Keith Moon was the reason I got into drums, about 33 years ago. Although my direction has changed considerably, I still love his playing.
"Slip Kid", "Pure and Easy", "Young Man Blues", "Amazing Journey" and "the Real Me" are a few of my favorites
Some fun facts:
He used to promote the myth that he was self taught. Not true! He took lessons for about 8 months with Carlo Little, the top rock drummer in London of his day. He had trouble convincing him to give lessons and didn't have much money. So he came up with a scheme with a friend (Gerry Evans) to take a lesson and pay his fee, then go to his friend's house and teach him what he learned for 1/2 price! -paraphrased from the biography Dear Boy:The Life of Keith Moon, by Tony Fletcher
When Philly Joe Jones was in London around 1968, he opened a studio to give lessons. Keith walked in one day, hoping to learn from one of his idols. He gave Philly Joe the £2.65 who then asked him to play something in order to assess where he was at. Keith did "his thing" on the drums, and then Philly Joe asked, "Do you play with a band?" Keith replied that he did and then Philly Joe asked how much he made. Keith said something like "I dunno, £1,000 a week". At which point Philly Joe shook his head, handed him back his £2.65 and said, "I could only harm you."
During a blind album test, Elvin Jones was played a Who album. His response "the man is a drummer."
Tony Williams was quoted as saying about Keith, "He's beautiful, he's so free." In other interviews he said he "likes (rock) drummers like Keith Moon."
He sat in on a Billy Cobham clinic once and apparently sat in on Billy's drums. After sometime, Billy said, I don't know what you're doing, but keep on doing it!"
Alex Duthart, the great pipe band drummer was at an event for Premier and noticed in one of the rooms this beautiful kit was set up. (I've only heard his legendary playing in pipe bands, but he was supposed to be a fabulous set player; I don't know if there are any recordings). Anyway, it was Keith's kit and he asked a roadie if he could play it. "No, you're all right"- basically, the brush off. But Alex couldn't get it out of his mind. So he persisted. Eventually they let him. Alex did his thing, at which point Keith, who was listening from the wings, finished his drink, got up and left. The roadie came over and asked his name. Alex told him but asked why. He said, "He'll (Keith) want to know in the morning."
-John
"Slip Kid", "Pure and Easy", "Young Man Blues", "Amazing Journey" and "the Real Me" are a few of my favorites
Some fun facts:
He used to promote the myth that he was self taught. Not true! He took lessons for about 8 months with Carlo Little, the top rock drummer in London of his day. He had trouble convincing him to give lessons and didn't have much money. So he came up with a scheme with a friend (Gerry Evans) to take a lesson and pay his fee, then go to his friend's house and teach him what he learned for 1/2 price! -paraphrased from the biography Dear Boy:The Life of Keith Moon, by Tony Fletcher
When Philly Joe Jones was in London around 1968, he opened a studio to give lessons. Keith walked in one day, hoping to learn from one of his idols. He gave Philly Joe the £2.65 who then asked him to play something in order to assess where he was at. Keith did "his thing" on the drums, and then Philly Joe asked, "Do you play with a band?" Keith replied that he did and then Philly Joe asked how much he made. Keith said something like "I dunno, £1,000 a week". At which point Philly Joe shook his head, handed him back his £2.65 and said, "I could only harm you."
During a blind album test, Elvin Jones was played a Who album. His response "the man is a drummer."
Tony Williams was quoted as saying about Keith, "He's beautiful, he's so free." In other interviews he said he "likes (rock) drummers like Keith Moon."
He sat in on a Billy Cobham clinic once and apparently sat in on Billy's drums. After sometime, Billy said, I don't know what you're doing, but keep on doing it!"
Alex Duthart, the great pipe band drummer was at an event for Premier and noticed in one of the rooms this beautiful kit was set up. (I've only heard his legendary playing in pipe bands, but he was supposed to be a fabulous set player; I don't know if there are any recordings). Anyway, it was Keith's kit and he asked a roadie if he could play it. "No, you're all right"- basically, the brush off. But Alex couldn't get it out of his mind. So he persisted. Eventually they let him. Alex did his thing, at which point Keith, who was listening from the wings, finished his drink, got up and left. The roadie came over and asked his name. Alex told him but asked why. He said, "He'll (Keith) want to know in the morning."
-John