The real Keith Moon was a son, a brother, a father and an insecure man. Bouncing off beds and could hardly sit still. Keith Moon's 10 Wildest Pranks - Rolling Stone "[158] The New Book of Rock Lists ranked Moon No. By the time Stardust came round it was hard drinking. He didn't do anything to talk of. 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. 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. New Musical Express's Roy Carr wrote, "Moonie, if you didn't have talent, I wouldn't care; but you have, which is why I'm not about to accept Two Sides of the Moon. "[92], In a limousine on the way to the airport, Moon insisted they return to their hotel, saying "I forgot something." He wanted to get sober, but because of his fear of psychiatric hospitals, he wanted to do it at home. The Who drummer was found dead in his home of an apparent overdose. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And to think he was originally going to play the bugle. [6] His art teacher said in a report: "Retarded artistically. 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. oneSignal_options['wordpress'] = true; The band stopped playing, and a group of roadies carried Moon offstage. In addition to his talent as a drummer, Moon developed a reputation for smashing his kit on stage and destroying hotel rooms on tour. I just want to play drums for The Who, and thats it, he told Chris Charlesworth in 1972. ( Classic Rock ) published 23 March 2016. After playing with a local band, the Beachcombers, he joined the Who in 1964 before they recorded their first single. Former Cream drummer Ginger Baker 's life has changed since he starred in the 2012 documentary Beware of Mr. Baker . Ive no real aspirations to be a great drummer, he said. and was carried offstage for good. Tier list of the most challenging The Who songs for drums featuring the drumming of legendary drummer Keith Moon.0:00 video men0:28 tier list start2:45 firs. OneSignal.push( function() { 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. Required fields are marked *. Rainbow. I have favourite drum pieces and thats it. 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. Your email address will not be published. Pete Townshend and Keith they were fantastically mad, the pair of them, onstage. After 35 seconds of subtlety, Moons hyper-fast drumming goes to work, starting and stopping at various points during the song, essentially controlling the entire dynamic. "I never realised dynamite was so powerful. "[24]:52:29, Moon's arrival in the Who changed the dynamics of the group. I dont really have a favourite drummer. Jones was already a well-established drummer in the British rock scene of the 1970s. "It's just that his algorithms [he laughed as he said the word]. Lets take a look at a handful of essential tracks that show why Keith Moon was such a vital, dynamic drummer. 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. [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 too much of a child himself. "[103], The drummer immediately began drinking upon his arrival in Flint. According to Pamela Des Barres, Moon had nightmares (which woke them both) about the incident and said he had no right to be alive. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['text']['tip.state.blocked'] = 'Oh, dont do that, please'; He was an attention seeker and he had to have it. [146], In mid-1978, Moon moved into Flat 12, 9 Curzon Place (later Curzon Square), Shepherd Market, Mayfair, London, renting from Harry Nilsson. [58], While Moon generally said he was only interested in working with the Who,[31] he participated in outside musical projects. Theyve had some fine drummers. [28] Although Townshend described him as a "completely different person to anyone I've ever met",[24]:38:48 the pair had a rapport in the early years and enjoyed practical jokes and improvised comedy. "He'd play zig-zag. He was my first rock drumming hero and the reason I wrote my book. 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. When Haynes said that it would be prohibitively expensive, Moon replied: "Dear boy, do exactly as you feel it should be, but that's the way I want it." Keith Moon was he a good drummer? Digital Spy Moon did not play drums on the album; Jerry Shirley did, with Moon providing percussion. Keith Moon | Drummerworld Forum Keith Moon - Wikipedia oneSignal_options['safari_web_id'] = "web.onesignal.auto.18c6dc90-7633-4ce6-8875-ae2763214094"; [32] "He wouldn't play across his kit", he later added. Clomethiazole is discouraged for unsupervised detoxification because of its addictive potential, its tendency to induce tolerance, and its risk of death when mixed with alcohol. keith moon | Drummerworld Forum The setting for "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (from Tommy) was credited to Moon;[49] the song was primarily written by Townshend and, although there is a misconception that Moon sings on it, the album version is Townshend's demo. It was a bit of a fluke that I can play drums really or that I cant play em really. This classic from Tommy is the quintessential example of how Moons bombastic drumming could add gravitas to a particularly emotional song. By Henry Yates. Andrew Neill and Matthew Kent estimated that his destruction of hotel toilets and plumbing cost as much as 300,000 ($500,000). Upon returning, he