Keith Moon

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He was the perfect drummer for The Who at that point in time, and they have not been the same since. Zak Starkey has elements of Moon's style, but he's more controlled, of course, which is what the band really wanted after Moon passed. Kenney Jones tried hard, and his style was a bit similar to Moon's, but the relationship between him and the band soured after awhile, particularly with Daltrey, who missed Moon terribly. Kenney told me that Daltrey kept on wishing that Moon would just walk through the door and reclaim the drum chair.
 
I've said this before, but Keith Moon is the reason I'm playing drums today. He was my first rock drumming hero and the reason I wrote my book.

There simply was no one like Keith, and that holds true to this day. It's just a shame his excesses did him in, and that he's probably remembered more today for his shenanigans than his musicality. His death in 1978 hit me hard, but I knew it was coming.

Contrary to popular opinion, he could play good time when he wanted to.
 
I've said this before, but Keith Moon is the reason I'm playing drums today. He was my first rock drumming hero and the reason I wrote my book.

There simply was no one like Keith, and that holds true to this day. It's just a shame his excesses did him in, and that he's probably remembered more today for his shenanigans than his musicality. His death in 1978 hit me hard, but I knew it was coming.

Contrary to popular opinion, he could play good time when he wanted to.

Yes he could.

The number of isolated drum tracks on YouTube these days disproves many of the myths about Keith.

It turns out he had good time, didn’t play start to finish solos over every song, knew where all the accents were that needed to be hit, and had great dynamics.

I have an even greater appreciation for him now that when I was young, & he was my biggest hero.

His decline was sad, but even then he could be awesome - the studio take of Who Are You absolutely kills. The final shows at Sheperton & Kilburn not so much…
 
I remember how Keith's style impressed me..he was wild..energetic..but also intentional. He gave me hope that reckless abandon could actually work but I had a problem. His worked mine didn't. That's when I thought he's got control in his abandon..its deceiving. In all of his craziness he knows what he's doing. There goes my back to the drawing board moment. You can't work to be like Keith..you had to be Keith. It was a bit of a let down for me and my admiration became even bigger.
 
I remember how Keith's style impressed me..he was wild..energetic..but also intentional. He gave me hope that reckless abandon could actually work but I had a problem. His worked mine didn't. That's when I thought he's got control in his abandon..its deceiving. In all of his craziness he knows what he's doing. There goes my back to the drawing board moment. You can't work to be like Keith..you had to be Keith. It was a bit of a let down for me and my admiration became even bigger.
I hear ya.

At times I've debated looking for a Who tribute band, as they are my favorite band of all time.

But I can't stand playing like Moon. Trying to play that wild, that many fills, or where it's not really a beat as it is a rolling rhythm across the kit...it's exhausting! Not just physically exhausting, but mentally exhausting as well.

I recall Neil Peart saying once a long time ago in a Modern Drummer interview he grew up wanting to play like Moon, but when he got the chance, it didn't fit him. Neil liked to be organized, and playing like Moon doesn't fit that.

Kenny Jones has said when he joined The Who, there was no point in trying to replicate Moon, it couldn't be done, so he didn't even try (which pleased Pete, and pissed off Rodger, but that's another story).
 
I hear ya.

At times I've debated looking for a Who tribute band, as they are my favorite band of all time.

But I can't stand playing like Moon. Trying to play that wild, that many fills, or where it's not really a beat as it is a rolling rhythm across the kit...it's exhausting! Not just physically exhausting, but mentally exhausting as well.

I recall Neil Peart saying once a long time ago in a Modern Drummer interview he grew up wanting to play like Moon, but when he got the chance, it didn't fit him. Neil liked to be organized, and playing like Moon doesn't fit that.

Kenny Jones has said when he joined The Who, there was no point in trying to replicate Moon, it couldn't be done, so he didn't even try (which pleased Pete, and pissed off Rodger, but that's another story).
Kenney Jones told me verbatim: "I didn't want the fu***** gig, but they talked me into it."

He couldn't pass up the money. Kenney also told me that he told the band straight upfront not to expect a Moon clone. He wouldn't do it. No one could be Keith Moon. There were certain things Moon did that were a part of certain songs that Kenney had to reproduce, but he was more of a straight timekeeper, and Pete was happy with that. Kenney's favorite drummer was Al Jackson, Jr; hardly a Keith Moon-style drummer.

According to Kenney, Daltrey,"Wanted Keith Moon to walk in the door and take over the drum chair." After awhile, Jones's relationship with Daltrey turned negative, although he's still friends with Townshend, and even played with The Who at some charity event not that long ago.

I have a British acquaintance who knows Daltrey, and called him, "An annoying little man," or something like that.
 
Kenney Jones told me verbatim: "I didn't want the fu***** gig, but they talked me into it."

He couldn't pass up the money. Kenney also told me that he told the band straight upfront not to expect a Moon clone. He wouldn't do it. No one could be Keith Moon. There were certain things Moon did that were a part of certain songs that Kenney had to reproduce, but he was more of a straight timekeeper, and Pete was happy with that. Kenney's favorite drummer was Al Jackson, Jr; hardly a Keith Moon-style drummer.

According to Kenney, Daltrey,"Wanted Keith Moon to walk in the door and take over the drum chair." After awhile, Jones's relationship with Daltrey turned negative, although he's still friends with Townshend, and even played with The Who at some charity event not that long ago.

