One of the most underappreciated aspects of Moon's drumming and the aspect that makes his sound so singular is his brilliant, soulful and instinctual use of dynamics within the measures themselves. The way he leans into and pulls back from that great wash of simmering cymbals and cascading rolls and triplets. Always awash in the moment. His performance on "A Quick One" on the Rock n Roll Circus is of course a great example. Everything about his drumming...particularly on the last section of the song...is absolute trancendence. It is perfect in it's imperfection and passion. The wonks that attempt to devalue Keith's greatness as a drummer are the fussy accountant drummers who have never tasted what it's like to be on fire from the inside. Technique is a bothersome means to an end and nothing more. It's why those flavorless session and touring guys can so invisibly play everything under the sun. They don't have anything to say. So they learn how to play everything and wait to be told what to do. All those bitter drum and guitar techs who grumble about how much "bettert" they are than the people who employ them. Visionaries start making music the moment they know how to play in even the most rudimentary way...often never totally refining their technique...because they're bursting with message from moment one....Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, Little Richard, etc. The Gods.
You only have to listen to Quadrophenia (1973 I think) to realise how great Keith was... Keith was at his drumming peak then I'm sure... as were The Who... and he helped make the best album of all time.. i punch the bag at the gym every day to Keith's music, and it keeps me healthy... Keith The Loon RIP
@@TheAgentAssassin I always thought that if you saw Keith with headphones on, it was usually during live Won't get fooled Again + Baba O' Reilly so that he could keep timing with the background music/tape playing in his earphones that starts the songs off and continues throughout. That's why in live versions of those two songs, Keith is a little more restrained as on the record.
Keith was taught by a drum teacher, emulated big band drummers and surf drummers. He played the melody across drums, or he played something that was a composite to the vocal line, the guitar chops and the bass run - with drum shots in between. His drumming was unique like a fingerprint.
Paul G.There was guitar playing and sounding before Jimi Hendrix and after!It's not the case of Keith Moon's drumming.He was just a rock'n'roll drummer.Not a genius like Jimi was.I think that someone like Ginger Baker do more to put the drums under the light!
He seriously was not. Hendrix was a rare musical and technical talent - even by todays standards. That is why every accomplished guitarist has him on their top teen list of guitar GOAT's. Meanwhile, every accomplished drummer will recognise KM as mediocre at best.
@@briansrensen8204 Technically mediocre maybe,which KM himself would be the 1st to admit. The instinctual born with incredible unique excellence is absolutely what this technical expert doing this video's referencing as well as the commenter paralleling him (correctly)to the freestyling genius of Hendrix. I'd say Johnny Winter & Rory Gallagher also.
To me, Moonie is the greatest of rock drummers. He embodied the spirit of rock and roll in his playing. I hate that he is so criticized by drummers. When you listen to early Who or see video of early Who, you realize that Moonie could have been a great " technical " drummer had he chosen that path and concentrated on being a drummer rather than The Loon. He could not have played the style that he played without technical ability. I think that a lot of drummers that are considered great could not have been better than they were, but Moonie could have been better. By that I mean a more rounded drummer because he had the ability to do that but chose not to go that route.
... just listen to Leaving Here and the studio version of My Generation... even I Can't Explain, and one can easily see the " drummer, " and where that playercould have gone if he was of the nature of Neil Peart rather than The Loon.
I agree Keith had a lot of technical ability but i think the drugs and booze and his crazy personality probably kept him from studying on how to become a better drummer.
Technically Neil Peart is all over Moon in terms of ability. It terms of soul and being dynamic give me moon any day over Peart. It's why I'd rater listen to The Who than say, Steely Dan. The Who are nowhere near the playing ability of Steely Dan but if we wanted perfection in music we would only listen to classical music. And nobody wants that all the time.
dsfddsgh There was no need for Moon to study on being a better drummer any more than someone like Jimmy Page (often cited as being sloppy and technically non proficient) needed to study being a better guitar player. What they bring to the table has less to do with technique and more about swagger. You can teach/learn technique but probably need to be born with swagger a la Page & Moon
Cire Nosnor - Both Moon and Pagey were technically well-grounded and then stretched out once they got to be famous. They both had the effect of raising the bar for musicians.
This vid sells Keith Moon short. He’s great not just bc he’s a great showman (I’d heard 1000 Who songs before ever seeing him perform). And it’s not just bc he has energy (lots of drummers have energy). It’s not bc he plays w heart (don’t a lot of drummers do this?). I’ve never touched a drum kit, but I got ears, and Keith Moon’s drumming makes me sit up and take notice more than any other drummer in the history of rock and roll, not even close.
Keith was such a ball of energy, he just tried to hit all the drums at once. It seemed like he had 5 pairs of hands. Sheer excitement but above all he was a brilliant drummer.
The best is listening to his isolated drum tracks. It sounds so weird but fits perfectly in the song. And live he plays so much double bass it really creates an incredible force along with his awesome fills and cymbal work.
Keith filled a massiVe decibel range. What he plays is like a quintet arrangement added in to the Who's sound. The implications of what he plays range between circus music and Bernstein and Krupa and Tchaikovsky. It's all there. When he died, the Who felt the DB range deficit, massively. between he and Entwistle, there's a symphonic twist to mundane rock parts. There are lines he plays on some songs that imply Baroque trills and others that are are harp glissando. Absolutely inventive. I think his technique was great - he could do incredible things and fill the tiniest gaps (and he sought them out) with refreshing fills, and steal the limelight. Breaks my heart, every time I listen to him. Have met Townshend and used to see him about in Richmond, when I was a child. Wish I'd met Keith too. There's a Norman Wisdom UK 1950's comedy film, in which he plays the drums.I think Keith must have seen it. The likeness is uncanny. At 3: 27 = Keith Moon. Of course Moon would have watched this, as a child.It was made when he was tennish. Definite influence, methinks. th-cam.com/video/z5NpB7mNyYQ/w-d-xo.html
yeah, after keith The Who had to add additional guitars and keyboards etc.. to fill the frequencies keith used to cover. What he did on the drums was unbelievable
Keith played on more hits that a vast majority of "technical" drummers. This is true for another drummer that is mis-understood, Ringo Star. Watch watch?v=9oQsKRyihEA for an analysis that applies to both.
When I was 13 I bought my first Who record. It was 'Can't Explain', by a band called The Who that nobody had ever heard of, and it's the only record I ever bought just because I liked the drummer. I don't think The Who ever did another great thing since we lost Keith. I'll never forget when he goosed Ann Margret at the Grammys.
