John Bonham was the same with Led Zeppelin it was a sound, thunderous. [107] During the band's recording sabbatical between 1976 and 1978, Moon gained a considerable amount of weight. I liked Pete Townshend. Moony could do light and shade just as easily as he could be the most exhilarating powerhouse any band ever had. "[144] Although he was a loyal companion to Moon, the lifestyle eventually became too much for him; he phoned Curbishley, saying that they needed to move back to England or one of them might die. And Roger, who was the spokesman then, said: 'What are you doing next Monday?' Always a sign. Or as Moon himself puts it, he is the worlds bestKeith-Moon-type drummer. Nah. gtag('js', new Date()); [175] The Jam paid homage to Moon on the second single from their third album, "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight"; the B-side of the single is a Who cover ("So Sad About Us"), and the back cover of the record has a photo of Moon's face. In 1972 the performance was released as a companion disc to Lennon and Ono's album Some Time in New York City. Keith Moon played the drums in a similar way to how he lived his life: frenetic to the point where chaos could erupt around him at any given moment. Bouncing off beds and could hardly sit still. In response the drummer asked him up to his room, excused himself to go to the bathroom, put a lit stick of dynamite in the toilet and shut the bathroom door. Moons drumming also fits the theme of the song quite well, telling the tale of a boy whose mother forces him to act feminine when he just wants to be a regular boy. In April 1964, aged 17,[22] he auditioned for the Who as a replacement for Doug Sandom. Music has always been part of my life, helped me through tough moments and was with me to celebrate the good ones. He bought a number of cars and gadgets, and flirted with bankruptcy. The Jam's single was released about a month after Moon's death. And you couldnt have Cream without Ginger Baker., Right after the news of Charlie Watts passing in August, 2021 at the age of 80, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend recalled on his Instagram that the drummer wept at Keith Moons funeral back in 1978: Full Moon. Theyve had some fine drummers. By 1978, after a decade of continuous hellraising, Keith Moon was a bloated, shadowy version of his former self, a man who figured he had a lot more behind him than in front. Because I want to break your fucking jaw You have fucked this band around so many times and I'm not having it any more. [157], Townshend persuaded Daltrey and Entwistle to carry on touring as The Who, although he later said that it was his means of coping with Moon's death and "completely irrational, bordering on insane". Always a sign. }); Afterwards I was sitting at the bar and Pete came over. [105] However, Roger Daltrey, in an interview on BBC's Top Gear, stated that the group was banned from 'an entire state's worth of Holiday Inns', presumably then Michigan. "[89], According to Townshend, Moon began destroying hotel rooms when the Who stayed at the Berlin Hilton on tour in late 1966. window.addEventListener("load", function(event){ "[76] During one of his few televised solo drum performances (for ABC's Wide World), Moon played a five-minute drum solo dressed as a cat on transparent acrylic drums filled with water and goldfish. [108] Moon passed out again during "Magic Bus", and was again removed from the stage. [39] While the other three members handled most of the onstage vocals, Moon would attempt to sing backup (particularly on "I Can't Explain"). The chaos ended only when police arrived with guns drawn.[104]. Upon returning, he asked the manager to stay for a moment, as he wanted to explain something. [98], Entwistle recalled being close to Moon on tour and both were often involved in blowing up toilets. While Moons contributions to individual tracks have been monumental, perhaps the best way to understand just how powerful a musician he was is to simply watch him play for five uninterrupted minutes. The Who's Keith Moon was not only (as he loved to boast) "the world's greatest Keith Moon-type drummer," he was also the . [179], Ray Davies notably lauded Moon's drumming during his speech for the Kinks' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1990: " Keith Moon changed the sound of drumming. Moon also played timpani on another track, a cover of Jerome Kern's "Ol' Man River". [154], Moon's death came shortly after the release of Who Are You. Moon attended Alperton Secondary Modern School after failing his eleven plus exam, which precluded his attending a grammar school. Speaking to The Guardian, Christopher Frayling said they "decided that bad behaviour and overdosing on various substances wasn't a sufficient qualification." to Moon as he tries to sneak into the studio. He was credited on the album as "You Know Who". His drumming continues to be praised by critics and musicians. OneSignal.setDefaultNotificationUrl("http://rockandrollgarage.com"); For all of the sense of a life cut short, he did that as no one else ever could. The phrase "Dear Boy" became a catchphrase of Moon's when, influenced by Kit Lambert, he began affecting a pompous English accent. For all of the TV sets out of windows, the blowing up of the Smothers Brothers set on television and riding the hovercraft on the lawn (as his daughter describes to us here), its reassuring to remember that, above all else, Keith Moon just wanted to play drums for The Who. [35], Unlike contemporary rock drummers such as Ginger Baker and John Bonham, Moon hated drum solos and refused to play them in concert. