Zak Starkey - Early Life

Early Life

At age eight, Starkey became interested in music. At age ten, he began teaching himself to play the drums. His father gave him only one lesson, but afterward discouraged his son's growing interest, hoping instead not to see him in the same business as his father. Although Starr has praised his son's abilities he is said to have stated that he had always regarded Starkey as a future lawyer or doctor. The Who's drummer Keith Moon was one of Ringo Starr's closest friends and Starkey's godfather, and although they "never sat together at a drum kit", Moon discussed drumming with Starkey, and gave Starkey his first professional drum kit, which later sold at Sotheby's for twelve thousand pounds. By the age of twelve Starkey was already performing in pubs and was later a member of a garage band called the Next.