With respect, I'm not sure you provide an accurate assessment of Keith Moon's drumming. In fact some of your comments are way off. I saw him live during the following tours: 1969-70 (Tommy), 1971 (Who's Next), 1973 (Quadrophenia) and 1975 (The Who By Numbers). He did take drum lessons. He often used high hats and he practiced relentlessly. He's the most melodic drummer and one of the most musical drummers that I've ever heard/seen. For me he created rhythmic sound/tone paintings that are a perfect sound bed for the music of The Who. In fact Moon and John EntwhistIe are one of the greatest Rock rhythm sections ever. I went to college with a friend who lived above Moon for several years in the 1960s. He told me that Moon practiced all the time, regularly took drum lessons and was an extremely polite and courteous man. The magnificent Elvin Jones described Moon as a real drummer, one who was totally in control of the rhythms driving the music. When asked which rock drummer he admired the great Tony Williams answered "Keith Moon". When asked why, Williams replied "because he's free, totally free!". The LP "Who's Next" is perfect reference for Moon's brilliant and rhythmically monstrous drumming. In addition to the song "Bargain", "Going Mobile", "Getting In Tune", and "The Song Is Over" are also epic examples of Moon's legendary drumming. Equally important examples of Moon's ground breaking drumming can be found on the LPs "The Who Sell Out" (I Can See For Miles), "Tommy" (Sparks/Amazing Journey, The Underture, I'm Free and Go To The Mirror Boy) and all of the songs on "Live At Leeds". An outstanding video of Moon's drumming is the live performance of The Who at the Tanglewood Music Shed on July 7, 1970. I was at the concert. Moon is absolutely on fire. The concert video is usually available on TH-cam and can be purchased as a DVD. I advise you to have your students check it out!
Robert von bargen Yes, you're correct. I've seen/read several interviews with Townsend where he discussed Keith Moon. I've also read numerous articles and the book "Moon" by Tony Fletcher. It's clear that Townsend regretted having to deal with the rapidly deteriorating Moon and the realization that Moon's increasing incapacity significantly diminished the power of the live performances of The Who. Prior to the sessions for the album "Who Are You", Moon practiced so infrequently that he had to "relearn" how to play the drums to be moderately capable of contributing to the production of the album. It's evident that moving to America and his love of alcohol and the rock and roll lifestyle ultimately destroyed Keith Moon.
Keith provided that perfect tension for a band like The Who. He played on the edge of coming off the rails most of the time, but that is hard for a most trained drummers to emulate. I think he was a mad genius!
I saw keith live many times . I liked that he was unconventional and totally unpredictable but of course thinking of all the other parts:bass, guitar and vocals. His under rated bass drum work is amazing and so many of those great rolls are on his double bass drums.
All very well said. A lot of people don't think he's great because of his technique, but that's bs. Most and that's most with a capital M don't come within miles of his energy.
I really appreciate your assessment of KM's creativity and spirit! As a fan since 1972 I have rarely heard any drummers noting these two aspects of his power as a drummer with The Who. They completed each other and it was thrilling to behold from a fan's perspective.
Moon studied with Carlo Little the great jazz drummer. moon was 'technical' because he played amazing drums. Never met anyone who could play like him, i played with lots of drummers.
You might add that Keith followed Roger's vocal leads....and still managed those signature drum fills! As you said "Who's Next" included some great drumming, with the fills on "My Wife" making me smile every time that I hear them. Keith and John left us way too soon.
Bargain is a great example of Keiths drumming, but Going Mobile sounds very difficult to emulate. I aint a drummer I am a Bassist but I know a fantastic drummer when I hear one, and for me Keith was the best of all time.
Nice vid and perspective. ..And agreed. Watching Keith Moon recently made me remember to have fun, to express myself behind the kit, not to spend hours editing out ALL the risks from my playing - to keep myself on the sharp end of creativity and those I play with... To focus on energy and musicality, above all else.
The Tommy tour from 1969 thru 1971 was an increadible intergergetic team. Whatching keith moon and pete Townshend play off eachother was incredible. Probably the best live performance of their day. Sparks!
*Moon's impersonation of a coal burning steam train on, "A Quick One (While He's Away)", during the "Ivor the Engine Driver" section, always blew my mind... He really sounded like the proverbial oldschool choo-choo train*
Four Keith Moon tracks that define his drumming and legacy: 1. " I Can't Explain" (orig.studio cut) 2. "I Can See For Miles" 3. "Summertime Blues" from Live At Leeds, and 4. "Baba O'Riley"/ or "Bargain". Take your pick here. Can't think of any modern day drummer who could replicate the ending of "Baba O'Riley"...or his interplay with Pete on "Summertime Blues". Go back and listen to Keith on all the Who recordings. He WAS ON THE BEAT...PERFECTLY. His time really never was "off" or lagged. The critics are wrong. Zak Starkey does an amazing job. As did Kenney Jones. Big shoes to fill. The pressure he must have been under.
I heard an interview with pete who said he often just played rythm during live preformances because both moon n entwhistle were going off (playing fills and runs) so someone had to keep time. I like moon. Lotsa fun to watch n hear but keith was often high n drunk and his time would waver. Maybe during recording he was solid but his time was affected by being effed up at times. And i dont care, i like what he did but im just saying ive heard thru interview with pete that keith wouldnt keep perfect time always.
Matt Guzda. Horse manure. It appears you've taken license by taking bits of what others have said and then made assumptions from there. I've been a Who fan since 1966 and have seen them live 6 times, the first of which included Moon on the drums in 1973. I've also listened to and watched many live recordings of Who shows. When you heard Pete say that Keith didn't always keep good time due to drinking or drugs, Pete was referring mainly to the latter part of Moon's 14 years with The Who. I cannot think of a single Who album where Moon's drumming wasn't spot on, can you? If you can, which albums and which songs are you referring to?
4orrcountry dude im refering to an interview with pete where he said he hadda keep time cuz entwhistle and moon were going off. No i dont remember the specific interview but i remember pete saying that because i thought it was interesting and im a drummer so it stuck. Don't blame me im just saying what pete said
I became a drummer because of Moon The Loon! From watching him incessantly and studying him over the decades, I have picked up many of his 'bad habits', and I couldn't be more pleased. Oh sure, the singers in both of my bands have an issue with me 'playing over them' at times, but once they hear it in the studio, they 'get it.' Drummer Tony Williams once said, "I love Keith Moon's drumming. It's beautiful and totally free." And I agree. If you become too ingrained with the 'etiquette' and 'discipline' of playing drums, then you need not bother with rock music. For rock music is supposed to be spontaneous and surprising, not regimented and militaristically timed out, as if it were being played for the benefit of goose-stepping soldiers. To the contrary! It should make you sit up and take note, saying, "What IS that!? It sounds cool!" Keith Moon had no restrictions on his playing. He refused to succumb to the anemic and elementary mantra of staying in the pocket and keeping perfect time and THAT is what made him great. He was UNIQUE! Not a cookie-cutter percussionist that played within the parameters and restrictive boundaries of a barbed-wire, unwritten law that demanded regimentation and discipline, but instead, he let his hands and his heart go. He simply just let them go. As ALL drummers should, not matter what genre we are immersed in. RIP Keith Moon.
My dad was onstage with the Who at the Isle of Wight festival, he was operating a light. He bought me home some of those drumsticks. Do I still have them?
One of the great things about Keith is that, like ginger baker, he brought improvisation and jazz drumming into rock, kicking rock music up to a whole new level.