I have a British acquaintance who knows Daltrey, and called him, "An annoying little man," or something like that.
Yeah Kenny was such an awesome drummer in his own right but I’m sure the $ were too much to deny.
 
The Who died when Moon died. I stopped listening to them after that. I hated how Townshend didn’t end the band. To me it showed utter disrespect for Moon.

Jimmy Page did it right.
 
The Who died when Moon died. I stopped listening to them after that. I hated how Townshend didn’t end the band. To me it showed utter disrespect for Moon.

Jimmy Page did it right.

one of the Who documentaries covers that very well. Daltrey and Townshend (& Entwhistle may have been in it too) made it very clear how little four working class kids started with, and how bloody hard they had to work to get anywhere. They made a very compelling case that breaking up the band felt like it would be dishonouring all that Keith had worked for and achieved.

keeping going was their way to show how much they respected him. Lots of bands have done the same, and really it was never anyone's call but theirs.

:)
 
Kenney Jones told me verbatim: "I didn't want the fu***** gig, but they talked me into it."

He couldn't pass up the money. Kenney also told me that he told the band straight upfront not to expect a Moon clone. He wouldn't do it. No one could be Keith Moon. There were certain things Moon did that were a part of certain songs that Kenney had to reproduce, but he was more of a straight timekeeper, and Pete was happy with that. Kenney's favorite drummer was Al Jackson, Jr; hardly a Keith Moon-style drummer.

According to Kenney, Daltrey,"Wanted Keith Moon to walk in the door and take over the drum chair." After awhile, Jones's relationship with Daltrey turned negative, although he's still friends with Townshend, and even played with The Who at some charity event not that long ago.

I have a British acquaintance who knows Daltrey, and called him, "An annoying little man," or something like that.
In Daltry's autobiography, he cleared it up in that he very much liked Kenny as a person and as a drummer, just he didn't think he was the right drummer for The Who.

And Daltry was also miffed that Townshend wanted (and did) make Kenny an equal 1/4 member right out of the gate, rather than seeing how it goes. Daltry thought Pete was rushing into a decision.

Whereas in Pete's autobiography, he was clear he wanted someone in the opposite style of Moon. And because all the members of The Who were already close friends with Kenny, Pete thought it made sense.

In Daltry's book, he said John just sided with Pete, and didn't think too much about it. John's authorized biography didn't dispute this.

Essentially it came down to different views of grieving. Pete's method of grieving was to get back on the road quickly so he would be distracted from thinking about it. Rodger wanted to take his time in grieving Keith. John just wanted to play music and keep the money rolling in, since John was always bad at managing his money.
 
The Who died when Moon died. I stopped listening to them after that. I hated how Townshend didn’t end the band. To me it showed utter disrespect for Moon.

Jimmy Page did it right.

Eh, even if they had, there still would have been the 101 reunion shows.

The Who were plagued with financial mismanagement their entire career, both as a band, and the individual members, save Pete who got most of the songwriting royalties.

Rodger and John needed the money from the reunion tours. Even if they had broken up after Moon, they would have gotten back together soon enough.

And then there is just, what else are you supposed to do with your life? You don't just go get a job selling insurance because you want to honor a fallen friend. The Who were formed when they were all teens, none of them had any skills to do a different career.

There are 101 bands that should have broken up, or have so few original members left, it's like what's the point? But then there is the reality that life goes on and you have to do something with it.


As John Cougar wrote "Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone" Same for The Who. Same for 1001 other musicians out there.
 
Eh, even if they had, there still would have been the 101 reunion shows.

The Who were plagued with financial mismanagement their entire career, both as a band, and the individual members, save Pete who got most of the songwriting royalties.

Rodger and John needed the money from the reunion tours. Even if they had broken up after Moon, they would have gotten back together soon enough.

And then there is just, what else are you supposed to do with your life? You don't just go get a job selling insurance because you want to honor a fallen friend. The Who were formed when they were all teens, none of them had any skills to do a different career.

There are 101 bands that should have broken up, or have so few original members left, it's like what's the point? But then there is the reality that life goes on and you have to do something with it.


As John Cougar wrote "Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone" Same for The Who. Same for 1001 other musicians out there.
My 22-year old brain wasn't this mature back then. One of my all-time favorite drummers was gone, and from my bleacher seat no one skipped a beat in moving on.

I saw The Kids Are Alright when it came out (in theaters) and could see the degradation in Moon's playing in that final live/staged performance. As Daltry said (somewhere), the movie is basically a mini-biography of Moon's career.
 
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Keith wasn't a technician by a long shot. He was far more. He was the SPIRIT of rock&roll. He was the guy that made you look down for a seat belt realizing your year didn't come with any so you just hung on to the dash....HARD. 😨
 
No go away

My 22-year old brain wasn't this mature back then. One of my all-time favorite drummers was gone, and from my bleacher seat no one skipped a beat in moving on.

I saw The Kids Are Alright when it came out (in theaters) and could see the degradation in Moon's playing in that final live/staged performance. As Daltry said (somewhere), the movie is basically a mini-biography of Moon's career.
I know. I used to think the same sort of things about bands. Why are you even trying? Just give up. But then I got older and realized, it's not that easy.

Regardless, as much as I love The Who with Moon, I have a soft spot for the Kenny era too. I loved the Face Dances album when it came out and I still do.

The Kids are Alright, I love that movie. I had a copy on VHS that I wore out from playing it so much. Since been replaced by the DVD version.
 
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