After seeing Moon in the studio trying to overdub drums for The Kids Are Alright, he said, "After two or three hours, he got more and more sluggish, he could barely hold a drum stick. 1. Squ. Annette Walter-Lax says the Who drummers last words were If you dont like it, you can f*** off! After Annette left the flat, Moon took a deadly amount of Heminevrin: 32 pills. 19: 'So Sad About Us'. 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. [105] However, Roger Daltrey, in an interview on BBC's Top Gear, stated that the group was banned from 'an entire state's worth of Holiday Inns', presumably then Michigan. [adsense-gallery] [zergnet] Prev 7 of 7 Next. Others, including Led Zeppelins former tour manager Richard Cole, remember Moon telling them he planned to wed Annette. Who manager Bill Curbishley agreed that Moon "wasn't disciplined enough to actually turn up or commit to doing the stuff. Keith Moon was an English drummer who had a net worth equal to $10 million at the time of his death in 1978. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [66] During the finale of "My Generation", he set off the charge. [58] At one point, Moon asked Premier to make a white kit with gold-plated fittings. His last word was "Mozart!". [130], In 1973 Kim, convinced that neither she nor anyone else could moderate Keith's behaviour, left her husband and took Amanda;[131] she sued for divorce in 1975 and later married Faces keyboard player Ian McLagan. Moon joined The Who when he was only 17 years old. Just four months prior, Moon performed live for the last time with The Who, which fans can watch below. Most would agree that the apartment was cursed, although Townshend assured his friend that lightning wouldnt strike the same place twice. How wrong he was. The drummer knocked out part of his front tooth; at the hospital, doctors could not give him an anaesthetic (due to his inebriation) before removing the remainder of the tooth. 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. At a Madison Square Garden show on 10 June 1974, Townshend and Entwistle decided to spontaneously stop playing during "Waspman" to listen to Moon's drum solo. The Who spent the afternoon visiting local radio stations with Nancy Lewis (then the band's publicist), and Moon posed for a photo outside the hotel in front of a "Happy Birthday Keith" sign put up by the hotel management. . His work has appeared in The Times and The Daily Telegraph, and the magazines Q, Mojo, Classic Rock, Music Week and Prog. . When you've got money and you do the kind of things I get up to, people laugh and say that you're eccentric, which is a polite way of saying you're fucking mad. An addled Keith Moon f***ing with his kid was beyond forgiveness. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 - 7 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who.He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. On That'll Be the Day it was social drinking. Mass Market Paperback. Article. "Drinking suited the group a lot better. Stay up to date with in depth music reviews, exclusive interviews and widespread coverage of whats happening from your favourite music genre. Keith Moon is one of the most outrageous rock'n'roll performers in the world. He bought a number of cars and gadgets, and flirted with bankruptcy. [13] Moon also admired Elvis Presley's original drummer DJ Fontana, the Shadows' original drummer Tony Meehan[14] and the Pretty Things' Viv Prince. [150] The pills were prescribed by Geoffrey Dymond, a physician who was unaware of Moon's lifestyle. Moon's lifestyle began to undermine his health and reliability. [167], The London 2012 Summer Olympic Committee contacted Curbishley about Moon performing at the games, 34 years after his death. The following year he released his only solo album, entitled Two Sides of the Moon. "[102], On 23 August 1967, on tour opening for Herman's Hermits, Moon celebrated what he said was his 21st birthday (although it was thought at the time to be his 20th) at a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. [109], During the opening date of the band's March 1976 US tour at the Boston Garden, Moon passed out over his drum kit after two numbers and the show was rescheduled. "[182], In 1998 Tony Fletcher published a biography of Moon, Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon, in the United Kingdom. Heres how it works. [23], A commonly cited story of how Moon joined the Who in 1964 is that he appeared at a show shortly after Sandom's departure, where a session drummer was used. 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. What nobody knew was the damaging effects of the prescription drugs he was taking and in such quantities. [3][4] Moon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a member of the Who. [9] On his way home from school, Moon would often go to Macari's Music Studio on Ealing Road to practise on the drums there, learning his basic skills on the instrument. [86] He spent his share of the band's income quickly, and was a regular at London clubs such as the Speakeasy (where manager Roy Flynn recalls having to throw him out on three occasions[87]) and The Bag O'Nails; the combination of pills and alcohol escalated into alcoholism and drug addiction later in his life. He also claimed that, while he had not personally seen a car in a swimming pool, he had seen a bill for damages and removal. After moving to Los Angeles with personal assistant Peter "Dougal" Butler during the mid-1970s, Moon recorded