He didn't do anything to talk of. [82] Moon's last film appearance was in 1978's Sextette.[83]. [53] In 1973 Premier's marketing manager, Eddie Haynes, began consulting Moon about specific requirements. 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. During the Who's early days he began taking amphetamines,[85] and in a NME interview said his favourite food was "French Blues". His favourite musicians were jazz artists, particularly Gene Krupa (whose flamboyant style he subsequently copied). oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['theme'] = 'default'; Yet his drumming was often surprising and always made an impression. He used to live here in Los Angeles for a while, in some of his madder days. In April 1964, aged 17,[22] he auditioned for the Who as a replacement for Doug Sandom. Theres only one of him. "We used to fight regularly", remembered Moon in later years. [13] He also admired Elvis Presley's original drummer DJ Fontana, the Shadows' original drummer Tony Meehan[14] and the Pretty Things' Viv Prince. Although that supergroup was never formed, Page remembered the phrase and later adapted it as the name of his new band. Music has always been part of my life, helped me through tough moments and was with me to celebrate the good ones. Lets see, the drummers I respect are Eric Delaney and Bob Henrit [from Argent] and I got a huge list, really, and all for different reasons. [68], Moon may have inspired the name for Led Zeppelin. 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. [23], A commonly cited story of how Moon joined the Who is that he appeared at a show shortly after Sandom's departure, where a session drummer was used. My first and second rock concerts concerts. The destruction mesmerised him, and enhanced his public image as rock's premier hell-raiser. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Keith Moon, there was a character. [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. However, stands and foot pedals were frequently replaced; the drummer "would go through them like a knife through butter". [139], Guitarist Joe Walsh enjoyed socialising with Moon. 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. [40] Moon's knack for making his bandmates laugh around the microphone led them to banish him from the studio when vocals were being recorded; this led to a game in which Moon would sneak in to join the singing. More seriously, its very rare to come across a record by The Who on which Moon is not a crucial part. Six were digested, sufficient to cause his death; the other 26 were undigested when he died. ( No we werent groupies) He arrived full of energy after the concert. Moon grew up in Wembley and took up the drums during the early 1960s. oneSignal_options['appId'] = '7306da2e-1e23-436b-8361-6ac0257193f8'; "[110] Doctors told Curbishley that if he had not intervened, Moon would have bled to death. "[182], In 1998 Tony Fletcher published a biography of Moon, Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon, in the United Kingdom. [24]:7:44, Although Moon was known for kicking over his drum kit, Haynes claimed that it was done carefully and the kit rarely needed repairs. But if drummers are judged by reliability and depth of skill set on and off the stage, Moon is definitely an awful drummer. 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. Lets face it, he must have been cos he had a sense of rhythm. 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. [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. He's dead, so what? Who producer Jon Astley said, "You didn't think he was keeping time, but he was. Its like the Who. Moon was recognised for his drumming style, which emphasised tom-toms, cymbal crashes, and drum fills. Moons apprenticeship in his native north London, with the Escorts, Mark Twain and the Strangers and the Beachcombers, meant that he hit the ground running in his new employ. [118] Even when the group became relatively financially stable after Tommy, Moon continued to rack up debts. Not many, Moon characteristically responded before listing off names. 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. "[126], From 1971 to 1975 Moon owned Tara, a home in Chertsey where he initially lived with his wife and daughter. [164] Since 1996, the Who's drummer has been Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey, who had been given a drum kit by Moon (whom he called "Uncle Keith"). Its just that his algorithms [he laughed as he said the word] were a little bit different, thats all it was. I think I've piled on ol' Keith Moon enough. I figured that was it. The UK's Heritage Foundation disagreed with the decision, presenting a plaque which was unveiled on 9 March 2009. google_ad_client: "ca-pub-4153332224989109", 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. Townshend later said that Jones "was one of the few British drummers who could fill Keith's shoes";[159] Daltrey was less enthusiastic, saying that Jones "wasn't the right style". I've got no real aspirations to be a great drummer. "He was too much of a child himself. Clover, drummer for the fictional Stormy Tempest (played by Billy Fury) at a holiday camp during the early days of British rock 'n' roll, in 1973's That'll Be the Day. On the album cover, he is straddling a chair to hide his weight gain; the words "Not to be taken away" are on the back of the chair. K eith Moon was not the first rock & roll drummer to be celebrated by large numbers of people: thanks to his personality and his doleful eyes, Ringo Starr took that prize. The drums get louder and more frantic going into each chorus, giving the listener a sense of how important the scene being described is. Moon (or Entwistle) remarked that a particular suggestion had gone down like a "lead zeppelin" (a play on "lead balloon"). But Moon was the. I miss him a lot. [90] In addition to hotel rooms, Moon destroyed friends' homes and even his own, including throwing furniture from upper-storey windows. } 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. 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. I don't know if he was a very good drummer outside of Pete," he adds, laughing. 'jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled' oneSignal_options['welcomeNotification'] = { }; [108] Moon passed out again during "Magic Bus", and was again removed from the stage. It was a fast entrance. He was a totally original, powerful, orchestral, kick-ass drummer and exactly the right drummer for the Who. 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. "[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. Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 - 7 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. The Whos Keith Moon was unique in every single way, for better and worse. Al Pereira/WireImage. Listen to the best of The Who on Apple Music and Spotify. [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. The phrase "Dear Boy" became a catchphrase of Moon's when, influenced by Kit Lambert, he began affecting a pompous English accent. [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. Id like to play Hamlet, but he wasnt a drummer, was he? said Moon. We can feel the fear Tommy feels as he goes to visit The Acid Queen, partly because Moons epic drum track gives the song a palpable sense of terror. } He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. [20] During his time in the group Moon incorporated theatrical tricks into his act, including "shooting" the group's lead singer with a starter pistol. "[169] Holly George-Warren, editor and author of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years, said: "With the death of Keith Moon in 1978, rock arguably lost its single greatest drummer. Learn More{{/message}}. He was a drummer who always strived to make his performance exceptional. In 1967, he contributed backing vocals to "All You Need Is Love". Ill never forget the scene in the film The Kids Are Alright Keiths headphones gaffered to his head playing along to the synthesizer sequence. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['position'] = 'bottom-right'; Telling the story of a young woman who decides to have an affair after her lover has been gone for over a year, then is subsequently forgiven when he returns home, it was a predecessor to the larger themes that would be explored on Tommy and Quadrophenia. That was a personality. Maybe hes living out a quiet retirement somewhere up there, or down thereas if. After dining with the McCartneys at Peppermint Park in Covent Garden, Moon and Walter-Lax returned to their flat. [154], Moon's death came shortly after the release of Who Are You. "[24]:52:29, Moon's arrival in the Who changed the dynamics of the group. If they have a round table, some glasses and candles, we might contact him. [92] Butler quit in 1978, and later wrote of his experiences in a book entitled Full Moon: The Amazing Rock and Roll Life of Keith Moon. But I can imagine he must have taken the piss out of me something terrible! Entwistle once remarked that Moon played not from side to side, but forwards. documentInitOneSignal(); [57] This kit was not used at the Who's performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. 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. Author Nick Talevski described him as "the greatest drummer in rock", adding that "he was to the drums what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. "The general perception of Keith Moon as a drummer is that he was chaotic, sloppy, but it was anything but," said the frontman. [92] McLagan commented that Moon "couldn't handle it. Instead I just want to say goodbye. Always a sign. ); And Roger, who was the spokesman then, said: 'What are you doing next Monday?' [6] His art teacher said in a report: "Retarded artistically. I'd say Phil Collins was equally. Ask Kenney Jones. if (document.readyState === 'complete') { I mean, looking at the audience is what the singer does, he never sees the band. Technically, Joe Morello is perfect. "[78], Early in the Who's career, Moon got to know the Beatles. I think a lot of my lunacy is because I want to do some film work. He was an attention seeker and he had to have it. A furious Holiday Inn management presented the groups with a bill for $24,000, which was reportedly settled by Herman's Hermits tour manager Edd McCann. Thats what I mean. 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. "[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. He's another one who blew his ears out, like me. And he was even more cautious about the repetition of his general life. [133] Butler agrees; despite his relationship with Annette Walter-Lax, he believes that Kim was the only woman Moon loved. The quote conveys the sheer individualism of the. They gave him a shower and an injection of cortisone, sending him back onstage after a thirty-minute delay. The next evening Moon systematically destroyed everything in his hotel room, cut himself doing so and passed out. These Classic Tracks Show Why There Was No Drummer Like The Whos Keith Moon, The Best Coachella 2023 Performances Were Reflections Of Pure Joy, My (Non-Anonymous) Ballot For The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, HBOs White House Plumbers Delivers An Absurd Historical Snapshot And A Knockout Performance From Justin Theroux, The Rundown: Ted Lasso Has Created A Delightful Little I Think You Should Leave Conundrum, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. [65] Later that year, during their appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, he bribed a stagehand to load gunpowder into one of his bass drums; the stagehand used about ten times the standard amount. It was a bit of a fluke that I can play drums really or that I cant play em really. Neil Young has played with a lot of drummers during the past 50 years, but he always comes back to Ralph Molina, whom he first met during the Buffalo Springfield days, when Molina was a member of. 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. oneSignal_options['notifyButton']['text']['tip.state.subscribed'] = 'Hell yeah! "[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." Moon also enjoyed touring and socialising, and became bored and restless when the Who were inactive. Roger Daltrey said: His algorithms were a little bit different.. "Keith Moon, there was a character. [122] By the end of the year she discovered she was pregnant. During the concert, Moon passed out on his drum kit during "Won't Get Fooled Again". [73], Moon became involved in solo work when he moved to Los Angeles during the mid-1970s. 