Keith Moon

In 1964, the musician Keith Moon (1946-1978) joined the newly formed band the Who, replacing their original drummer. Moon becoming a part of the band marked a significant turning point for the Who, helping to define their iconic sound. Moon remained a part of The Who until his death at age 32.

Moon grew up in Wembley, London, UK. From a young age, he exhibited a natural talent for music, particularly the drums. His drumming style was unconventional and energetic, setting the stage for his future career. After a sting with a local band called The Beachcombers, Moon joined the Who in 1964 and was thus a part of the band when the Who recorded their first single.

Moon developed his own unique style of playing and is recognized as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music. He was also known for his eccentric and often harmful behaviour, wild antics and excessive use of alcohol.

Moon´s drumming style had an empasis on tom-toms, cymbal crashes, and drum fills. Throughout his time with the Who, he began using larger and larger drum kits, and he was one of the first rock drummers who regularly included double bass drums in his setup. In 1982, he was posthumously inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame, as the second ever rock drummer for that Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Who.

Moon´s legacy still lives on and he is still highly praised by musicians and critics alike. In 2011, a Rolling Stones reader´s poll voted him second-greatest drummer in history, second only to Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.

Early Life

Keith John Moon was born at Central Middlesex Hospital in northwest London on August 23, 1946, and grew up in Wembley. His father was Alfred ”Alf” Charles Moon and his mother Kathleen ”Kit” Winifred Moon.

As a child, Moon loved The Goon Show, a BBC radio show known for its surreal humour, bizarre sound effects and light music interludes. Moon has been described as a hyperactive child, and he had a great fascination for explosions and practical jokes.

At the age of twelve, he joined the Sea Cadet Corps band to play the bugle, but he soon found the instrument too difficult to learn and took up drumming instead. After school, he would often visit Macari´s Music Studio to practise drumming.

After failing his eleven plus exame, he attended Alperton Secondary Modern School, where one of his art teachers said in a report that the pupil was ”Retarded artistically. Idiotic in other respects.” His music teacher had a more favourable view of him, writing that he had ”great ability, but must guard against a tendency to show off”.

After leaving school at the age of 14, Moon enrolled at Harrow Technical College, which eventually landed him a job repairing radios. With the money from this job, he could finally buy a drum kit.

Early Drumming & Singing

The young Moon paid 10 shellings per class to get drumming lessons from Carlo Little, a founding member of Screaming Lord Sutch´s Savages. Little was one of the loudest drummers at the London rock scene at the time, and played in an early configuration of the Rolling Stones, before Charlie Watts.

In addition to what he picked up from Carlo Little, the young Moon was influenced by a variety of genres, including jazz, rhythm and blues, and surf music from the U.S. Many of his favorite musicians were jazz artists, such as the flamboyant Gene Krupa.

Examples of drummers whose style had an impact on Moon are Tony Meehan (of The Shadow´s), Viv Prince (of the Pretty Things) and DJ Fontana (a drummer for Elvis Presley).

In addition to drumming, the young Moon was also a keen singer, with a pechant for Motown.

The Escorts

The first serious band for Moon was the Escorts, where he replaced his close friend Gerry Evans.

The Beachcombers

Moon joined the Beachcombers in 1962, and during his time with this band he began acting out some of his practical jokes and theatrical antics on stage, e.g. ”shooting” the lead singer with a starter pistol.

The Beachcombers were a semi-professional cover band; they got paid for their gigs but all members also held dayjobs. During his stint with the Beachcombers, Moon worked in the sales department at British Gypsum.

The Who

The 17-year-old Moon joined the Who in April 1964, replacing the drummer Doug Sandom. Moon got the chance after having approached the band at one of their gigs, claiming that he was a better drummer than their session drummer. Moon was permitted to play the second-half of the gig and nearly destroyed the drum kit in the process.

