It's not easy being the child of an entertainment world legend. Perhaps it's even harder to be the child of someone who was in a band that is eternally legendary. Zak Starkey, 60, knows that feeling well. The son of former Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr, Starkey is opening up about his intense ambivalence toward the iconic band earlier in his life.
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(Starkey's mother was Ringo Starr's first wife, Maureen. She died in 1994 at the age of 48. Maureen and Starr were married for ten years.)
He apparently feels that previously, the Beatles' fame inadvertently overshadowed his own budding professional stature. Starkey's attitude seems to have mellowed greatly with maturity and the passage of time. Now, he appreciates the band for the many ways it made indelible rock history.
Starkey Reportedly Said, "The Beatles Were in My Way"
Starkey, who is also an accomplished drummer, made some jaw-dropping remarks during an interview with Jonathan Clarke on radio station Q104.3. Per Parade via the Q104.3 chat, Starkey candidly said, "I'll be honest. When I was a kid, The Beatles were in my way, if you see what I mean."
He clarified that negative comment this way. "I was in groups from a young, really young age, and I was getting press attention, but they were only paying me attention and they weren't paying the rest of the band attention, And I got bit resentful of this, and that sort of got me into a place where I sort of shunned The Beatles for a long time."
He Changed His Mind About the Storied Band in His Mid-Twenties
Starkey's opinion of the Beatles evolved a lot over the years. Per Parade, he shared with Clarke. "But at the end of the day, when I did listen to The Beatles, when I was about 25, it was like, 'Wow, these guys are amazing! ... I should have been listening to this forever.'"
Starkey has definitely established his own solid reputation in the music industry. He was associated with the Who for almost thirty years. He also played with the Lightning Seeds, Oasis and other groups.
