Three sons of The Beatles have teamed up for a new song.
Drummer Zak Starkey, son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has shared a new song from his band Mantra of the Cosmos on Instagram, which features John Lennon’s son Sean Ono Lennon and Paul McCartney’s son James McCartney on vocals, along with Happy Monday’s Shaun Ryder, who is a member of Mantra of the Cosmos.
Starkey said in an interview with The Telegraph that the track is called “Rip Off,” although he is adamant that the song is nothing like The Beatles.
“It’s like Mantra of the Cosmos with them in it … it’s still my band,” he said.
When it was suggested he needed to get George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison, for the track, he responded, “No I don’t. Why do I?”
This isn’t the first time Beatles offspring have gotten together. Back in April 2024, James McCartney released the song “Primrose Hill,” which he co-wrote with Sean Ono Lennon.
Starkey has been in the news a lot lately after being let go by Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey from his job as The Who‘s drummer ahead of their upcoming U.S. tour. But it sounds like he believes there’s still hope he’ll be back with the band.
“I spoke to Roger last week and he said, ‘Don’t take your drums out of [The Who’s] warehouse yet in case we need you,'” Starkey told The Telegraph. “I said, ‘Best let me know.'”
Meanwhile, in an interview with Rolling Stone Zak revealed how his dad, Ringo, has supported him through the whole controversy with The Who.
“I’m very proud of him standing up for me,” he told the mag. When the journalist then asked asking how he did so, Zak replied, “He said, ‘I’ve never liked the way that little man runs that band,'” referring to Daltrey.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