I would love to hear a little discussion on how Keith used his kick drum or drums. The Bargain is a fantastic example. As the song builds Keith seems to employ double bass techniques. But it's always in his own unique style. I would love a little explanation as to what he is doing here? It appears that he's doing triplet after triplet on the kick drums alone.
Keith Moon. One thing is for certain. There is no debate or discussion whether you can compare him, for better or for worse, to any other drummer. Period. In my opinion, Moon played like he didn't care about "proper" drum technique. His attitude was to play the drums to what the song needed, and no one else could have filled his shoes at that time when the Who was so powerful, especially with Daltry's voice, and Pete's song writing genius.Only Moon could have filled the bill. Thus, with the Who in the 60s and 70's it was an incredible alignment of the stars. Even Pete's softer voice (The Song Is Over from the Who's Next album) made Daltry's voice sound more magnificent. Although arguably Entwistle was a master bassist/technician and did write some songs, play French Horn etc., I think he was overshadowed by his bandmates. It is more than just energy that Moon had, he could direct it. Best analogy I can make is to Mike Tyson who had energy and strength and some skill, but he was an instinctive fighter. Even though he was not polished, he did one thing, he knocked out all of his opponents in his heyday. I do not think the Who would have been such a great band had they had some stuffy old "rock" drummer" in there. In the same way, it is inconceivable that Moon could have enjoyed the success he had with the Who with any other band. Moon had an innate sense of how much intensity and how many drums/and notes he had to hit with any given song. I would not call it technique. It was instinctual, and he sure made the drums sing. You always hear about "the lead guitarist" or the "lead vocalist" of the band. Moon had the title of "lead drummer," a title I would give to no other drummer.
I don't play drums, yet know good drumming when I hear it. I am impressed that you can use 7 minutes to state Moon had personality and little technical skill. Keith moon's drumming is like no other of which I am familiar. I can only describe it as "rolling." His play is constantly rolling and building up throughout most songs. It is a joy to listen to such, and that is what makes him a great drummer...no one else plays that way.
Keith's early influence was Big Band Era music, lessons he took was Big Band Era music influenced, and he played the backing of horn parts he imagined where he thought they should be in the music to open up the sound, and fill 30 other roster spots in the lineup of just he, and 3 other guys.
I'm not a drummer but as a drumming fan it is the swell and fade of his drumming that appeals to me. He provides the tension in the music as much as Townshend. Surely that's unique in non jazz drumming.
You nailed it as far as the "creative" aspect of Keith's playing. His mind and approach to the the drums and their roll (no pun intended) was just...unique. For that reason alone, that makes him quite technical...just not in the "normal" technical way (if that makes sense). I do know this: I've yet to find or hear anyone who can figure him out or sound like him. It's kind of like trying to figure out how the universe was created. While I'm here, I'd like to give out some love to my life-long neighbor, Mr. Roy Burns. I'm sure you are familiar with him. You wanna talk technique and showmanship? Roy is one of the all greats in both areas. And as far as teachers...I'll bet you read a few of his books way back when :)
Moon was a soloist. Entwistle kept the time. Keith gave their music a cinematic feel and made The Who stand out against almost every other live band of their time. Great songs helped too.
From a guitarist and massive Who fan perspective , always was amazed that Keith was perhaps the only drummer who would START a roll on the crash, then go around the toms. His entrance on the Seeker and the last part of Pure And Easy (Sods version) are examples as well as portions of Quadrophenia.
Even Pete Townsend did not appreciate how great Keith Moon was until recently. In an interview Pete says that it is only recently that he realised how much acoustic space Keith left for Pete to do his thing in. A lot of more technical drummers would have been invading Pete Townsend's range, but Keith also knew where was the place to put quiet bits. And that instantly makes him better than 99% of the drummers I have ever met.
Yes and No because Moon FIT to the other 3 in unusual ways to make it extremely creative. However, Zak Starkey (Ringo's son) is a fantastic player that gets no credit and represents what The Who would've been without Moon and they still sound full and unique (not as creative!). The Who was very fortunate to have both so we could really understand and hear the difference.
p.s., the Mr Rob link repeated in place of the Roy Harper track in my comment below; here's the Roy Harper track with Keith's drumming: th-cam.com/video/0QiFl-DFRFg/w-d-xo.html p.p.s., Among several unique aspects of Keith drumming was his having used three 14" mounted toms from 1966 to 1973. I'm unaware of any other drummer who has done this. Andy Johns has reported that Keith tuned the toms at very close intervals. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find any interviews with any of Keith's drum techs regarding his tuning approach. From 1974 onwards, Keith used two layers of mounted toms, all of different sized, with a specially made 15" tom. Listening to the 1973 Philadelphia soundboard recording from The Who's December 4 concert, the terraced intervals of the tom toms are quite pronounced, significantly different than his previous tuning approach with the three 14" mounted toms. Glyn Johns' remark that "Keith didn't give a monkey's about his bloody drum tuning" is not accurate.
I have no qualifications to pass any judgement on Moon's technical prowess, but he was definitely the most exciting drummer I have heard. His style is pure excitement. He's all over the kit at high speed and keeping up a constant cymbal barrage. i love this. Mind you, I have noticed that back in the day, cymbals were a lot more popular than they seem to be now.
Thanks for a thoughtful, balanced commentary on Moon. In numerous interviews, Roger Daltrey said that when he joined the band it was like having "a jet engine behind us". One of my favorite performances was caught in this early vid of 'My Generation' while he was still in good physical condition. His playing is idiosyncratic, crisp and brilliant: th-cam.com/video/LAvjfEAVdr8/w-d-xo.html
I agree with EVERYTHING you said. Keith Moon is my all time favorite drummer for exactly the reasons you said. ... Yes .... I know Billy Cobham Yes ..... I have argued Keith Vs. John Bohnam. But for the reasons you said, Keith is my favorite drummer. I could have never put up with his antics, r worked with him. He WAS an asshole. But, his rawness in his approach to percussion is un-matched in rock and roll. This comes from a 4th chair trumpet player.
Indeed I agree that Keith Moon was able to become part of the music. I play at Church most weeks... Sometimes drums, sometimes on bass. I get frustrated playing bass sometimes, because the kid that usually plays drums is boring and uninspiring. There's just no Mojo. Some of the other guys you mention fit this mold. Chuck Biscuits completely turned the band Social Distortion upside down when he joined... and Man did that inspire me. Later Charlie Quintana took the drums for Social Distortion. Charlie was more technically sound, but he didn't have the "IT" factor that Chuck did. One of the smartest things that Carmine Appice ever told me was... "Drums CONDUCT the music"... get in there, grab on to it, and project yourself through the music.