his only solo album, the poorly received Two Sides of the Moon. He said: 'You'll have to give up work there's this gig on Monday. The next evening Moon systematically destroyed everything in his hotel room, cut himself doing so and passed out. not for children. [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. . The WhoMaple Leaf GardensToronto, Ontario, CanadaOctober 21, 1976Audience Recording by JEMS01. His first was in 1971, a cameo in Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as a nun afraid of dying from a drug overdose. One of the things we'd do was wait to see what Keith Moon was going to wear . I figured that was it. After clearing the plate, Moon took more Heminevrin and fell asleep again. Moon filled in for Peel in 1973's "A Touch of the Moon", a series of four programmes produced by John Walters. 2 on the UK charts. Moon, in the words of Fletcher, had a "lack of control and timing," but Moon enjoyed playing. Daltrey, Townshend, Robin Gibb and Moon's mother Kit were present at the ceremony. But The Kids Are Alright director Jeff Stein insisted they try again, this time at Shepperton Studios. "[126], From 1971 to 1975 Moon owned Tara, a home in Chertsey where he initially lived with his wife and daughter. [155] Police determined that there were 32 clomethiazole pills in Moon's system. [56] His new larger configuration was notable for the presence of two bass drums; he, along with Ginger Baker, has been credited as one of the early pioneers of double bass drumming in rock. After all, the corpse of Keith Moon, legendary drummer for the Who, is right there on the first page. Earlier that night, Moon and his girlfriend, Annette Walter-Lax, attended the Buddy Holly Story premiere with Linda and Paul McCartney. Keith stopped his footsteps, his heart still beating fast. "So Sad About Us" gains much of its . 3. AllMusic's Bruce Eder said, "When Keith Moon died, the Who carried on and were far more competent and reliable musically, but that wasn't what sold rock records. Speaking of both Nilsson and Moon, Lennon said: "I think Harry might still be trying, poor bugger. 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. This drum solo would be the rock legends last. While he was still using cocaine, the fact that he didnt go wild on the free champagne was considered progress. I said: 'Nothing.' [35], Unlike contemporary rock drummers such as Ginger Baker and John Bonham, Moon hated drum solos and refused to play them in concert. [25] In the words of the drummer, "they said go ahead, and I got behind this other guy's drums and did one song-'Road Runner.' "People will be talking about Keith Moon 'til they die, man. His music teacher wrote that Moon "has great ability, but must guard against a tendency to show off. The official cause of death was listed on the certificate as Clomethiazole (Heminevrin) overdose, self-administered but no evidence of intention. His band recently released their new album called . "[142], Peter "Dougal" Butler began working for the Who in 1967, becoming Moon's personal assistant the following year[143] to help him stay out of trouble. Drummer Keith Moon (1947 - 1978), of British rock group The Who, in a radio studio at Broadcasting House, London, 12th July 1973. [160] Keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, who had rehearsed with Moon earlier in the year,[115] joined the live band as an unofficial member. Keith with Annette on the night he died. It was a powerful sedative prescribed to him by Harley Street physician, Dr Geoffrey Dymond. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth. "[24]:52:29, Moon's arrival in the Who changed the dynamics of the group. 1968~. He's dead, so what? Moon grew up in Alperton, a suburb of Wembley, in Middlesex, United Kingdom, and took up the drums during the early 1960s. On This Day in History: Keith Moons Final Performance with The Who, Dozens of People Receive Racist Email from Walmart, 6-Year-Old Shot Dead After Mom Flips Off Driver in Road Rage Incident. He provided humorous commentary during song announcements, although sound engineer Bob Pridden preferred to mute his vocal microphone on the mixing desk whenever possible. But his wild exterior distracted from a slate of intense addiction issues. Posted by 6 years ago. "[103], The drummer immediately began drinking upon his arrival in Flint. Right there and then I knew something was wrong. [10] Moon then enrolled at Harrow Technical College; this led to a job as a radio repairman, enabling him to buy his first drum kit. 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. When I was about eleven or twelve, my favourite part of drum lessons was the last ten minutes, when I'd get to sit at the drumset and play along to my favourite record. I mean somebody good?" At the end of the 1976 US tour in Miami that August, Moon became delirious was treated in Hollywood Memorial Hospital for eight days. [41] At the end of "Happy Jack", Townshend can be heard saying "I saw ya!" [32] "He wouldn't play across his kit", he later added. 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?? [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. Van der Valk Miss Scarlet & The Duke Antiques Roadshow PBS Newshour Finding Your Roots Daltrey said in an interview with Vulture . Known as "Moon the Loon", he was known for being addicted to drugs and alcohol during his whole career . Few drummers have been better at creating moments of tension and suspense than Keith Moon. 