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. Ivor, the man who our protagonist sleeps with, is supposed to be a highly shady character, and Moons drumming provides a suitably creepy vibe to the scenario. [156] Moon was cremated on 13 September 1978 at Golders Green Crematorium in London, and his ashes were scattered in its Gardens of Remembrance. "He had no idea how to be a father", Kim said. In 1966 Moon moved to an even larger kit,[55] but without the customary hi-hatat the time he preferred keeping ride rhythms with ride and crash cymbals, but he later reinstated the hi-hats. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; I was scared to death. In 1966 he worked with Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck, pianist Nicky Hopkins and future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on the instrumental "Beck's Bolero", which was the B-side to "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and appeared on the album Truth. When I was about eleven or twelve, my favourite part of drum lessons was the last ten minutes, when I'd get to sit at the drumset and play along to my favourite record. "[128] He loved Amanda, but his absences due to touring and fondness for practical jokes made their relationship uneasy when she was very young. Sandom had generally been the peacemaker as Daltrey and Townshend feuded between themselves, but because of Moon's temperament the group now had four members frequently in conflict. [126] Moon was occasionally violent towards Kim:[127] "if we went out after I had Mandy", she later said, "if someone talked to me, he'd lose it. document.documentElement.classList.add( After dining with the McCartneys at Peppermint Park in Covent Garden, Moon and Walter-Lax returned to their flat. He remembers managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp saying, "We trust you with Keith but if you ever want any time off, for a holiday or some sort of rest, let us know and we'll pay for it." [117], Because the Who's early stage act relied on smashing instruments, and owing to Moon's enthusiasm for damaging hotels, the group were in debt for much of the 1960s; Entwistle estimated they lost about 150,000. Thats what I mean. Stayed for about 10 minutes and left just as quick. [118] Even when the group became relatively financially stable after Tommy, Moon continued to rack up debts. Entwistle once remarked that Moon played not from side to side, but forwards. There simply was no one like Keith, and that holds true to this day. "[182], In 1998 Tony Fletcher published a biography of Moon, Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon, in the United Kingdom. Fun times back in the 70s. Al Pereira/WireImage. I'd several drinks to get me courage up and when I got onstage I went arrgggGhhhh on the drums, broke the bass drum pedal and two skins, and got off. [109], During the opening date of the band's March 1976 US tour at the Boston Garden, Moon passed out over his drum kit after two numbers and the show was rescheduled. Throughout his tenure with the Who, his drum kit steadily grew in size, and (along with Ginger Baker) he has been credited as one of the earliest rock drummers to regularly employ double bass drums in his setup. Its like the Who. } } oneSignal_elements[i].addEventListener('click', oneSignalLinkClickHandler, false); "[25] Daltrey said that Moon "just instinctively put drum fills in places that other people would never have thought of putting them. [104], Returning to the hotel, Moon started a food fight and soon cake began flying through the air. "[93], Fletcher argues that the Who's lengthy break (15 December 1971 11 August 1972) between the end of their 1971 Who's Next Tour and the beginning of the Quadrophenia sessions devastated Moon's health,[94] as without the rigours of lengthy shows and regular touring that had previously kept him in shape, his hard-partying lifestyle took a greater toll on his body. Due to his pioneering playing style, Moon didnt spend his childhood daydreaming emulating his drumming icons and most drummers he felt indifference towards. [172] Adam Budofsky, editor of Drummer magazine, said that Moon's performances on Who's Next and Quadrophenia "represent a perfect balance of technique and passion" and "there's been no drummer who's touched his unique slant on rock and rhythm since. Oct 20, 2022. On That'll Be the Day it was social drinking. He was one of a kind. He was a totally original, powerful, orchestral, kick-ass drummer and exactly the right drummer for the Who. oneSignal_options['promptOptions']['actionMessage'] = "Do you want to receive the latest news about Classic Rock? [98] Townshend remembers walking into the bathroom of Moon's hotel room and noticing the toilet had disappeared, with only the S-bend remaining. After an investigation, the coroner ruled Boland's death an accident; Moon, having been charged with a number of offences, received an absolute discharge. "[7], Moon joined his local Sea Cadet Corps band at the age of twelve on the bugle, but found the instrument too difficult to learn and decided to take up