I'll tell you, I was a "self taught" if you will.. picking up drums as just something I wanted to do. Although a few years past school band, I could still read the patterns in Carmine's realistic rock books... Eventually, I did train with Ray Porrello for a brief time. Ray was a great guy, and working with him was great for technique. But there's something to be said for "going it alone to find the feeling"........ I've seen guys that can play a perfect set with a world class orchestra.. that had all the technical ability in the world, but no heart. There's got to be a balance. You can teach someone with decent natural rhythm to play drums... but it's something else to teach them to feel the music and just be IN THE MUSIC. After drumming for 15 years or so... I've gotten the confident attitude... "I'll put it down... just pick it up." And that's quite frankly what I wish I could teach the rookies I play opposite of. One kid could whup me on technical merits, but he just won't "Put it down".
+DeadKoby The rubber hits the road when you apply what you've learned and play with other musicians. Otherwise its value is diminished. Moon was instinctive, primal, and bold. A nightmare for the art of drumming analysis. Indeed. Moon molded The Who. The Who did not mold Moon. Townsend, Entwistle and Daltrey bent to his will.
drummersagainstitk With all due respect, sir, it wasn't as simple or clear cut as that. True, Keith played as he wished, but he was hardly unique in that regard. With The Who, you had 4 unique talents who were also 4 unique personalities. Each did their own thing - PASSIONATELY - which resulted in one amazing band made up of 4 "lead" performers! Moon played lead drums, Entwistle played lead bass (Keith and John were closest friends within the band), Daltrey sang lead vocals and Pete composed most of the music while also playing rythym guitar featuring his windmilling power chords and occasionally, lead guitar. Through it all, they put up with each other, though sometimes just barely. Ultimately, The Who worked because their sound, stage act, music, lyrics, operas, humor and life stories were so immediately empathetical and powerful to so many. Pete doesn't write songs just to sell records, he writes to tell real life stories that others can identify with, learn from and/or feel better about themselves as they go through their lives.
You're right, i have never been impressed with his technique but the mere presence behind the kit produced energy that was infectuous, that alone highly out weighed his skill level.
Great to see Keith Moon revered and recognised. What a wizard blizzard he is. That Isle of White gig is astonishing. I was looking at it just the other day mezmerized by the journey in the music.
I am a drummer and drumming instructor also. I am also a drummer historian of all the drummers starting with Baby Dodds. I think that you did an EXCELLENT job explaining this. I studied with Joe Morello and also have done drum exhibitions with Buddy Rich (He actually let me play his Ludwig BR set), Louie Bellson, and Ed Shaughnessy. You are being totally fair with what you said regarding K.M. You are putting it all in perspective, and showing us his worth. Superb job here.
Thanks Joe. I've emormous catalog in my channel. You'll enjoy "Why is" vids, top 5 Jazz Drummers, Avant Garde, Pop. etc. Tons of stuff. Important! take a serious look at 2 vids specifically for you. 1st Stick Grip Tutorial 2nd Why Play Match Grip Only? To understand my work technically. I welcome your questions because you are a teacher.
Keith Moon was lead drummer for the who, with unbelievable timing and a fabulous ear and awesome hands. R.I.P Keith and John the best bass player I ever saw.
Hopefully you may read this. I started to play drums, aged 12, (in 1981) solely because of Keith Moon, and the My Generation album. Despite my subsequent 'nerd' academic career I ended up as a pro drummer. I want to emphasise the 'orchestral' nature of his drumming - i.e. that he was constantly listening to and responding to all the other instruments AND vocals, or (obviously, after rehearsals) accenting passages or counterpointing them. This, my younger friends, is pure GENIUS - no-one, Not Bonzo, not Camine, not Ginger, or (my own comparison,) Mitch Mitchell could touch him. But IMHO it remains THE way to play drums, xxx
Another drummer posted a comment using the word "orchestral" to describe Moon. I use instinctive or primordial. These words puts together are NOT used to describe any other drummer is very strange indeed. Thanks for your personal account of your inspiration to play.
He was a legend in his own time. Few people achieve that. I don't care what anyone says. He was a great drummer. He didn't need to know all the rudiments. He had time as what Ginger Baker would say. His drum parts were powerful.
As a guitarist I love watching stuff about drumming, and I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned excitement, every band is different, but without a drummer who understands what is needed you're doomed!
I just realized why none of theDrum software sample systems have MIDI grooves like Mooney / Michell. that's what I understood Keith Moon is the Drummer I've always looked for , but I never was a WHO fan so I really missed out on his drumming till lately he GETS it the attempt to paint a picture of the music while being a solid drummer. I had one drummer that I could play with & it was like I knew what he would play & he would know what I would play next it was amazing we wrote a lot of songs w/that method.
I wish you could still see them do Naked Eye from that concert outside of owning the documentary. It seems everyone has deleted it for some reason. I guess I'll have to buy the dvd. Worth it cause it also has so many other great performances from other acts.
Jeff Nichols, a writer on drums for, well, Ever, said once that John Bonham was the most imitated drummer, but Keith Moon was inimitable. Defo. I've been playing since I was 12 (1981) and first heard KM on My Generation. Changed my life. Not only that, but KM played with EVERY other instrument, like an orchestra leader. I learnt Soooo Much, xxx
Thanks for your comment. While Bonzo was imitatied by ROCK players, there were many others in diff styles..ex.Max Roach. Keith was all AUDIBLE instinct is the best way I can discribe it.
I saw The WHO with Keith 12 times 1967/75 . I have a stick story . We saw Joe Cocker/ Buddy Rich Orchestra/ The WHO in May 1969 , Chicago , on the 1st " Tommy" tour. On one song he bounced sticks off a Tom for maybe three minutes . My bass player was closer to him and he got 8 sticks that night. He gave me a pair that I still have. 🥁. Yes indeed , he had to be seen to be appreciated.
Couldn't agree more i'm a guitar player and i would of loved to have jammed with Keith, creative etheral energy like a jack in a box! one of my favourite keith drum tracks is Amazing Journey from the Live at Leeds album, when that kicks in....just wow.
Dude! YOU--- NAILED IT! KM played by soul, not by mind. His spirit was always in his sticks. Exactly how I play--- or I don't play at all. He loved his fellow mates and it was his place to enhance--- never to take away always to add! Ciao!!! Play with ALL you got
I was on the West London scene playing drums at the a same time as the Who was- never got to see them live because we were usually gigging the same nights. I had help and assistance from Charlie Watts and encouragement from Ginger Baker. I have no argument with the points made in this video but would like to add one aspect of Kieth's style - he always seemed (to me) to be playing along with the phrasing of the lyrics and riffs. Kieth was a drinking pal of my best mate back then - but we never met. Pity he burned out so quickly.
Thank you for this. I really like how you detail the particular attributes of Keith's drumming as compared to a (the) more reserved aspect of the drummer just being the timekeeper for the band.
Here's the thing... He had fast hands, ungodly reflexes, and coordination without having to think about it. He _played_ the drums, instead of "keeping time." I wonder how many people with those innate skills are discouraged.