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. He was restless, said Annette. Entwistle was giving an interview to two journalists when he was interrupted by a phone call with the news of Moon's death. After playing with a local band, the Beachcombers, he joined the Who in 1964 before they recorded their first single. [114] After recording Who Are You, Townshend refused to follow the album with a tour unless Moon stopped drinking,[115] and said that if Moon's playing did not improve he would be fired. At the hotel he ran back to his room, grabbed the television and threw it out of the window into the swimming pool below. Upon returning home, the couple had a fight. [90] In addition to hotel rooms, Moon destroyed friends' homes and even his own, including throwing furniture from upper-storey windows. Rare covers every corner of American culture with no slant or bias. Moon suffered a number of setbacks during the 1970s, most notably the accidental death of chauffeur Neil Boland and the breakdown of his marriage. [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. "[110] Doctors told Curbishley that if he had not intervened, Moon would have bled to death. Floor count. Always unpredictable, the mercurial drummer performed one of his last-ever shows amid unfamiliar surroundings, given that he was on stage with the mighty Led Zeppelin in 1977. Tony Fletcher wrote that "no toilet in a hotel or changing room was safe" until Moon had exhausted his supply of explosives. He was fascinated with blowing up toilets with cherry bombs or dynamite, and destroying television sets. [37], Moon also aspired to sing lead vocal on some songs. But at 8:48, Moons special Wont Get Fooled Again drum solo is featured front and center; his rapid arm movements look stark against the technicolor laser show. When The Who featured as guests on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in September 1967, the band was asked by the hosts in advance to destroy their instruments. He then jumped back into the limo, saying "I nearly forgot. When he briefly considered leaving the Who in 1966, he spoke with Entwistle and Page about forming a supergroup. JOHN ADAMS. The Who performed two songs that night - I Can See For Miles, the band's first . Keith Moon was born on 23 August 1946, spending his formative years in Wembley, not far from the famous stadium. He was an attention seeker and he had to have it. According to biographer Tony Fletcher, Moons elementary school music teacher noted that the boy had great ability but must guard against a tendency to show off. That performative streak would come to define the young rock drummer. [117], Because the Who's early stage act relied on smashing instruments, and owing to Moon's enthusiasm for damaging hotels, the group were in debt for much of the 1960s; Entwistle estimated they lost about 150,000. After the pair socialised for a few days, Moon and Entwistle brought Johnston to the set of Ready Steady Go!,[63] which made them late for a show with the Who that evening. Jul 9, 2019 - Knowing the last words that someone spoke can sometimes throw light on their character or on the circumstances in which they died. It was the concluding show on their tour. [29] Moon's recklessness with money reduced his profit from the group's 1975 UK tour to 47.35 (equivalent to 423 in 2021). Moon enjoyed touring and socialising, and became bored and restless when the Who were inactive. . Emily Mack Next article These maps show how the world would look if the ice melted; His favourite musicians were jazz artists, particularly Gene Krupa (whose flamboyant style he subsequently copied). Moon was the bad boy of rock & roll, the most manic member of an aggressive and fabulously successful band, a full-throttle . By Ken Sharp. [100][184], Anatomy of a Drum Solo DVD, Neil Peart (2005) accompanying booklet. He wanted to get sober, but because of his fear of psychiatric hospitals, he wanted to do it at home. THOMAS JEFFERSON. Of the Whos most famous works, My Generation, Live at Leeds, Whos Next, Tommy, Quadrophenia, and Who Are You, all were reordered prior to 1978 and include Moon. He explained that the group had totally lost their way: "Harry Nilsson, Bobby Keyes, Keith Moon. The UK's Heritage Foundation disagreed with the decision, presenting a plaque which was unveiled on 9 March 2009. Recorded on August 14th, 1975. The proposal never happened. That's why he had two sets of tom-toms. Demolished. "[180], "God bless his beautiful heart" Ozzy Osbourne told Sounds a month after the drummer's death. [122] By the end of the year she discovered she was pregnant. Moon continuously promoted his eccentric clown drummer image through exaggerated or simply false stories about his life. [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. Upon returning, he asked the manager to stay for a moment, as he wanted to explain something. [54] His first Premier kit was in red sparkle and featured two high toms. "[152], On 6 September, Moon and Walter-Lax were guests of Paul and Linda McCartney at a preview of a film, The Buddy Holly Story. 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. Guitarist Pete Townshend was the first Who member to be told the news by the groups co-manager Jackie Curbishley. 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". We couldn't pull ourselves out. The Mamas and the Papas singer, Cass Elliot had died in the same flat four years prior also at the age of 32. 