Zak Starkey
A drummer of immense power and feel, he stepped out of a legendary father's shadow by anchoring two of rock's greatest bands.
Born 1965 (age 61)·English drummer·Birthday: September 13·Generation X
Biography
Zak Starkey was born into a rhythm, the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, but his own beat was distinctly his own. Eschewing formal lessons, he learned by playing along to records, developing a thunderous, intuitive style. His big break came not from his famous name, but from a recommendation by Keith Moon's drum tech, leading to a decades-long tenure as the driving force behind The Who's live sound, filling Moon's and Kenney Jones's shoes with a unique blend of chaos and control. Simultaneously, he became a secret weapon for Britpop giants Oasis, providing the backbone for their defining anthems. Starkey's career is a masterclass in musical integrity, proving that genuine talent, not lineage, earns a place on the world's biggest stages.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Zak was born in 1965, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Zak Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Zak's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the primary touring and recording drummer for The Who for nearly three decades, from 1996 onward.
- Played drums on multiple Oasis albums, including the seminal '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' and 'Be Here Now.'
- Performed and recorded with a wide array of artists including Johnny Marr, The Lightning Seeds, and Paul Weller.
Did You Know?
He is the godson of The Who's guitarist, Pete Townshend.
Starkey was offered the drumming role in The Who in 1985 but turned it down, feeling he wasn't ready.
He played his first professional gig at age 12 with the band Horse.
“I learned to play by hitting things until they sounded right.”