Moon joining the band marked a significant turning point for the Who, helping to define their iconic sound. Moon’s drumming was characterized by its frenetic energy and technical skill. He played a crucial role in the creation of some of The Who’s most famous songs, including “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” His style included rapid fills, unexpected beats, and a raw, powerful energy that drove the band’s music.

Moon´s drumming style was appriciated by his band mates, but it was also causing some problems and they sometimes found his unconventional time-keeping frustrating. He had a tendency to play faster or slower depending on what he felt like.

With the recording of Who´s Next, Moon developed a more disciplined approach to time-keeping, partly due to the need to keep time to a synthesizer track, and partly due to Glyn John´s straight forward production style.

Unlike many other drummers, Moon was not fond of drum solos and he went as far as refusing to play them on stage. During a 1974 show at Madison Square Garden, his bandmates Townshend and Entwistle decided to spontaneously stop playing during Waspman to enjoy Moon´s drumming, but Moon soon stopped playing too and yelled out ”Drum solos are boring!”.

Moon the singer

While singing was mostly left to the other three members of the Who, Moon did sometimes sing backup, and even lead vocal on some songs. Bucket T and Barbara Ann are two examples of early the Who recordings with Moon on lead vocals. Moon sang, in character, on Bell Boy (Quadrophenia, 1973).

Moon´s antics and his ability to make his bandmates laugh frequently caused him to be banished from the recording studio when it was time to record vocals. Undeterred, Moon would sneak in anyway and join the singing. If you listen carefully at the end of Happy Jack, you can hear Townshend saying ”I saw ya” – because he had spotted Moon trying to get into the studio.

Moon the composer

Examples of songs composed by Keith Moon:

• “I Need You” (1966)
• “Cobwebs and Strange”, an instrumental piece (1966)
• “In The City” (a 1966 singles B-side co-written with Entwistle)
• “Girl’s Eyes” (The 1967 the Who Sell Out sessions)
• “Dogs Part Two” (1969)
• “Waspman” (1972) 

Moon also co-composed The Ox, and Tommy´s Holiday Camp was credited to Moon because he came up with the idea even though the song was composed by Townshend.

Personal Life and Eccentricity

Moon was known for his wild and unpredictable behavior, and his life offstage was as chaotic as his drumming style. He was infamous for his excessive partying, hotel room destruction, and elaborate practical jokes. This lifestyle earned him the nickname “Moon the Loon.”

Moon was notorious for his destructive antics, e.g. driving a car into a swimming pool and blowing up toilets with cherry bombs or dynamite. During an appearance on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” Moon rigged his drum set with explosives, resulting in an onstage explosion that injured bandmate Pete Townshend.

Moon’s life was marred by substance abuse. His excessive drinking and drug use were well-documented and contributed to his erratic behavior. In the 1970s, his marriage broke down, and he spiraled even further into self-destruction. On more than one occasion, Moon passed out on stage and had to be hospitalised.

During the Who´s final tour with Moon in 1976 and the production of the studio album Who Are You, Moon´s poor health was evident.

Death

In 1978, Moon left Los Angeles and moved back to London. On September 7, he died from an overdose of Heminevrin (chlomethiazole), a drug prescribed to combat his alcoholism. He was 32 years old. His death marked a tragic end to a brief but impactful career.

Legacy

Keith Moon’s legacy as a pioneering and flamboyant drummer continues to inspire musicians around the world. Despite his short life, his impact on rock music and drumming remains profound and enduring. His innovative approach to drumming and his larger-than-life personality have cemented his place in music history as one of the most influential drummers of all time. His innovative style, characterized by rapid fills, complex rhythms, and powerful playing, has influenced countless drummers, and Moon’s contributions to music have been recognized with various awards and honors. He has been posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Who, and his drumming continues to inspire new generations of musicians.

Moon’s life and career have been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films, and his wild lifestyle and unique drumming style have made him a cultural icon. Many artists and musicians have paid tribute to Moon in their work, and his influence can be seen in the drumming styles of countless bands that followed.