Well said. I always identified with Keith. I started playing drums as a child at about 8. By fourteen I started playing live professionally. Meaning getting paid. By fifteen I was in the studio. At sixteen I started doing session work. I am also self taught. My teachers were Peter Criss, John Bonham, Phil rudd, Jeff Percaro, etc. I wasn't concerned about technique until I was twenty two. It's a funny story. Suffice to say I finally found someone that completely pulled my foundation out from under me. I met Hector Gonzales i n Los Angeles in 1991. He started teaching me ghost notes, syncopation, independence, etc. He taught me something I never had before. Finesse. That's a great point of view.
I think it's fairly well understood. The Who was an inverted atypical rock band. You look at Ringo or Charlie Watts, and you're looking at classic timekeeping drummers; artful little fills here and there, but all in all, the heartbeat. In The Who, the rhythm section often played what amounts to lead parts. Entwhistle and Moon were playing leads, and it was left to Townsend to often perform the job of rhythm playing. The key to understanding the classic Who lineup is not to listen to Moon and Entwhistle, but to listen to Townsend, who is somehow using a very rhythmic guitar to keep everything held down. Think of the outro of Baba Oriley, pulsing and rhythmic, and it's Townsend's guitar that's holding it down, not Moon's drums.
It's funny that you mentioned "Bargain" as one of Moon's stand-out performances. It's always been my favourite Who song. There's just sumthin about how it all gels together, almost magical.
I agree because I look at Moon's ideas in context of my own after playing drums 55yrs. "Magical" is an interesting word given that Moon played the recording Bargain completely improvised. It's organic, creative and INSANE at the same time.
I saw them playing in the early days at Eel Pie Island, London. During one number Keith broke the skin on his floor tom yet carried on playing with just his left hand. Whilst still playing he lifted the floor tom up and threw it over his shoulder. A tech guy returned with a new drum as if nothing had happened. Amazing to watch.
the isle of wright gig in 1970 is the who at the peak of their power and glory, the 4 members of a band that shouldn't have worked but wow did they ever! Entwistle solo bass playing, Pete's power chords, Roger's voice at its peak and Keith's best keith moon style drumming watch how much they all watch each other knowing when to bring it down and when to go full on, for me it's the greatest rock show in the history of rock bar none! and is so much better than any of their peers eg: led zep who first few albums were just straight up plagiarism i like led zep i do but they ripped so many songs off it put me of them.THE WHO 51 YEARS OF THE BEST ROCK MUSIC EVER! POW!
I aways liked Keith Moon‘s unorthodox approach, almost abstract drumming style method (compared to classical training). He seemed to have that spark of life when he played. I think of three drummers that I call “busy drummers”; Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell and Ginger Baker. That is not a put down. They always seemed to be busy when they played even though their respective styles are all different. After all, they are from three piece bands and you need to fill the space somehow. I have noticed drummers from three piece bands, drum differently than drummers from multi piece bands. They must take it upon themselves to fill the air that would otherwise be empty (that‘s a guitar player’s observation… I don‘t play percussion).
You're right. Clapton had said as much in a few interviews many years ago. In rock this may be true. But.....as I said in the video he brought acrobatics to drums which is somewhat similar to Gene Krupa did to the Big Band Era Late 30's-40's (Benny Goodman).Thx man.
I kinda put drummers into 2 categories: Busy, and Minimalist. In Jazz that would be, say, Buddy Rich and Phillie Jo Jones, and in rock the examples would be Keith Moon and Charlie Watts. To me the biggest connection between Moon and Krupa is Keith's lower-than-normal ratio of drums to cymbals. He kept 'rides' going with melodic drum runs, instead of banging on cymbals relentlessly. A nonpareil of an artist.
Thanks for the comments, as a drummer form 1963, I grew up on the pre-war jazz and big band drummers and then rock and roll. In my youth I saw Louis Armstong to Jimi Hendrix, all obviously with great drummers. In 1975 I saw The Who, and to this day, they were the greatest show I ever saw. I agree with you 100 per cent. Moon's propulsion of Entwhistle set up Townsend's astonishing, underrated guitar work. Incidentally, I saw Led Zepplin on their first tour at the Fillmore, Christmas 1968, They played the first album 1st. cut to last. Bonham sounded thick, with too much kick on the bass. My opinion. Again Thanks.
In a recent Rolling Stone interview Townshend said he's glad he doesn't have to play with Moon anymore because Moon didn't bother to keep time (he was "fucking difficult to play with"), leaving Townshend to take on that task and the extra work that came with it. Of course Pete also acknowledges that the Who would never have been the Who without Moon's brilliance, and that he really misses The Loon even after all these decades. Of course, Townshend and Daltrey have never had a smooth relationship either, even after playing together for 60 years. Some projects are just damn difficult to pull off. As they say: Life's a bitch and then you die.
which concert did you say,the isle of wight,1970 was it>? wasn't jimi hendrix also there,or was that another yr,right? mitch mitchell was an awesome drummer,so was john densmore, then again so were ringo,ginger,and probably many others, for me,stewart copeland was the real jimi hendrix of the drums-or else we're still waiting for the jimi of drums--i need some drums!
Yes, Keith Moon was a showman, and sometimes that overshadows his playing, as with his offstage antics as well. What made him so great is he served the music his band played. There's no argument he was no Tony Williams or Buddy Rich, but I can argue that despite whatever someone who is more on the technical side thinking its easy to play like Moon, I'd like to see them try and emulate him. Also, if you really want to hear the best examples of Moon: Live at Leeds (with Heaven and Hell as opening track) and Quadrophenia where he shows how he was a technical drummer.
Not a drummer, but always felt I had it in me and missed my calling in life. I listened to that Isle of Wight DVD at a good volume on a good surround system and was converted to the WHO. The camera guy focused on Moon, who really stood out at this performance, until some asshole with a leather cap on blocked the best angle of Keith. The WHO was the best live rock band ever, and Moon was their backbone. My other favorite drummers are Simon Phillips, Carl Palmer, John Bonham, and Ginger Baker.
Well said. I really enjoyed this. I think you were spot on about Keith and you hit the nail right square on the head. If you listen to his double bass playing and how it meshed with John, it really is fantastic. Pure and Easy is such a great example of this.
Fact. When Keith Moon was called back to record the Who's new album 'Who's Next' he had major problems getting his drums down on these tracks. Because unlike before he was wild and free to do what he wanted. With 'Who's Next' he had to play for the first time to a click track. This stumpt him. And drove him nuts. He had to relearn how to play in a disciplined way and keep time which he found frustrating and restrictive. But he got there in the end. That why who's next is a great album. But I still prefer 'Tommy'
I'm not a drummer, I'm not even a musician however I have always been a massive Who fan. There is one point in the Isle Of Wight video during the song "Water" at where Keith is doing a drum roll. At 3:40 As he is doing this he lets go of the drum stick it flies up about 2 feet spinning in the air. Keith catches it and carried on the drum roll without missing a beat. th-cam.com/video/SbrU7Ea_bkY/w-d-xo.html
His technical ability might not follow thee books, but his drumming was just SOOO perfect for The Who, and there is no way someone with zero knowledge of drums could make a drum arrangement so perfect for a specific song like Keith. The guy was a genius. What the Who also showed me was that the drummer doesnt have to always be the time keeper and heartbeat. That role fell to John on Bass. It was so unique and thats what made them great.
