Earlier this week, Scott Devours, who plays in Roger Daltrey's solo band, was confirmed as The Who's new drummer in the wake of Zak Starkey's convoluted departure.
Posting on Instagram, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey welcomed Devours, who has now thanked both men – and paid tribute to Starkey – in a lengthy letter to fans on Facebook.
"I’m sure there are many fans who will not accept me or anyone on that throne except for Zak," he writes. "I know that this will be the case for some and I acknowledge that. For others, perhaps the jury is still out. Maybe I’ll need to let the music do the talking?
"In my world, there are no bigger shoes to fill than those behind Pete and Roger. The weight of this responsibility is enormous and I am feeling every ounce of it. What I want to say to all of the fans is that I will do everything I can to honour the legacy of The Who, Zak, Kenney Jones, Simon Phillips and the memory of the great Keith Moon.
"For my name to even be mentioned in a sentence like that literally sends shivers down my spine and I know I need to earn this honor. Since this is the last time Pete and Roger will be touring the US, playing the greatest songs ever written, I will be giving them every second of my time, every beat of my heart, and every drop of my sweat and blood. This is my ultimate goal."
Starkey, who became The Who's drummer in 1996, was fired by the band for a second time before Devours' introduction. The dismissal occurred just a month after Starkey was initially fired and quickly reinstated, reportedly after a dispute with frontman Daltrey became public during a Teenage Cancer Trust Performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Devours' first date with The Who is scheduled for August 16 at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL, on the first date of the band's The Song Is Over Tour. Full dates below.
The Who: The Song Is Over tour 2025
Aug 16: Sunrise Amerant Bank Arena, FL =
Aug 19: Newark Prudential Center, NJ =
Aug 21: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA ^
Aug 23: Atlantic City Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, NJ +
Aug 26: Boston Fenway Park, MA ¶
Aug 28: Wantagh Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, NY º
Aug 30: New York Madison Square Garden, NY º
Sep 02: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON >
Sep 04: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON >
Sep 07: Chicago United Center, IL <
Sep 09: Chicago United Center, IL <
Sep 17: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA ¶
Sep 19: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA ¶
Sep 21: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA ¢
Sep 23: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC ¢
Sep 25: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA ¢
Sep 28: Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, NV ø
= with Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters
^ with ZZ Ward
+ with Booker T. Jones
¶ with The Joe Perry Project
º with Feist
> with Tom Cochrane
< with Joe Bonamassa
¢ with Candlebox
ø with Billy Idol
