After some awkward back and forth about whether or not Zak Starkey was still in The Who, the band confirmed last week that they had indeed parted ways with the drummer and replaced him with Scott Devours, who played in Roger Daltrey's solo band. The new drummer will be joining Daltrey and Pete Townsend on their "The Song Is Over" farewell tour this summer and spoke about the new gig in a lengthy statement on social media.

"It’s hard to express the tsunami of emotions that I’m processing since that incredible news, but there are a couple of things I feel compelled to say," Devours gushed on Instagram before addressing the conflicting feelings of replacing a drummer who'd been with the band for nearly 30 years. "I understand and accept the reality that there are many lifelong Who fans who are absolutely gutted by the news that Zak is no longer on the throne behind The Who. As a huge fan myself, there is a part of me that’s processing this loss with a heavy heart too. It really is a strange contradiction of emotions to have the greatest moment of my professional career also be one framed with some sadness and shadowed by someone else’s loss. It’s tough to put into words actually, but I know it’s there and it’s real."

"I guess the reality of it is this: I’m sure there are many fans who will not accept me or anyone on that throne except for Zak. I know that this will be the case for some and I acknowledge that," he continued. "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," Devours confessed. "What I want to say to all of the fans is that I will do everything I can to honor 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."

"But this tour isn’t about me or anyone other than The Who, which IS Pete and Roger," he concluded. "I will give them everything I have and the rest is soon to be history."

See Devours' post and a full list of The Who's farewell tour dates below.

Russ "Whip" Rose

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