The Man, the myth… the legend?

Well, yeah, but an understatement. The same goes for "eccentric” or “influential,” and any other adjective reserved for the truly larger-than-life. Not even “Iconic” passes muster in the case of such a multi-level rarity. “The original rock and roll madman?” is truthful, but inadequate. Maybe “celebrity smart-bomb?” Not bad… but his playful nihilism tended to escape containment. It’s easy to say “they broke the mold” after him, which is close, but no cigar. In his case, it seems “they broke the mold” before they made him is more accurate. He was that unique and absolutely that cracked.
He’s known, loved (unless you owned a hotel), and talked about for his (literally) explosive practical jokes and epic-level hedonism, nearly as much as for his unmistakably manic work behind the kit. Keith Moon is regularly touted by fans, the media, and his contemporaries as the greatest drummer of his generation — and even the greatest drummer, period.
Despite Moon’s relatively short career and untimely death in 1978, Moon ranked 2nd on Rolling Stone's 2011 “greatest drummers of all time” poll, which speaks volumes about his ongoing influence and impact. Knowing Moon, he’d have probably exacted revenge for coming in 2nd by blowing up the Rolling Stone Editors' toilet with a cherry bomb. On the flipside, Moon would have laughed himself into a stupor when the London Olympic Committee invited him to perform the opening ceremonies--blissfully unaware he’d been dead for 34 years.
At the very least, it illustrates how Moon's presence looms just as large as it was when he renovated the role of the rock drummer, while “renovating” hotel rooms, as the template for all out-of-control rock stars to follow. Very arguably, the world of rock and roll has two distinct eras: Before and after the one known as “Moon the Loon.”

The Moon Rises

The manic energy that characterized Moon’s vibrant drumming style and extraverted attention-seeking behavior that established him as the poster boy of Rock n Roll excess seems to be something Moon was born with. By all accounts (certainly by the documented testimony of his teachers), Moon’s outrageous behavior left him with little hope for school beyond age 15, or trade/job prospects to stabilize his future. Thankfully for Moon, fate had big plans in store for him. If secondary school served as “wild-man” prep school, joining “The Who” proved to be a world-class finishing school, where Moon could fine-tune and practice his supercharged lifestyle, with “Rock Star” impunity. Being in the who was like hitting life's lottery. Not because he didn’t have the extraordinary skills to fill the role, but because it was the only gig on Earth that would afford him the money and celebrity status to indulge his every impulse (without being locked up). Eventually, Moon used "I'm Keith Moon, what's your excuse?" as a punchline, for whatever daily madness he got into.

At the age of 12, Keith found his calling. Aside from the UK TV program “The Goon Show” and elaborate pranking (especially when cherry-bomb fireworks were involved), he discovered a passion for drumming in the local “Sea Cadet” drum-and-bugle corps marching band. Around 1960 (about the same time Moon left School), Moon got his first drum kit, setting the direction of his life in motion.

Although mostly self-taught and the pioneer of his own unmistakable style, everyone has influences. In particular, Moon loved the big-band drummers of the swing era, notably the powerhouse, stick-twirling showman Gene Krupa and the double-bass drum pioneer Lois Belson (Moon is among the first Rock drummers to adopt the double-bass drum kit). He was also strongly influenced by the out-in-front, “melodic” style of studio ace Hal Blaine, as well as the drummers of the percussion-heavy Motown and Surf music sounds. Moon also took some fundamental direction, in the form of a few lessons from Carlo Little--the boisterous, hard-hitting Rock drummer from the “Screaming Lord Sutch” band.

Right out of School, Moon spent the early 60s gaining experience and developing his style with the local surf rock cover band called “The Beachcombers.” By 1964, Moon had gotten bored with playing covers. Even making the lead singer wet his pants by firing a starter pistol at him on stage had lost its luster. Around that time, Moon already had his sights set on the only band in London that matched his chaotic energy, and his timing couldn’t have been better. Only weeks away from recording their first single, Moon’s impromptu and audacious “audition” for the Who has become legendary. With his hair dyed red, dressed in a matching red suit (Townsend later called his look a “ginger vision”), Moon audaciously approached the bandstand, bragging he could outplay the band's current drummer. Moon sat in on a Bo Diddley cover, leaving the drummer's kit in tatters by the end of the set. Normally, an exhibition/audition like that (especially in 1964) would result in a black eye or at least a serious warning, but not on this night, with this unique group. His bold approach and over-the-top style got him voted into The Who on the spot.