Another aspect of moon that is unique, he did not use a hi-hat in the traditional way and eventually ditched it all together. And yet, he was remarkably tight to the meter of the song. (Pete would probably disagree) Moon would most likely not work playing for any other band. He and Ginger went to see Duke Ellington and saw Louie Belson’s double bass, both began working to incorporate it into their own playing.
I am not a drummer, or any type of musician. But I enjoy music. The best way I can describe Moon's playing, is more than a beat or a rhythm section, he sounds like lead instrument. Just like Entwistle on the bass. He is more than a bass, he fills the voids in a three piece band. That's why when you listen to the Who, Moon and Entwistle make it sound like there are 5 pieces.
First of all, very interesting your perspective regarding KEITH MOON's importance to the Drumming Universe, and here it comes some suggestions: Barriemore Barlow, Terry Bozzio, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford.
Please look at my Psycho Riffs in Rock 1-5. I mention Barrimore B riff. Also My Terry Bozzio video with Jeff Beck bootleg. I also mention CP on How to Spin Stx video. One day maybe a Bill Bru. Let me know what you think Thx man.
Moon's drumming wasn't thinking (even though he would have no doubt thought a lot about what he played) but feeling from his deepest soul expressed through his body and heard through his drums......and luckily the world heard. He would have hated anyone discussing his drumming but you share some great points
Nice video, but you forgot one very important and amazing thing. Keith never plays the same fill twice. In almost every track, he plays a different drum fill in each bar, which is absolutely amazing. I doubt he even learned or wrote this stuff down. Probably played differently in each take. And this is why he is so hard to copy and imitate, let alone the rest of his style and theatrics.
One of the most underappreciated aspects of Moon's drumming and the aspect that makes his sound so singular is his brilliant, soulful and instinctual use of dynamics within the measures themselves. The way he leans into and pulls back from that great wash of simmering cymbals and cascading rolls and triplets. Always awash in the moment. His performance on "A Quick One" on the Rock n Roll Circus is of course a great example. Everything about his drumming...particularly on the last section of the song...is absolute trancendence. It is perfect in it's imperfection and passion. The wonks that attempt to devalue Keith's greatness as a drummer are the fussy accountant drummers who have never tasted what it's like to be on fire from the inside. Technique is a bothersome means to an end and nothing more. It's why those flavorless session and touring guys can so invisibly play everything under the sun. They don't have anything to say. So they learn how to play everything and wait to be told what to do. All those bitter drum and guitar techs who grumble about how much "bettert" they are than the people who employ them. Visionaries start making music the moment they know how to play in even the most rudimentary way...often never totally refining their technique...because they're bursting with message from moment one....Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, Little Richard, etc. The Gods.
Well said
My man, you nailed it! We need more people that “get it”
Brilliant and eloquent analysis!!!
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
So true...
You only have to listen to Quadrophenia (1973 I think) to realise how great Keith was... Keith was at his drumming peak then I'm sure... as were The Who... and he helped make the best album of all time.. i punch the bag at the gym every day to Keith's music, and it keeps me healthy... Keith The Loon RIP
There may be "better" drummers, but Moony was (and remains) my favorite drummer. Long Live Rock!
Keith Moon, patron saint to all of us drummers in love with rock and roll growing up in Mexico City in the 60's.
Nunca olvidaremos.
Keith was more like a theatrical player, never seen anyone else like him and plenty have tried to be like him.
yeah and he actually played to a click track in his headphones
It's the perfect marriage of control and chaos .
@@TheAgentAssassin I always thought that if you saw Keith with headphones on, it was usually during live Won't get fooled Again + Baba O' Reilly so that he could keep timing with the background music/tape playing in his earphones that starts the songs off and continues throughout. That's why in live versions of those two songs, Keith is a little more restrained as on the record.
What about Animal? He was theatrical.
Keith was taught by a drum teacher, emulated big band drummers and surf drummers. He played the melody across drums, or he played something that was a composite to the vocal line, the guitar chops and the bass run - with drum shots in between. His drumming was unique like a fingerprint.
carlo little was his first teacher ........... good comment
Keith had 2 lessons soon after joining The Who, and that was it. He also never practiced.
He certainly had only limited lessons from Carlo Little but the few he did have were profound. He learned mostly how to put power behind his drumming.
most drummers play with there heads, some play with there hearts, keith played with his balls!
Haha Well said!!!
No he didn't He played with sticks. I saw them.
Will Farell did on step brothers, hes the only one who played with his balls
Implied TK? Keith don't give a damn about that, lol. He just kicked ass!! He was a savant.
Debbie Fletcher don't know if you know what that sounds like.
He was the Jimi Hendrix of the drumkit
Might it be fair to call Entwistle the Jimi Hendix of bass?
Paul G.There was guitar playing and sounding before Jimi Hendrix and after!It's not the case of Keith Moon's drumming.He was just a rock'n'roll drummer.Not a genius like Jimi was.I think that someone like Ginger Baker do more to put the drums under the light!
Pierre Petry hahahahaha no
He seriously was not. Hendrix was a rare musical and technical talent - even by todays standards. That is why every accomplished guitarist has him on their top teen list of guitar GOAT's. Meanwhile, every accomplished drummer will recognise KM as mediocre at best.
@@briansrensen8204 Technically mediocre maybe,which KM himself would be the 1st to admit. The instinctual born with incredible unique excellence is absolutely what this technical expert doing this video's referencing as well as the commenter paralleling him (correctly)to the freestyling genius of Hendrix. I'd say Johnny Winter & Rory Gallagher also.
To me, Moonie is the greatest of rock drummers. He embodied the spirit of rock and roll in his playing. I hate that he is so criticized by drummers. When you listen to early Who or see video of early Who, you realize that Moonie could have been a great " technical " drummer had he chosen that path and concentrated on being a drummer rather than The Loon. He could not have played the style that he played without technical ability. I think that a lot of drummers that are considered great could not have been better than they were, but Moonie could have been better. By that I mean a more rounded drummer because he had the ability to do that but chose not to go that route.
... just listen to Leaving Here and the studio version of My Generation... even I Can't Explain, and one can easily see the " drummer, " and where that playercould have gone if he was of the nature of Neil Peart rather than The Loon.
I agree Keith had a lot of technical ability but i think the drugs and booze and his crazy personality probably kept him from studying on how to become a better drummer.
Technically Neil Peart is all over Moon in terms of ability. It terms of soul and being dynamic give me moon any day over Peart. It's why I'd rater listen to The Who than say, Steely Dan. The Who are nowhere near the playing ability of Steely Dan but if we wanted perfection in music we would only listen to classical music. And nobody wants that all the time.
dsfddsgh There was no need for Moon to study on being a better drummer any more than someone like Jimmy Page (often cited as being sloppy and technically non proficient) needed to study being a better guitar player. What they bring to the table has less to do with technique and more about swagger. You can teach/learn technique but probably need to be born with swagger a la Page & Moon
Cire Nosnor - Both Moon and Pagey were technically well-grounded and then stretched out once they got to be famous. They both had the effect of raising the bar for musicians.
