And on April 30th, it will be released on Blu-Ray,...

Each month, the editors and critics at Rolling Stone compile a list of our favorite new albums. Our picks for September include the final LP from late reggae legend Toots Hibbert, a synth-pop stunner from Sad13, protest songs from Neil Young, and reissues of albums by Prince, the Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed.

Alicia Keys, Alicia

Alicia is one of Keys’ most musically engaging LPs, moving easily between moods and styles, from the disco throwback “Time Machine” to “Me X 7” (a bit of moody R&b ache with Tierra Whack...

The late Toots Hibbert appears in the new animated video for “Three Little Birds” alongside Ziggy Marley and Ringo Starr. The track appears off Toots and the Maytals’ Got to Be Tough, out now via Trojan Jamaica/BMG Records.

The animated trio performs the Bob Marley cover while flying over cities, ancient ruins and a polar bear perched on an iceberg. “Rise up this mornin’/Smiled with the risin’ sun,” Hibbert sings. “Three little birds/Pitch by my doorstep.”

Hibbert died earlier this month, weeks after Got to Be Tough was released.