News this week that drummer Zak Starkey is making a return engagement to Toronto with Johnny Marr and the Healers for a May 22 stop at the Opera House. So it seems as good a time as any to get some words from Starkey's father.

That would be ex-Beatle Ringo Starr.

"He's just a brilliant drummer, who loves to play," Starr told The Sun in an recent interview in Los Angeles. "He's got his dad's disease, we love to play."

Turns out Starr's other son, Jason, also plays drums.

"He plays with The Empire Of Sponge," said Starr. "He's sort of alternative. But he plays cool drums. He plays actually more like me than Zak does. Only like me, not me. He has own his own style, but it's more my style than Zak. We always say Zak's the professional."

Zak's other job has been playing with The Who.

Meanwhile, Starr has his own gig with his band Ringo and The Roundheads at The Bottom Line club in New York City tomorrow night, in support of his new album, Ringo Rama, which hits stores next Tuesday.