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?? [39] While the other three members handled most of the onstage vocals, Moon would attempt to sing backup (particularly on "I Can't Explain"). He was a good mate of mine. [156] Moon was cremated on 13 September 1978 at Golders Green Crematorium in London, and his ashes were scattered in its Gardens of Remembrance. var oneSignal_elements = document.getElementsByClassName("OneSignal-prompt"); 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. When it comes to the excess and antics of rock 'n' roll, Keith Moon didn't just partake, he wrote the playbook. When he briefly considered leaving the Who in 1966, he spoke with Entwistle and Page about forming a supergroup. Moon led a destructive lifestyle. Always a sign. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Andrew Neill and Matthew Kent estimated that his destruction of hotel toilets and plumbing cost as much as 300,000 ($500,000). "[140] In 1974, Moon struck up a friendship with actor Oliver Reed while working on the film version of Tommy. 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. "[143] Townshend agreed, saying that by 1975 Butler had "no influence over him whatsoever. [121] The incorrect date had been supplied by Moon in interviews before it was corrected by Fletcher to 1946. "; "; Moon filled in for Peel in 1973's "A Touch of the Moon", a series of four programmes produced by John Walters. Any kind of solo is. By the end of the 1960s, Keith Moon was known as a brilliant drummer, his frenetic style now often imitated by other rock drummers. When I became a journalist I knew I wanted to write about my passions. 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During the finale of "My Generation", an altercation broke out on stage between Moon and Townshend which was reported on the front page of the New Musical Express the following week. When the audience demanded he do it again, Moon kicked over his drum kit. I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'m glad you gonna rock with us again! [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. 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. Required fields are marked *. Rainbow. In a 1981 Los Angeles Times interview he admitted, "A lot of times when Keith was blowing up toilets I was standing behind him with the matches. Speaking to The Guardian, Christopher Frayling said they "decided that bad behaviour and overdosing on various substances wasn't a sufficient qualification." Oct 20, 2022. After playing with a local band, the Beachcombers, he joined the Who in 1964 before they recorded their first single. Moon developed a habit of kicking over his drums, claiming that he did so in exasperation at an audience's indifference. When asked by an audience member what would happen to the kit, he joked that "even the best drummers get hungry. Not a rock drummer, a jazz drummer really, and thats why the Stones swung like the Basie band!! Theyve had some fine drummers. gtag('js', new Date()); I said, mild as you please: 'Yes, yes?' 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. keith moon. Moon's contribution to The Who's music and his influence on other drummers cannot be overstated. I always got on well with him., He was an amazing drummer with Pete (Townshend). He wanted to get sober, but because of his fear of psychiatric hospitals, he wanted to do it at home. He left school around Easter 1961, at age 14. "[27] Moon also clashed with Daltrey and Townshend: "We really have absolutely nothing in common apart from music", he said in a later interview. [151], By September 1978 Moon was having difficulty playing the drums, according to roadie Dave "Cy" Langston. It was suggested that Moon's drumming was a manifestation of his personality, not of drum technique. I'd always hoped that my daughter would be a good musician, a fine pianist maybe, but I will admit that this was not how I expected her to turn out. There are many sides to Keith Moons strange personality, wrote Rave magazine in 1966. And that was it. window.OneSignal = window.OneSignal || []; The kit was eventually fitted with copper fittings[58] and later given to a young Zak Starkey. 3 Might Make You An Emotional Wreck, How Bail Bag Helps The Formerly Incarcerated Get Back On Their Feet, Advice From A Finance Pro For How To Survive (And Thrive) In This Economy, Why We Shouldnt Forget About The Game Stop Short Squeeze, Five Cities Where Latinx Street Art Is Alive And Well, Travel Budgeting Pro Gabby Beckford Shares Her Best Financial Advice For 2023 Adventures, We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ, How To Actually, Truly Buy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon For Real, Were Picking The Very Best Air Jordan IIIs Of All Time, In Control: Quentin Grimes Is Writing His Own Story With The Knicks, Amanda Renner On Getting To Dig Deeper With Player Interviews At The Masters, Charlotte Flair Continues To Carve Out My Own Path Ahead Of WrestleMania 39, Maxo Decries The Face Of Stone Portrayed By A Fake Friend For UPROXX Sessions, Talib Kweli & Cormega On The Realness II, Nas, The Firm, Large Pro, Queens, Luh Tyler Goes Behind The Video For His Law & Order Visual, Sandra Mejia Is Bringing The Healing Power Of Plants To The Green Desert Of South Central Los Angeles. function documentInitOneSignal() { 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. "And of course from that moment on," the guitarist remembered, "we got thrown out of every hotel we ever stayed in. His exaggerated cockney accent brings some comedy to the proceedings. Moon continued briefly and then stopped, shouting, "Drum solos are boring! [32] "He wouldn't play across his kit", he later added. And to think he was originally going to play the bugle. The drummer may have earned himself the undesirable moniker of Moon the Loon after some unmentionable acts of debauchery but we shouldnt forget that he was an untamed beast behind the drum kit. I mean somebody good?" Or as Moon himself puts it, he is the worlds bestKeith-Moon-type drummer. 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