drums instead. "Keith Moon as a drummer? Longtime friend and personal assistant Butler observed, "He was trying to make people laugh and be Mr Funny, he wanted people to love him and enjoy him, but he would go so far. He was discovered by manager Bill Curbishley, who took him to a hospital, telling him "I'm gonna get the doctor to get you nice and fit, so you're back within two days. This is the 'Oo. One minute hes insulting, exaggerating, joking the next minute hes a wide-eyed, innocent-looking drummer boy. Three years later, writer Keith Altham attempted to interview him for the same publication. However, stands and foot pedals were frequently replaced; the drummer "would go through them like a knife through butter". [59], At an early show at the Railway Tavern in Harrow, Townshend smashed his guitar after accidentally breaking it. He was a whole other thing.. [92], He followed Moon when the drummer relocated to Los Angeles, but felt that the drug culture prevalent at the time was bad for Moon: "My job was to have eyes in the back of my head. This erroneous date appeared in several otherwise-reliable sources, including the Townshend-authorised biography Before I Get Old: The Story of The Who. After playing with a local band, the Beachcombers, he joined the Who in 1964 before they recorded their first single. [11], Moon took lessons from one of the loudest contemporary drummers, Screaming Lord Sutch's Carlo Little, at ten shillings per lesson. If you want to come, we'll pick you up in the van.' Such a lovely man. [116] Daltrey later denied threatening to fire him, but said that by this time Moon was out of control. The intensity of the explosion singed Townshend's hair and embedded a piece of cymbal in Moon's arm. 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"Drinking suited the group a lot better. In 2016, the same magazine ranked him No. That was Keith Moon, too, and his best performances reveal exactly why The Who 's late drummer stands apart from all who came before or since. Another huge admirer among his peers was Led Zeppelins John Bonham, who would always watch Moon as closely and as often as he could. "[110] Doctors told Curbishley that if he had not intervened, Moon would have bled to death. Many, if not most, of the things youve heard about The Who drummers eccentricity (other descriptions are available) are probably accurate but they sometimes get in the way of the overriding musical truth about the man: that he was a drummer like no other. "[98] He quickly developed a reputation for destroying bathrooms and blowing up toilets. [58] From 1967 to 1969 Moon used the "Pictures of Lily" drum kit (named for its artwork), which had two 22-inch (56cm) bass drums, two 16-inch (41cm) floor toms and three mounted toms. Take a few moments out of your day to soak in this solo by Mr Moon himself. Lets face it, he must have been cos he had a sense of rhythm. [132] Marsh believes that Moon never truly recovered from the loss of his family. [42] The drummer's interest in surf music and his desire to sing led to his performing lead vocals on several early tracks, including "Bucket T" and "Barbara Ann" (Ready Steady Who EP, 1966)[43] and high backing vocals on other songs, such as "Pictures of Lily". [153], Curbishley phoned the flat at around 5:00p.m. looking for Moon, and Dymond gave him the news. I said, mild as you please: 'Yes, yes?' I miss him a lot. [167], The London 2012 Summer Olympic Committee contacted Curbishley about Moon performing at the games, 34 years after his death. At the end of the song, the drums go nuts. In order to play like Keith Moon, you need to hear the song like Keith heard the song. Rival 'blue plaque' for Moon puts heritage row centre stage", "John Entwistle, 57; Innovative Bass Player Co-Founded The Who", "Roger Daltrey: 'Keith Moon lived his entire life as a fantasy', "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", "Iconic model who married Keith Moon dies in car crash", "Who Drummer Zak Starkey Holds Down Super Bowl Halftime", "London 2012 organisers wanted Keith Moon to play at Olympics ceremony", "Interview: 1985?? (function() {var wf = document.createElement('script');wf.src='https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/webfont/1/webfont.js';wf.type='text/javascript';wf.async='true';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(wf, s);})(); But Moon was the. "[102], On 23 August 1967, on tour opening for Herman's Hermits, Moon celebrated what he said was his 21st birthday (although it was thought at the time to be his 20th) at a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. Keith Moon is often considered one of the best drummers of all time - if not thebest drummer of all time - and it's easy to see why. When the interviewer pressed him on who or what made him get behind a drum kit, Moons answer was a world away from poetry: Jesus Christ, I think I got a free drum kit in a packet of corn flakes, The Who man jokingly responded before inexplicably adding, But no, drum solos are fucking boring. [68], Moon may have inspired the name for Led Zeppelin. Talk about being ahead of his time, thats what most drummers are doing today in concert!. He was there through eight albums and around 35 singles, unforgettable to the last beat. [80] He reprised the role for the film's 1974 sequel, Stardust,[81] in Jim MacLaine's (David