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Ringo's son on playing at famous Beatles venue

PA Media Zak Starkey, son of Sir Ringo Star, on drums performing with fellow band members (left to right) Shaun Ryder, Bez, Andy Bell of the Mantra of the Cosmos at The Cavern Club, LiverpoolPA Media
Zak Starkey said it was an emotional experience playing at the famous Cavern Club

Drummer Zak Starkey has described feeling as if he was "picked up and carried by the music" while performing at the famed Liverpool venue where his father, Sir Ringo Starr, started out with the Beatles.

Starkey joined his friend and fellow former Oasis drummer Chris Sharrock for a double drumming session on Saturday alongside the Cavern Club's Beatles tribute band to play the group's "holy music".

The performance came ahead of him taking to the stage with his supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos to play two sets on Sunday at the club which regularly played host to his father's band during their fledgling years.

Reflecting on playing Beatles hits in the venue, Starkey said it was "amazing" but he admitted to being nervous for the first time.

"We set up two kits and we double drummed the Beatles show," he said.

"I've never been nervous in my life – I've been on stage since I was 12 years old – but it's holy music. I know it, but I don't know the drum bit.

"But as soon as I walked on it was like being picked up and carried by the music."

'Freaked out'

He said he was "freaked out" ahead of playing the show because he feels it is "not cool" to get Beatles songs wrong but looked forward to his gigs with his supergroup which consists of Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez and Andy Bell of Oasis/Ride on bass.

Starkey, who has drummed for The Who and Oasis between 2004 and 2008, said the style of his new group is "completely different" and "unpredictable" because it is led by Ryder's freestyle poetry.

The drummer praised the venue for allowing them to perform two shows on the same day, which enabled them to cover the costs of the crew and expenses to put on the gigs as a band not signed to a major label.

PA Media Zak Starkey, son of Sir Ringo Star, on drums performing with fellow band members (left to right) Bez, Shaun Ryder and Andy Bell of the Mantra of the Cosmos at The Cavern Club, Liverpool.PA Media
Bez, Shaun Ryder and Andy Bell of the Mantra of the Cosmos also performed with Zak Starkey at The Cavern Club

Oasis star Noel Gallagher has become the latest addition to the supergroup, joining the band on their new psychedelic track Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous).

Starkey hailed Oasis as the "greatest band of my generation" but would not confirm if he would be interested in joining Liam and Noel Gallagher on their reunion tour this summer.

The acclaimed drummer has also collaborated on various songs with his father, whom he says has a "fantastic musical sense of what's needed to glue it all together".

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