The “Full Moon” Effect

In 1964, the British invasion was already in full swing. The Beatles and the Stones were leading the pack, having become big stars at home and in the US. At the time, the recently completed lineup of the Who was quickly honing their unique style. With Pete Townshend's up-front, aggressive guitar playing, and Bass player John Entwistle often taking the role of a lead instrument, it seems counterintuitive that the Who had room for another “frontman.” However, that’s exactly what they got by adding Keith Moon. Somehow, it all worked like magic. Moon’s hard-hitting, busy style wasn’t just a “good” choice for the Who; he was the missing piece of a complex puzzle, actually providing the glue that held all the elements together.

Unlike Ringo Starr or Charlie Watts (and most others), who served the music with a solid backbeat, Moon drove the music forcefully forward rather than simply supporting the strong beats. He supported and augmented the vocal and instrumental parts, using his toms as both a melodic and a percussion instrument simultaneously. Although his parts were extremely busy, Moon’s clever use of triplet figures dramatically helped the music breathe and feel more open.

The Who’s brand of hard-hitting Mod style rapidly caught fire on the London club circuit, gaining a reputation for furious energy and concerts that concluded with one of Townshend’s guitars smashed to splinters. It didn’t take long for Moon to get involved and contribute to the carnage, kicking over his drum kit and tossing cymbals at the finale. After all, next to burning energy behind the kit, Moon loved a bit of gleeful destruction, especially while being cheered on by a nice-sized crowd.

On the Who’s early singles like "I Can't Explain," “Anyway Anyhow, Anywhere,” and the rebellious anthem “My Generation,” Moon drove the band with explosive power previously unheard of on a pop record. The Who’s regular stream of singles and non-stop live performances in the U.K made them one of England’s biggest bands. Although still mostly unknown outside England and parts of Europe, by the summer of ’67, Keith Moon and The Who were headed for the US and on the verge of international stardom.

American audiences got their first taste of The Who’s explosive live show at the ’67 Monterey Pop Festival. It was also America’s first look at a finale that included splintered guitars, smoke bombs, and kicked over drums. However, Moon had something spectacular planned for The Who’s American Television debut. Aside from driving a Lincoln Continental into a Holiday Inn pool (losing a front tooth in the process) or the infamous “Copenhagen” waterbed incident, the exploding drum kit on the Smothers Brothers show is probably Moon’s most famous gag. The TV studio knew there would be pyrotechnics, but only Moon knew the bass drum was rigged with 10x the “safe” amount of explosive powder. The blast at the end of “My Generation” was so powerful that the broadcast was temporarily blacked out. Moon caught “cymbal shrapnel” in his arm, Pete Townsend suffered temporary hearing loss and singed hair, and fellow guest Bette Davis actually fainted. Nobody was seriously injured, and nobody was more delighted than legendary prankster, Keith Moon.

Just a week after the “Smothers Brothers” incident, “I Can See For Miles” hit #4 on the Billboard top 10, becoming the Who’s first top 10 single in the USA. Within a year, the Who stepped onto the world stage as superstars, following the 1969 release of the Rock Opera Tommy. The only thing growing as rapidly as the Who’s renown was the size of Moon’s drum kits, his alcohol consumption, and the list of hotels Keith was banned from, as the Who, along with Keith Moon, reshaped Rock music.

Unfortunately, Keith was given extreme talent, but no “off switch.” Despite relentless touring, Moon’s performance on the Who’s 1970 Live album “Live at Leeds” is a masterclass in speed, creativity, and stamina. When the Who took time off, Moon’s relentless energy went into drinking and reckless pranks (including a few more underwater cars). After the 1975 album “Who by Numbers,” the band took a year and a half off before sessions for the Who’s 8th studio album “Who Are You” began. During this downtime, Keith spent most of his time partying at his LA home before returning to London to record. Now a 32-year-old man, Moon struggled to perform the way he used to, and decided he’d had enough of drinking. Notwithstanding the difficulty Moon had due to years of self-abuse, his performance on “Who Are You” is considered by many to be his best work. Unfortunately, it was also his last. Ironically, Keith Moon died in his sleep due to an accidental overdose of Heminevrin, prescribed to help him stop drinking, three weeks after the album's release.

Moon's legacy as one of Rock's most original and influential drummers remains alive and well nearly 50 years after his death. Still, nobody played quite like Moon before or after he set the rocking world on fire. A sentiment he himself loved to echo: “I’m still the best Keith Moon-style drummer in the world."

No doubt about it, Keith.