asked the manager to stay for a moment, as he wanted to explain something. I wish I was capable of such tears today. [66] During the finale of "My Generation", he set off the charge. [161][162], Jones left the Who in 1988,[163] and drummer Simon Phillips (who praised Moon's ability to drum over the backing track of "Baba O'Riley") toured with the band the following year. [71], Moon's friendship with Entwistle led to an appearance on Smash Your Head Against the Wall, Entwistle's first solo album and the first by a member of the Who. Is Ginger Baker correct when he says Keith Moon was not a good drummer? I've got no real aspirations to be a great drummer. They gave him a shower and an injection of cortisone, sending him back onstage after a thirty-minute delay. I understand how it wasnt four-to-the-floor rocknroll drumming, but for The Who, it was perfect. Hes notKeith Moon. I'd say Phil Collins was equally. [64], On the Who's early US package tour at the RKO 58th Street Theatre in New York in March and April 1967, Moon performed two or three shows a day, kicking over his drum kit after every show. In 2016, the same magazine ranked him No. oneSignal_options['appId'] = '7306da2e-1e23-436b-8361-6ac0257193f8'; Moon's drumming continues to be praised by critics and musicians. I said, mild as you please: 'Yes, yes?' When staying in Toronto we ran into Moonie in the Hotel elevator. In an interview with Classic Rock magazine back in 2012 Charlie was asked if he could imagine the Rolling Stones continuing after him. Stayed for about 10 minutes and left just as quick. "John [Entwistle] and I used to have fightsit wasn't very serious, it was more of an emotional spur-of-the moment thing. [135], In 1975 Moon began a relationship with Swedish model Annette Walter-Lax, who later said that Moon was "so sweet when he was sober, that I was just living with him in the hope that he would kick all this craziness. In 1972 the performance was released as a companion disc to Lennon and Ono's album Some Time in New York City. The Reason The Who Replaced Kenney Jones - Grunge The Keith Moon of years past would have . The entertainment from that manthe humor. Keith Moon wasn't a good drummer. "[99], Moon moved from cherry bombs to M-80 fireworks to sticks of dynamite, which became his explosive of choice. [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. "[36] On 23 June 1977, he made a guest appearance at a Led Zeppelin concert in Los Angeles. Loved him. According to Lewis, Moon was drunk by the time the band went onstage at Atwood Stadium. The kit was eventually fitted with copper fittings[58] and later given to a young Zak Starkey. [113] By the time of the Who's invitation-only show at the Gaumont State Cinema on 15 December 1977 for The Kids are Alright, Moon was visibly overweight and had difficulty sustaining a solid performance. Keith Moon: 1947-1978. "[181], Clem Burke of Blondie has said "Early on all I cared about was Keith Moon and the Who. Tony Fletcher wrote that "no toilet in a hotel or changing room was safe" until Moon had exhausted his supply of explosives. It was suggested that Moon's drumming was a manifestation of his personality, not of drum technique. They remembered his dream of getting out of music and becoming a Hollywood film actor,[16][bettersourceneeded] although Daltrey did not think Moon had the patience and work ethic required of a professional actor. My first and second rock concerts concerts. And he was even more cautious about the repetition of his general life. "[75] Dave Marsh, reviewing the album in Rolling Stone, wrote: "There isn't any legitimate reason for this album's existence. [25], As Moon later recounted: "[T]hey said go ahead, and I got behind this other guy's drums and did one song-'Road Runner.' [132] Marsh believes that Moon never truly recovered from the loss of his family. And Roger, who was the spokesman then, said: 'What are you doing next Monday?' And it was this version of Keith Moon that led to his untimely death on September 7 1978. [Townshend]. I always got on well with him., He was an amazing drummer with Pete (Townshend). enable_page_level_ads: true Moon developed a habit of kicking over his drums, claiming that he did so in exasperation at an audience's indifference. Keith Moon: The Craziest Rock and Roll Drummer Ever Filmed at their Ramport Studios in Battersea, London, for the movie The Kids Are Alright, its a wonderful last glimpse, capturing his playful spirit and some heart-warming horseplay with Pete, Rog, and John Entwistle, as Moon thunders through his magnificent drum parts with his wayward headphones clamped to his head with duct tape. [72] Rolling Stone's John Hoegel appreciated Entwistle's decision not to let Moon drum, saying that it distanced his album from the familiar sound of the Who. "We used to fight regularly", remembered Moon in later years. "[170] According to AllMusic critic Bruce Eder, "Moon, with his manic, lunatic side, and his life of excessive drinking, partying, and other indulgences, probably represented the youthful, zany side of rock & roll, as well as its self-destructive side, better than anyone else on the planet. gtag('js', new Date()); Not only does he give it a killer intro, he also does a great job playing the character of Ace-Face, a former legend who is now stuck working as the titular bell boy