The Who Name Scott Devours as New Drummer After Zak Starkey’s Sudden Exit
The Who have quietly weathered one of the more surprising shakeups in their long career: longtime drummer Zak Starkey—the band’s most enduring stickman since Keith Moon—has exited the group following what appears to have been a behind-the-scenes rollercoaster of firings and rehirings. Now, Scott Devours, a familiar face from Roger Daltrey’s solo band, has been officially named as his replacement.
Devours confirmed the news with a heartfelt post on Instagram this week, describing the emotional whirlwind of being asked to join the legendary band. “Pete and Roger changed my life again with a short, simple message,” he wrote. “It’s hard to explain the tsunami of emotions I’ve been processing.”
The drummer acknowledged the sensitive nature of the change: “I know many fans will be upset Zak is no longer part of the band. I’m one of them. It’s a contradiction of emotions—this career highlight arrives framed by the sadness of another person’s departure.”
Starkey’s exit hasn’t yet been addressed publicly by Townshend or Daltrey, and fan reactions have been mixed across social media. Devours, however, is approaching the gig with humility and awareness of the legacy he now steps into.
“Being behind Pete and Roger is one of the hardest jobs in my world. The weight of this responsibility is enormous, and I feel it fully,” he said. “All I can promise fans is that I will do my best to honor the legacy of The Who—Zak, Kenney Jones, Simon Phillips, and of course, the great Keith Moon.”
He closed with a little levity: “And please don’t ask me for free tickets, lol.”
With tour dates looming, The Who now press forward with Devours behind the kit. Whether fans embrace the transition remains to be seen—but as Devours said, “Maybe I’ll have to let the music do the talking.”