I Simonius
Junior Member
Too much of the wrong sort of Drugs
Too much of the wrong sort of Drugs
cbphoto
Diamond Member
In the documentary Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who, the Pete & Roger confirm that as the band became more popular, Keith's drinking grew into a problem. When he moved to Malibu (c.1976) he didn't contact his bandmates for lengthy periods of time, and Pet & Roger assumed he was snorting cocaine and drinking, hosting legendary parties. When he returned to England, he went on a pharmaceutical to dry himself out (I forget the drug's name), but overdosed on it.
Both Pete & Roger view The Kids Are Alright as the story of Keith's life, as he died a week after the last concert in the movie.
Anon La Ply
Diamond Member
Thanks, KamaK! Really enjoying that link. That and the Leeds concert are the bomb.
Pachikara-Tharakan
Silver Member
Scott Devours did a good job in the latest Quadrophenia release.....as close u can get to the Moon...so far.
Pachikara-Tharakan
Silver Member
No rock band had ever taken the Moonie approach, and it was a tactic that, right from the start, freed up Pete Townshend to deploy his guitar in an almost painterly fashion, offering framework and texture rather than directive and chops....brillaint!!
Ginger Baker and Keith Moon are the reason I started playing the drums. I saw Baker first (with Cream), then Moon (with the Who). I created my drumming style by blending the best aspects of each of their drumming styles. Later I incorporated aspects of the styles of Bill Bruford, Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, Chester Thompson and Phil Collins into my continually evolving drumming style.
I saw the Who live several times in the late 60s and throughout the 70s during the Tommy, Who's Next, Quadrophenia and Who By Numbers tours. I always had fantastic front row seats with an exceptional view of Moon's drumming. Over the years I seen numerous concerts including Genesis, Yes (with Bill Bruford), Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Wishbone Ash, ELP, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, UK, King Crimson, David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, Rush, Supertramp, Bryan Ferry, Sade, Roxy Music, The Strawbs, Michael Jackson, George Michael and numerous other bands. I always watched the drummers and I always listened to how their drumming complimented the music.
Keith Moon was at the absolute height of his creative powers during the Who's performance at the Tanglewood Music Shed on July 7, 1970. The full concert is usually available via YouTube. This is the last time the Who performed Tommy live in the USA. Moon is absolutely on fire. His drumming is flawless. It's smooth, powerful and effortless! This is undeniable evidence that Moon and John Entwhistle are one of the finest rock rhythm sections ever! And that Moon is easily one of the best rock drummers ever, period! As far as him being sloppy, a poor time keeper or technically inefficient, this performance obliterates those criticisms (at least during this time period). He perfectly compliments the music in a distinctive, creative, entertaining and musically powerful way.
Unfortunately, many people have poor visual reference with which to gauge Moon's true genius. It's generally agreed by knowledgeable Moon aficionados that his later performances are marred by lack of practice, the degenerative and de-conditioning effects of the rock and roll life style and boredom. It is because of these later performances that many people believe Moon is deeply flawed and overrated. I saw the Who in 1975 at the Silverdome (in Pontiac, MI) and he was a shadow of his former self.
The most important thing about Moon's drumming is that it perfectly complimented the music in a unique and exciting way. The Who Sell Out, Tommy, Live At Leeds, Who's Next and Quadrophenia are perfect examples of his genius. He did use a high hat (live and in the studio), he took drum lessons and practiced relentlessly (at least in the early days). To me Moon's finest most provocative and creative drumming is on Who's Next, Live At Leeds and Tommy (in that order). Even today, his drumming on these albums is still truly exceptional!
I saw the Who live several times in the late 60s and throughout the 70s during the Tommy, Who's Next, Quadrophenia and Who By Numbers tours. I always had fantastic front row seats with an exceptional view of Moon's drumming. Over the years I seen numerous concerts including Genesis, Yes (with Bill Bruford), Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Wishbone Ash, ELP, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, UK, King Crimson, David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, Rush, Supertramp, Bryan Ferry, Sade, Roxy Music, The Strawbs, Michael Jackson, George Michael and numerous other bands. I always watched the drummers and I always listened to how their drumming complimented the music.
Keith Moon was at the absolute height of his creative powers during the Who's performance at the Tanglewood Music Shed on July 7, 1970. The full concert is usually available via YouTube. This is the last time the Who performed Tommy live in the USA. Moon is absolutely on fire. His drumming is flawless. It's smooth, powerful and effortless! This is undeniable evidence that Moon and John Entwhistle are one of the finest rock rhythm sections ever! And that Moon is easily one of the best rock drummers ever, period! As far as him being sloppy, a poor time keeper or technically inefficient, this performance obliterates those criticisms (at least during this time period). He perfectly compliments the music in a distinctive, creative, entertaining and musically powerful way.