Essex) backing band the Stray Cats and played Uncle Ernie in Ken Russell's 1975 film adaptation of Tommy. When he briefly considered leaving the Who in 1966, he spoke with Entwistle and Page about forming a supergroup. Whereas Ginger Baker is a cranky old man whose last notable work occurred 50 years ago. He was a drummer who always strived to make his performance exceptional. I would never put on an LP of a drummer and say everything he did I love because thats not true.. I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'m glad you gonna rock with us again! [15] Moon also enjoyed singing, with a particular interest in Motown. According to Lewis, Moon was drunk by the time the band went onstage at Atwood Stadium. I've got no real aspirations to be a great drummer. Following the explosion, Moon turned the recorder back on and said, "That, dear boy, was noise. Watts was very sad at Moon's funeral back in 1978 Right after the news of Charlie Watts' passing in August, 2021 at the age of 80, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend recalled on his Instagram that the drummer wept at Keith Moon's funeral back in 1978: "Full Moon. } [155] Police determined that there were 32 clomethiazole pills in Moon's system. [105] Townshend claimed that the Who were banned for life from all of the hotel's properties,[106] but Fletcher wrote that they stayed at a Holiday Inn in Rochester, New York, a week later. "[101], Once, a hotel manager called Moon in his room and asked him to lower the volume on his cassette recorder because it made "too much noise." "[143] Townshend agreed, saying that by 1975 Butler had "no influence over him whatsoever. Learn More{{/message}}, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. Entwistle was giving an interview to two journalists when he was interrupted by a phone call with the news of Moon's death. [37], Moon also aspired to sing lead vocal on some songs. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['text']['tip.state.blocked'] = 'Oh, dont do that, please'; Go! The drummer explained that since a cherry bomb was about to explode, he had thrown it down the toilet and showed Townshend the case of cherry bombs. During the concert, Moon passed out on his drum kit during "Won't Get Fooled Again". [177][178] Jazz drummer Elvin Jones praised Moon's work during "Underture", as integral to the song's effect. In 2000, the book was released in the US as Moon (The Life and Death of a Rock Legend). I figured that was it. oneSignal_options['promptOptions']['autoAcceptTitle'] = "Yes! gtag('config', 'UA-89640928-1'); [50], The drummer produced the violin solo on "Baba O'Riley". And that was it. I mean somebody good?" Moon led a destructive lifestyle. Not constrained by rigorous pattern or timing, Moon always let the music run through him and expressed himself as succinctly as he could. Maybe hes living out a quiet retirement somewhere up there, or down thereas if. Invited him up to our room. window.OneSignal = window.OneSignal || []; [67] A clip of the incident became the opening scene for the film The Kids Are Alright. [92] McLagan commented that Moon "couldn't handle it. Keith John Moon was born to Alfred Charles (Alf) and Kathleen Winifred (Kit) Moon[2][5] on 23 August 1946 at Central Middlesex Hospital in northwest London; he grew up in Wembley. He used to live here in Los Angeles for a while, in some of his madder days. As drummer with The Who, Keith Moon powered one of the most explosive bands in rock history. [60] Subsequent live sets culminated in what the band later described as "auto-destructive art", in which band members (particularly Moon and Townshend) elaborately destroyed their equipment. Yet his drumming was often surprising and always made an impression. "[33] Contemporary critics questioned his ability to keep time, with biographer Tony Fletcher suggesting that the timing on Tommy was "all over the place." [114] After recording Who Are You, Townshend refused to follow the album with a tour unless Moon stopped drinking,[115] and said that if Moon's playing did not improve he would be fired. [3][4] Moon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a member of the Who. "; His favourite musicians were jazz artists, particularly Gene Krupa (whose flamboyant style he subsequently copied). Moon is certainly the star of this classic Quadrophenia track. One of Moons final appearances on camera was in The Whos video for the title hit from his last album with them, Who Are You. As McCartney recalled in an interview with Record Collector Magazine back in 1997, Moon even praised his drum skills once. "[183], In 2008, English Heritage declined an application for Moon to be awarded a blue plaque. keith moon. Moon grew up in Wembley and took up the drums during the early 1960s. He had already worked with the likes of Rod Stewart and other popular artists, and he nabbed the gig of a lifetime when The Who tapped him to replace Moon in January 1979, but the arrangement didn't last very long. This video captures Moon's final television interview - a highly-publicised appearance on Good Morning America with host David Hartman, on August 7, 1978. "[97], Moon's favourite stunt was to flush powerful explosives down toilets. OneSignal.init(window._oneSignalInitOptions); Moon was known for his wild side and his animalistic like drumming ability more so than being the most pleasant person in a room, it would be rare for Moon to be complimentary about one of his contemporaries, however, there were a few drummers that were an exception to the rule and escaped his wrath. I dont know if he was a very good drummer outside of Pete (Laughs). Although it only took 13 days to film, fellow cast member Howard Kaylan remembers Moon spending off-camera time at the Kensington Garden Hotel bar instead of sleeping. oneSignal_options['appId'] = '7306da2e-1e23-436b-8361-6ac0257193f8'; [112], Entwistle has said that Moon and the Who reached their live peak in 197576. 