This vid sells Keith Moon short. He’s great not just bc he’s a great showman (I’d heard 1000 Who songs before ever seeing him perform). And it’s not just bc he has energy (lots of drummers have energy). It’s not bc he plays w heart (don’t a lot of drummers do this?). I’ve never touched a drum kit, but I got ears, and Keith Moon’s drumming makes me sit up and take notice more than any other drummer in the history of rock and roll, not even close.
Keith was such a ball of energy, he just tried to hit all the drums at once. It seemed like he had 5 pairs of hands. Sheer excitement but above all he was a brilliant drummer.
like a praying mantis with 4 arms
The best is listening to his isolated drum tracks. It sounds so weird but fits perfectly in the song. And live he plays so much double bass it really creates an incredible force along with his awesome fills and cymbal work.
Keith filled a massiVe decibel range. What he plays is like a quintet arrangement added in to the Who's sound. The implications of what he plays range between circus music and Bernstein and Krupa and Tchaikovsky. It's all there. When he died, the Who felt the DB range deficit, massively. between he and Entwistle, there's a symphonic twist to mundane rock parts. There are lines he plays on some songs that imply Baroque trills and others that are are harp glissando. Absolutely inventive. I think his technique was great - he could do incredible things and fill the tiniest gaps (and he sought them out) with refreshing fills, and steal the limelight. Breaks my heart, every time I listen to him.
Have met Townshend and used to see him about in Richmond, when I was a child. Wish I'd met Keith too.
There's a Norman Wisdom UK 1950's comedy film, in which he plays the drums.I think Keith must have seen it. The likeness is uncanny. At 3: 27 = Keith Moon. Of course Moon would have watched this, as a child.It was made when he was tennish. Definite influence, methinks. th-cam.com/video/z5NpB7mNyYQ/w-d-xo.html
A very astute observation. His technique and mechanics were lacking but he made up for it in spades with primordial instincts.
but the guy above just said that he thinks Keith's technique was great not lacking.
Yes you're right but he's probably not a drummer but his ears and his abilites to express his views are very astute. You can see that.
yeah, after keith The Who had to add additional guitars and keyboards etc.. to fill the frequencies keith used to cover. What he did on the drums was unbelievable
Keith played on more hits that a vast majority of "technical" drummers. This is true for another drummer that is mis-understood, Ringo Star. Watch watch?v=9oQsKRyihEA for an analysis that applies to both.
When I was 13 I bought my first Who record. It was 'Can't Explain', by a band called The Who that nobody had ever heard of, and it's the only record I ever bought just because I liked the drummer. I don't think The Who ever did another great thing since we lost Keith. I'll never forget when he goosed Ann Margret at the Grammys.
With respect, I'm not sure you provide an accurate assessment of Keith Moon's drumming. In fact some of your comments are way off. I saw him live during the following tours: 1969-70 (Tommy), 1971 (Who's Next), 1973 (Quadrophenia) and 1975 (The Who By Numbers). He did take drum lessons. He often used high hats and he practiced relentlessly. He's the most melodic drummer and one of the most musical drummers that I've ever heard/seen. For me he created rhythmic sound/tone paintings that are a perfect sound bed for the music of The Who. In fact Moon and John EntwhistIe are one of the greatest Rock rhythm sections ever. I went to college with a friend who lived above Moon for several years in the 1960s. He told me that Moon practiced all the time, regularly took drum lessons and was an extremely polite and courteous man. The magnificent Elvin Jones described Moon as a real drummer, one who was totally in control of the rhythms driving the music. When asked which rock drummer he admired the great Tony Williams answered "Keith Moon". When asked why, Williams replied "because he's free, totally free!". The LP "Who's Next" is perfect reference for Moon's brilliant and rhythmically monstrous drumming. In addition to the song "Bargain", "Going Mobile", "Getting In Tune", and "The Song Is Over" are also epic examples of Moon's legendary drumming. Equally important examples of Moon's ground breaking drumming can be found on the LPs "The Who Sell Out" (I Can See For Miles), "Tommy" (Sparks/Amazing Journey, The Underture, I'm Free and Go To The Mirror Boy) and all of the songs on "Live At Leeds". An outstanding video of Moon's drumming is the live performance of The Who at the Tanglewood Music Shed on July 7, 1970. I was at the concert. Moon is absolutely on fire. The concert video is usually available on TH-cam and can be purchased as a DVD. I advise you to have your students check it out!
HEAR, HEAR!!
Well stated. And I agree with every word.
Pete said that Keith practiced less and less as time went on...
Robert von bargen Yes, you're correct. I've seen/read several interviews with Townsend where he discussed Keith Moon. I've also read numerous articles and the book "Moon" by Tony Fletcher. It's clear that Townsend regretted having to deal with the rapidly deteriorating Moon and the realization that Moon's increasing incapacity significantly diminished the power of the live performances of The Who. Prior to the sessions for the album "Who Are You", Moon practiced so infrequently that he had to "relearn" how to play the drums to be moderately capable of contributing to the production of the album. It's evident that moving to America and his love of alcohol and the rock and roll lifestyle ultimately destroyed Keith Moon.
Thanks. How do you feel about my overall opinions about the band's stature in the Rock Pantheon? go to my FB timeline to read a bit more.
"Live At Leeds". Historical capture of Keiths genius!!!
Also, "A quick one" on the Stones Circus show, Epic band performance, driven by Moonie.
Also, London Coliseum ‘69, Isle of Wight ‘70, Tanglewood ‘70. 🥁 💥
Keith provided that perfect tension for a band like The Who. He played on the edge of coming off the rails most of the time, but that is hard for a most trained drummers to emulate. I think he was a mad genius!
Keith moons not great...
He’s the bloody best
I saw keith live many times . I liked that he was unconventional and totally unpredictable but of course thinking of all the other parts:bass, guitar and vocals. His under rated bass drum work is amazing and so many of those great rolls are on his double bass drums.
All very well said. A lot of people don't think he's great because of his technique, but that's bs. Most and that's most with a capital M don't come within miles of his energy.
I really appreciate your assessment of KM's creativity and spirit! As a fan since 1972 I have rarely heard any drummers noting these two aspects of his power as a drummer with The Who. They completed each other and it was thrilling to behold from a fan's perspective.
Thanks man. He was around 3 other powerful personalities and handled THEM!
Moon studied with Carlo Little the great jazz drummer. moon was 'technical' because he played amazing drums. Never met anyone who could play like him, i played with lots of drummers.
You might add that Keith followed Roger's vocal leads....and still managed those signature drum fills! As you said "Who's Next" included some great drumming, with the fills on "My Wife" making me smile every time that I hear them. Keith and John left us way too soon.
Bargain is a great example of Keiths drumming, but Going Mobile sounds very difficult to emulate. I aint a drummer I am a Bassist but I know a fantastic drummer when I hear one, and for me Keith was the best of all time.