Unfortunately, many people have poor visual reference with which to gauge Moon's true genius. It's generally agreed by knowledgeable Moon aficionados that his later performances are marred by lack of practice, the degenerative and de-conditioning effects of the rock and roll life style and boredom. It is because of these later performances that many people believe Moon is deeply flawed and overrated. I saw the Who in 1975 at the Silverdome (in Pontiac, MI) and he was a shadow of his former self.
The most important thing about Moon's drumming is that it perfectly complimented the music in a unique and exciting way. The Who Sell Out, Tommy, Live At Leeds, Who's Next and Quadrophenia are perfect examples of his genius. He did use a high hat (live and in the studio), he took drum lessons and practiced relentlessly (at least in the early days). To me Moon's finest most provocative and creative drumming is on Who's Next, Live At Leeds and Tommy (in that order). Even today, his drumming on these albums is still truly exceptional!
IAN - W -
Rebel
This is extremely true, same with me!
Moon's playing style is fluent and totally free. While Ginger's began his mind-blowing sound to-tom-to-tom-to-tom-to-tom over the monotonous chit, chit, chit dragged by some drummers back then... with due respect!
I always considered Ginger to be a musician, and Keith to be a drummer, much like I considered Bo Jackson to be an athlete and Babe Ruth to be a baseball player.
Wave Deckel
Gold Member
Brilliantly written down. I couldn't agree more.
I guess one "problem" with Moon is, for many of his critics, that they just don't understand his approach to drumming back then. While it was rock, where he added a solid backbeat, he also interpreted the songs all the time, much like a jazzer. This rather unortodox approach is perhaps hard to understand for people who only think in rock-categories. Moonie was more of a jazzer at heart, than he knew himself. His cymbal accents, his melodical tom patterns, his use of dynamics, the percussive work he did, that was - back then - completely new to rockdrumming.
newoldie
Silver Member
A whole bunch of Moon and Bonham tracks were recently uploaded on this YT channel (Fender Man). Check his collection out.
Amazing (as usually is the case) to hear the drumming by itself.
This one is Pinball Wizard's drum track. Even though there's a ton of crashes and triplets going on, Moon's drumming seems precise and well suited to the song. Maybe his playing was less cluttered in the studio than on stage.
It seems to fit so well with the song, at least for how Moon played.
https://youtu.be/tL7uVSRnOms
Amazing (as usually is the case) to hear the drumming by itself.
This one is Pinball Wizard's drum track. Even though there's a ton of crashes and triplets going on, Moon's drumming seems precise and well suited to the song. Maybe his playing was less cluttered in the studio than on stage.
It seems to fit so well with the song, at least for how Moon played.
https://youtu.be/tL7uVSRnOms
Hollywood Jim
Platinum Member
Strange sounding hi hat, if that's what it was.
Yeah, Who music was drum solo music. You could play fills during the whole song and it would seem to fit ok.
I learned to play drums listening to Moon the Loon and other rock drum players from the 60's.
And it has taken me many years to learn how to NOT play fills in every space.
.
Yeah, Who music was drum solo music. You could play fills during the whole song and it would seem to fit ok.
I learned to play drums listening to Moon the Loon and other rock drum players from the 60's.
And it has taken me many years to learn how to NOT play fills in every space.
.
drummer-russ
Gold Member
Never been a fan of moon and this only confirms it. Just don't like the style and I think that has a lot to do with me not really being a Who fan. Sorry to offend any Who disciples.
pocket player
Junior Member
ON is right. I think his style was very organic,musical &energy driven. it seem's like his technique came from his soul more than his mind !
C.M. Jones
Diamond Member
Exceptional musician. Very troubled man. It's sad that those characteristics so often accompany each other, but unlocking creativity and insight can also conjure demons of self-destruction. Average people rarely penetrate the surface of reality, while immense talent can dive so deep that coming up for air is impossible. That's sometimes the price that has to be paid for a life committed to art.
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C.M. Jones
Diamond Member
Which is precisely why attempting to emulate him is a waste of time. If you're doing a Who cover, make it your own. Anything else will fall short of the original.
Some truth to that to be sure but I managed to steal a few licks of his as I was coming up in the biz. I think I wore out the grooves of the Sparks song on live at leeds. Some phenomenal drumming there!
C.M. Jones
Diamond Member
Some truth to that to be sure but I managed to steal a few licks of his as I was coming up in the biz. I think I wore out the grooves of the Sparks song on live at leeds. Some phenomenal drumming there!
Oh, sure. I guess we can all borrow some Moon chops here and there. He was just so unique (and, in some ways, unorthodox) that we're hard-pressed to find a home in his outlandish style of drumming.
johnwesley
Silver Member
"I'm the best Keith Moon style drummer in the world!"......Keith Moon
An amazing entertainer as well as drummer. I know everyone thinks Bonham, Peart, etc., are the greatest rock drummers ever, but in my mind no one came close to Keith. He wasn't a drummer. He was the drums. Period.
An amazing entertainer as well as drummer. I know everyone thinks Bonham, Peart, etc., are the greatest rock drummers ever, but in my mind no one came close to Keith. He wasn't a drummer. He was the drums. Period.