1 on its list of "50 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Drummers",[171] and he was ranked No. When Walter-Lax checked on him the following afternoon, she discovered he was dead. He didnt play real time or anything, he wasnt funky or anything. This has helped me to make the website better and bring the best of classic rock to the world! documentInitOneSignal(); He played with every instrument playing on stage, and he managed to make it work, Daltrey continued. He knew no boundaries.. Keith John Moon was an English drummer who played with the English rock band the Who. [18], During this time Moon joined his first serious band: the Escorts, replacing his best friend Gerry Evans. Rolling Stone tried to get to grips with exactly the man behind all these rock n roll clichd adventures is in 1971 but they were faced with Moon being in another one of his playful rather than reflective moods. His 21st birthday party in Flint, Michigan, has been cited as a notorious example of decadent behaviour by rock groups. He proved that there was another way of doing things, Moon was unconventional on-stage and even more atypical once he stepped foot off it. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['position'] = 'bottom-right'; I've said this before, but Keith Moon is the reason I'm playing drums today. #15. "The 'loon' stuff. He was an attention seeker and he had to have it. When it comes to the excess and antics of rock 'n' roll, Keith Moon didn't just partake, he wrote the playbook. oneSignal_options['welcomeNotification']['title'] = ""; His performance on "Bell Boy" (Quadrophenia, 1973) saw him abandon "serious" vocal performances to sing in character, which gave him (in Fletcher's words) "full licence to live up to his reputation as a lecherous drunk"; it was "exactly the kind of performance the Who needed from him to bring them back down to earth. OneSignal.SERVICE_WORKER_PARAM = { scope: "/" }; {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. [141] Although Reed matched Moon drink for drink, he appeared on set the next morning ready to perform; Moon, on the other hand, would cost several hours of filming time. Butler never took them up on the offer. This later carried over to other aspects of his life, as he acted them out (according to journalist and Who biographer Dave Marsh) "as if his life were one long tour. Moon, more often than not, found that his talent was overlooked during his life purely because of his unconventional technique which seemed to override everything he did. Particularly impressive is his work during the Ivor The Engine Driver portion of the song. var oneSignal_options = {}; I think a lot of my lunacy is because I want to do some film work. He was more like three people in one. Keith Moon, Melody Maker, September 1970[31], Moon's style of drumming was considered unique by his bandmates, although they sometimes found his unconventional playing frustrating; Entwistle noted that he tended to play faster or slower according to his mood. His music teacher wrote that Moon "has great ability, but must guard against a tendency to show off. By the time of their final tour with him in 1976, and particularly during production of The Kids Are Alright and Who Are You, the drummer's deterioration was evident. As always, Moons electric performance gives the song tons of extra life. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['enable'] = true; I dont want to channel all my energy into drumming, or to be a Buddy Rich. [119][120], Before the 1998 release of Tony Fletcher's Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon, Moon's date of birth was presumed to be 23 August 1947. Technical ability is another thing. He was noted for his unique style and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. Cass Elliot of the Mamas and the Papas had died there four years earlier, at the age of 32;[147][148] Nilsson was concerned about letting the flat to Moon, believing it was cursed. I suppose it could be written in that he was a drummer in his spare time a bit of a dab hand with the sticks. The quote conveys the sheer individualism of the. Moons drumming had already proven essential before Happy Jack, but this was the moment we learned he could be the main force behind a track. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). While touring with the Who, on several occasions he passed out on stage and was hospitalised. [176] Animal, one of Jim Henson's Muppet characters, may have been based on Keith Moon due to their similar hair, eyebrows, personality and drumming style. I think the word I would use to describe Keiths drumming is free rather than anarchic, wrote Townshend in the introduction to There Is No Substitute.
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