Simon Townshend is straight from the lineage of one of British music’s most famous families, a familiar name but with an original sound. The son of England’s top big-band reed man and baby brother of Who legend Pete Townshend, Simon has been recording and performing since the age of nine, when he was recruited to add vocals to The Who classic Tommy. On his own Stir Music Label, Simon has released eight well-received solo CDs and one with the band Casbah Club (featuring Bruce Foxton/The Jam & Mark Brzezicki/Big Country). In 2014, Simon released his recent album Denial, containing some of his most personal and inspirational work to date. In addition to his own music, Simon has been guitarist and vocalist in The Who since 1996, playing sold out tours around the world, including monumental performances at the 2010 Super Bowl and the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. He was referred to by one U.S. newspaper as The Who’s “secret weapon.”

Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, is the rightful heir to the drum stool of his godfather Keith Moon who Zak knew when growing up as ‘Uncle Keith’. Zak’s father only ever gave him one drum lesson in his life in an attempt to discourage his son from a career in rock’n’roll but it was Zak’s Uncle Keith who bought him his first drum kit at the age of eight. By ten Zak was teaching himself to play the drums and by the age of twelve he was playing in pubs in a band called The Next. Gigs then followed with the Spencer Davis Band, The Icicle Works, Ringo Starr’s All-Star Band and recording with The Who’s John Entwistle on his solo album The Rock. By the mid-90s Zak had started playing for Roger Daltrey on his Daltrey Sings Townshend Tour followed in 1996 by drumming for The Who on their Quadrophenia Tour. In 2004 Zak was in the drum seat for Oasis – not taking up a permanent position with the band even though he was invited to. He has recorded with Johnny Marr, The Lightning Seeds, The Hollywood Vampires, Joe Perry, Paul Weller and Graham Coxon and on both Don’t Believe The Truth and Dig Out Your Soul albums for Oasis. Following The Who’s tour of 2007/8 Zak has become the ‘unofficial’ official drummer for the band, performing with them at the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, FL, the 2012 Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games, the 2013 Quadrophenia & More tour, The Who Hits 50! tour and The Who 2017 tour of North and South America. And when he’s not touring with The Who he’s playing guitar in his own band SSHH.

JON BUTTON

Bass

www.jonbutton.com