“Behind the Beat: A Father’s Pain & a Son’s Silent Struggle”
Ringo Starr paced the green room corridor of a London studio, the rhythmic tension in his shoulders as taut as a drumhead. It was 16 minutes past the hour—London time—but for Ringo, time had stood still. His son, Zak Starkey, had just made headlines: dismissed from The Who, plunging into a private depression that only a father could truly sense.
He remembered Zak as a toddler in Liverpool, drumming on pots and pans in sync with “Come Together.” He saw in those young arms the same passion he’d once wielded behind the Beatles’ drum kit. Now, Zak’s drums had been silenced, and his spirit dimmed.
#### **Morning in the Starkey House**
Zak rolled out of bed at 7 AM, sun slanting through the curtains. His drums—his lifelong companions—sat unused in the corner. His latest project with Mantra of the Cosmos, a blend of rock and reggae, had been shelved indefinitely. His close friend, Noel Gallagher, had texted that morning: *“Mate, when you ready, the world is.”* Zak stared at it, feeling empty.
His London flat felt colder today. He wandered to the kitchen, poured black coffee, and scrolled through messages. Praise from fans, concerned well-wishers, gentle gratitude from Pete Townshend—*“communication issues happily aired”*—yet no clarity from inside The Who. The abrupt termination, just