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. "Substitute," the band's follow-up, cracked the top . Moon developed a habit of kicking over his drums, claiming that he did so in exasperation at an audience's indifference. During much of 1964 and 1965 his setups consisted of Ludwig drums and Zildjian cymbals. He was, they insist, trying to get better. [139], Guitarist Joe Walsh enjoyed socialising with Moon. Curbishley told Townshend, who informed the rest of the band. In the days leading up to his death, Moon cut back on the booze. The public Keith Moon was The Whos manic drummer and hellraising, daredevil comedian; a man who only ever lived in the moment. "[62], In May 1966, Moon discovered that the Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston was visiting London. "[36] On 23 June 1977, he made a guest appearance at a Led Zeppelin concert in Los Angeles. 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. Unfortunately for Keith these ended up being his last words. (Moons 21st birthday party at a Flint, Michigan Holiday Inn has gone down in history as a particularly egregious display of rock n roll machismo that included a car submerged in the swimming pool, food fights, a police standoff, and a $23,000 bill.) The last photo of Keith Moon As last words go, they are pretty hard to beat. But it's the funniest one so far, and also (to my mind) the cleverest. He was posthumously inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1982, becoming the second rock drummer to be chosen, and in 2011, Moon was voted the second-greatest drummer in history by a Rolling Stone readers' poll. The real Keith Moon was a son, a brother, a father and an insecure man. [12] Moon's early style was influenced by jazz, American surf music and rhythm and blues, exemplified by noted Los Angeles studio drummer Hal Blaine. And that was it. Back in print, Moon is the brilliant and heralded biography of one of rock & roll's most notorious and beloved figures: The Who's legendary drummer Keith Moon. The kit was eventually fitted with copper fittings[58] and later given to a young Zak Starkey. A long-gestating biopic about The Who drummer Keith Moon will begin filming this summer after 20 years. Moon the Loons aptitude for music was clear during his Wembley childhood as were his more troubling tendencies. But it was too late. [79] Moon's next film role was J.D. Sat 24th Apr 2021 15.30 BST. "[97], Moon's favourite stunt was to flush powerful explosives down toilets. Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 - 7 September 1978) was an English drummer best known as being a member of the rock band The Who.He was famous for his frantic drumming style, his use of fills, his destructive, volatile behavior and his heavy drinking that help earn him the nickname "Moon the Loon." Keith Moon joined The Who in 1964. [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. [111] Marsh suggested that at this point Daltrey and Entwistle seriously considered firing Moon, but decided that doing so would make his life worse. [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. Keith Moon's Death Remembered. "[78], Nevertheless, the drummer landed several acting roles. He didn't do anything to talk of. He was credited on the album as "You Know Who". from $36.16 2 Used from $36.16. Featured Specials and Programs. Editors Note: This article was originally published November 7, 2020. The Who frontman Roger Daltrey said of Moon (via GQ), "Keith lived his entire life as a fantasy.He was the funniest man I've ever known, but he was also the saddest." Indeed, for (at least) his whole adult life, it seemed like Moon was trying to hide his real self, doing all . There was rumour that Keith was self-taught,. [57] This kit was not used at the Who's performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Idiotic in other respects". A month earlier, The Who released Who Are You, their first new album in three years. I said, mild as you please: 'Yes, yes?' [151] Max Glatt, an authority on alcoholism, wrote in The Sunday Times that Moon should never have been given the drug. to Moon as he tries to sneak into the studio. Keith Moon, The Whos hard-partying drummer, was famous for degenerate behavior that still defines the rock star image like blowing up hotel room toilets with cherry bombs. Keith Moon was only 31 at the time, but his endless partying had taken a severe toll on his body. I just want to play drums for the Who and that's it. 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. "[168], Moon's drumming has been praised by critics. In his memoir, Who Am I?, Pete Townshend writes that he was terrified that Keith wouldnt be able to hide his deteriorating condition.. At the age of 12, he had joined the Sea Cadet Corp and was given his first musical instrument, the bugle. On the album cover, he is seated on a chair back-to-front to hide the weight gained over three years (as discussed in Tony Fletcher's book Dear Boy ); the words "NOT TO BE TAKEN AWAY" appear on the back of the chair. The Moon indeed. I suppose as a drummer, I'm adequate. At the end of the song, the drums go nuts. Fuelled by vast quantities of drink, drugs, insecurities and confusion, Moon destroyed everything with gleeful abandon: drum kits, houses, cars, hotels, relationships and, finally, himself. [157], Townshend persuaded Daltrey and Entwistle to carry on touring as The Who, although he later said that it was his means of coping with Moon's death and "completely irrational, bordering on insane".

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