at a hotel. [151], By September 1978 Moon was having difficulty playing the drums, according to roadie Dave "Cy" Langston. else { [129] The Moons entertained extravagantly at home, and owned a number of cars. He said: 'You come 'ere.' Moon attended Alperton Secondary Modern School after failing his eleven plus exam, which precluded his attending a grammar school. As McCartney recalled in an interview with Record Collector Magazine back in 1997, Moon even praised his drum skills once. Moon and Entwistle left the Who for a week (with Moon hoping to join the Animals or the Nashville Teens), but they changed their minds and returned. I mean, looking at the audience is what the singer does, he never sees the band. After dining with the McCartneys at Peppermint Park in Covent Garden, Moon and Walter-Lax returned to their flat. What Makes Keith Moon a Legendary Drummer? | Drummerworld Forum This has helped me to make the website better and bring the best of classic rock to the world! Moon's lifestyle began to undermine his health and reliability. window.addEventListener("load", function(event){ [70] On 15 December 1969, Moon joined John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band for a live performance at the Lyceum Theatre in London for a UNICEF charity concert. 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. window._oneSignalInitOptions = oneSignal_options; He said: 'You'll have to give up work there's this gig on Monday. [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. The quote conveys the sheer individualism of the. Scramble; Thread; Wednesday at 7:57 PM; girl drummer keith moon the who Replies: 6; He was good with The Who, I suppose, when he tried to play like me. He was a totally original, powerful, orchestral, kick-ass drummer and exactly the right drummer for the Who. The Who's Keith Moon named his favourite drummers - Far Out Magazine [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. Loved him. OneSignal.SERVICE_WORKER_UPDATER_PATH = "OneSignalSDKUpdaterWorker.js.php"; documentInitOneSignal(); The Beachcombers continued as a local cover band after his departure. I'd bring in 'My Generation'. I think I've piled on ol' Keith Moon enough. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['theme'] = 'default'; Keith Moon describes himself as the "greatest Keith Moon-Type Drummer in the world." This is one drummer who was very careful about his rock drumming technique. Q Magazine called the book "horrific and terrific reading", and Record Collector said it was "one of rock's great biographies. He became an acquaintance with Daltry. Entwistle once remarked that Moon played not from side to side, but forwards. His 21st birthday party in Flint, Michigan, has been cited as a notorious example of decadent behaviour by rock groups. if (document.readyState === 'complete') { 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. 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. oneSignal_elements[i].addEventListener('click', oneSignalLinkClickHandler, false); "[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. [41] At the end of "Happy Jack", Townshend can be heard saying, "I saw ya!" [123] She and Moon were married on 17 March 1966 at Brent Register Office,[124] and their daughter Amanda was born on 12 July. For The Who, Keith Moon was the best drummer, but he never was heard to play in any other band or genre of music, so who knows whether he was technically versatile. He would join them at clubs, forming a particularly close friendship with Ringo Starr. ); [52], Moon played a four- and later a five-piece drum kit during his early career. "People will be talking about Keith Moon 'til they die, man. He was a good mate of mine. [50], The drummer produced the violin solo on "Baba O'Riley". I was scared to death. He'd move his arms forward like a skier. [151] Max Glatt, an authority on alcoholism, wrote in The Sunday Times that Moon should never have been given the drug. Maybe hes living out a quiet retirement somewhere up there, or down thereas if. Moon's drumming style affected the band's musical structure; although Entwistle initially found Moon's lack of conventional timekeeping problematic, it created an original sound. 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. Moony could do light and shade just as easily as he could be the most exhilarating powerhouse any band ever had. As always, Moons electric performance gives the song tons of extra life. documentInitOneSignal(); Keith was innovative, always playing the unexpected, wrote Blondies Clem Burke in the foreword to 2016s authorized A Tribute To Keith Moon: There Is No Substitute. Especially as the group matured, and as Townshends writing grew ever more nuanced and episodic (notably from the Tommyera onwards), that would soon have caught him out. [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. Ask Kenney Jones. I suppose as a drummer, I'm adequate. Its still impossible to think that Moony was just 32 years old. At the end of the 1976 US tour in Miami that August, Moon became delirious and was treated in Hollywood Memorial Hospital for eight days. "[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. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Her parents, who were furious, met with the Moons to discuss their options, and she moved into the Moon family home in Wembley. Lets face it, he must have been cos he had a sense of rhythm. These were his last words. When asked by an audience member what would happen to the kit, he joked that "even the best drummers get hungry. Keith Moon From Wikipedia Commons. Learn More{{/message}}. As drummer with The Who, Keith Moon powered one of the most explosive bands in rock history. (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);})(); [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". [16] Moon idolised the Beach Boys;[17] Roger Daltrey later said that given the opportunity, Moon would have left to play for the California band even at the peak of the Who's fame. Thats what I mean. He was noted for his unique style and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. "I loved Keith Moon. [134] She died in a car accident in Austin, Texas, on 2 August 2006. (Republished in Modern Drummer Magazine, April 2006), "Modern Drummer's Readers Poll Archive, 19792014", "Rolling Stone Readers Pick Best Drummers of All Time", "Roger Daltrey: 'Keith Moon Would've Left The Who for The Beach Boys', "The Day Keith Moon Joined Led Zeppelin Onstage", "Interview with Ron Caines And Geoff Nicholson", "19731974 Premier double tom row kits | Keith Moon's Drumkits | Whotabs", "Smash Your Head Against The Wall (credits)", "Interview with Dougal Butler by Mark Raison", "Who's vexed? Back at the hotel a mle erupted; fire extinguishers were set off, guests (and objects) thrown into the swimming pool and a piano reportedly destroyed. Particularly impressive is his work during the Ivor The Engine Driver portion of the song. It was a fast entrance. 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. 'jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled' The group was concerned that he would be unable to complete the last leg of the tour, which ended at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on 21 October (Moon's last public show). There are many sides to Keith Moons strange personality, wrote Rave magazine in 1966. There are so many great riffs and fills that are inspiring just check out something like Young Man Blues from Live At Leeds. 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. 'My Generation' was a turning point for me because before that it was all the Charlie Watts and Ringo type of thing. When the audience demanded he do it again, Moon kicked over his drum kit. } Keith Moon Drumming Style: Miraculous Thrashing | DRUM! Magazine Afterwards I was sitting at the bar and Pete came over. Keith Moon is often considered one of the best drummers of all time if not the best drummer of all time and its easy to see why. [112], Entwistle has said that Moon and the Who reached their live peak in 197576. He did not keep a drum kit or practise at Tara, and began to deteriorate physically as a result of his lifestyle. [73], Moon became involved in solo work when he moved to Los Angeles during the mid-1970s. He also disputed a widely held belief that Moon drove a Lincoln Continental into the hotel's swimming pool, as claimed by the drummer in a 1972 Rolling Stone interview. The Legendary Drummer Who Killed His Bodyguard - Medium Jack McCullogh, then working for Track Records (the Who's label), recalls Moon ordering him to purchase a milk float to store in the garage at Tara. Speaking to The Guardian, Christopher Frayling said they "decided that bad behaviour and overdosing on various substances wasn't a sufficient qualification." Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. When he briefly considered leaving the Who in 1966, he spoke with Entwistle and Page about forming a supergroup. But if drummers are judged by reliability and depth of skill set on and off the stage, Moon is definitely an awful drummer. Ginger Baker on Why 'the Rolling Stones Are Not Good Musicians' (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ Moon (or Entwistle) remarked that a particular suggestion had gone down like a "lead zeppelin" (a play on "lead balloon"). Nah. Few drummers have been better at creating moments of tension and suspense than Keith Moon. Take a few moments out of your day to soak in this solo by Mr Moon himself. The greatest thing, I suppose, is the combination of the four of us. The ensuing years saw the erstwhile-exuberant drummer spiral deeply into alcoholism and addiction a condition that he would not survive. [54] His first Premier kit was in red sparkle and featured two high toms. [51] Moon sat in on congas with East of Eden at London's Lyceum Ballroom, and afterwards suggested to violinist Dave Arbus that he play on the track. One of the secrets to Moon's playing is that he was playing the melody and the guitar parts. Moon occasionally collaborated with other musicians and later appeared in films, but considered playing in the Who his primary occupation, and remained a member of the band until his death. window.OneSignal = window.OneSignal || []; Moon also played timpani on another track, a cover of Jerome Kern's "Ol' Man River". All MY Stuff:Lets's Go Explore: https://www.facebook.com/sandraexplore/A Guitar Story: https://www.facebook.com/aguitarstory/Serial Killers Special: http. This erroneous date appeared in several otherwise-reliable sources, including the Townshend-authorised biography Before I Get Old: The Story of The Who. to Moon as he tries to sneak into the studio.