I concur, the most challenging song on Who's next as far as drumming is concerned.
As another bassist, I agree.
Can someone explain to me why those two songs are so good for drumming? I’m not a drummer.
I am not a drummer, but I have always been blown away by Bargain. Just put a pair of headphones and listen.
Best of all time, heck no!!!
I saw an interview and I can't remember if it was Rodger Daltry or Pete Townsend who said "A Lot Of What He Played Was Really Funny"
Nice vid and perspective. ..And agreed. Watching Keith Moon recently made me remember to have fun, to express myself behind the kit, not to spend hours editing out ALL the risks from my playing - to keep myself on the sharp end of creativity and those I play with... To focus on energy and musicality, above all else.
Keith Moon fucking ruled. That is all.
The Tommy tour from 1969 thru 1971 was an increadible intergergetic team. Whatching keith moon and pete Townshend play off eachother was incredible. Probably the best live performance of their day. Sparks!
Kieth is simply unmatched in his talent.
*Moon's impersonation of a coal burning steam train on, "A Quick One (While He's Away)", during the "Ivor the Engine Driver" section, always blew my mind... He really sounded like the proverbial oldschool choo-choo train*
Four Keith Moon tracks that define his drumming and legacy: 1. " I Can't Explain" (orig.studio cut) 2. "I Can See For Miles" 3. "Summertime Blues" from Live At Leeds, and
4. "Baba O'Riley"/ or "Bargain". Take your pick here. Can't think of any modern day drummer who could replicate the ending of "Baba O'Riley"...or his interplay with Pete on "Summertime Blues". Go back and listen to Keith on all the Who recordings. He WAS ON THE BEAT...PERFECTLY. His time really never was "off" or lagged. The critics are wrong. Zak Starkey does an amazing job. As did Kenney Jones. Big shoes to fill. The pressure he must have been under.
kinda cool too...Zak Starkey calls Moonie, "Uncle Keith" and that is who taught him how to play drums.
I heard an interview with pete who said he often just played rythm during live preformances because both moon n entwhistle were going off (playing fills and runs) so someone had to keep time. I like moon. Lotsa fun to watch n hear but keith was often high n drunk and his time would waver. Maybe during recording he was solid but his time was affected by being effed up at times. And i dont care, i like what he did but im just saying ive heard thru interview with pete that keith wouldnt keep perfect time always.
Matt Guzda. Horse manure. It appears you've taken license by taking bits of what others have said and then made assumptions from there. I've been a Who fan since 1966 and have seen them live 6 times, the first of which included Moon on the drums in 1973. I've also listened to and watched many live recordings of Who shows. When you heard Pete say that Keith didn't always keep good time due to drinking or drugs, Pete was referring mainly to the latter part of Moon's 14 years with The Who. I cannot think of a single Who album where Moon's drumming wasn't spot on, can you? If you can, which albums and which songs are you referring to?
4orrcountry dude im refering to an interview with pete where he said he hadda keep time cuz entwhistle and moon were going off. No i dont remember the specific interview but i remember pete saying that because i thought it was interesting and im a drummer so it stuck. Don't blame me im just saying what pete said
The best synopsis of Keith Moon and his magnificence i have ever heard. Thank you.
I became a drummer because of Moon The Loon! From watching him incessantly and studying him over the decades, I have picked up many of his 'bad habits', and I couldn't be more pleased. Oh sure, the singers in both of my bands have an issue with me 'playing over them' at times, but once they hear it in the studio, they 'get it.' Drummer Tony Williams once said, "I love Keith Moon's drumming. It's beautiful and totally free." And I agree. If you become too ingrained with the 'etiquette' and 'discipline' of playing drums, then you need not bother with rock music. For rock music is supposed to be spontaneous and surprising, not regimented and militaristically timed out, as if it were being played for the benefit of goose-stepping soldiers. To the contrary! It should make you sit up and take note, saying, "What IS that!? It sounds cool!" Keith Moon had no restrictions on his playing. He refused to succumb to the anemic and elementary mantra of staying in the pocket and keeping perfect time and THAT is what made him great. He was UNIQUE! Not a cookie-cutter percussionist that played within the parameters and restrictive boundaries of a barbed-wire, unwritten law that demanded regimentation and discipline, but instead, he let his hands and his heart go. He simply just let them go. As ALL drummers should, not matter what genre we are immersed in. RIP Keith Moon.
My dad was onstage with the Who at the Isle of Wight festival, he was operating a light. He bought me home some of those drumsticks. Do I still have them?
keith sounds kinda like krupa on steroids in a great live rock band. when he played he was living in the moment. pure performance art.
Keith swiped a ton from Krupa..
what did he swipe? charisma?
John R. Peter Criss too. First solo I ever learned was 100,000 years.
Me too..I had to buy a cowbell for that one part....
Some call it "swiping", others call it "learning". And I have no issues with people learning from the best.
One of the great things about Keith is that, like ginger baker, he brought improvisation and jazz drumming into rock, kicking rock music up to a whole new level.
I would love to hear a little discussion on how Keith used his kick drum or drums. The Bargain is a fantastic example. As the song builds Keith seems to employ double bass techniques. But it's always in his own unique style. I would love a little explanation as to what he is doing here? It appears that he's doing triplet after triplet on the kick drums alone.
Keith Moon. One thing is for certain. There is no debate or discussion whether you can compare him, for better or for worse, to any other drummer. Period. In my opinion, Moon played like he didn't care about "proper" drum technique. His attitude was to play the drums to what the song needed, and no one else could have filled his shoes at that time when the Who was so powerful, especially with Daltry's voice, and Pete's song writing genius.Only Moon could have filled the bill. Thus, with the Who in the 60s and 70's it was an incredible alignment of the stars. Even Pete's softer voice (The Song Is Over from the Who's Next album) made Daltry's voice sound more magnificent. Although arguably Entwistle was a master bassist/technician and did write some songs, play French Horn etc., I think he was overshadowed by his bandmates. It is more than just energy that Moon had, he could direct it. Best analogy I can make is to Mike Tyson who had energy and strength and some skill, but he was an instinctive fighter. Even though he was not polished, he did one thing, he knocked out all of his opponents in his heyday.
I do not think the Who would have been such a great band had they had some stuffy old "rock" drummer" in there. In the same way, it is inconceivable that Moon could have enjoyed the success he had with the Who with any other band.
Moon had an innate sense of how much intensity and how many drums/and notes he had to hit with any given song. I would not call it technique. It was instinctual, and he sure made the drums sing.
You always hear about "the lead guitarist" or the "lead vocalist" of the band. Moon had the title of "lead drummer," a title I would give to no other drummer.
Your very diplomatic about Moon, as a an instructor teacher. Love his emotional attachment to the instrument.
probably the best analysis i ve seen for the phenomenon Keith!
I don't play drums, yet know good drumming when I hear it. I am impressed that you can use 7 minutes to state Moon had personality and little technical skill. Keith moon's drumming is like no other of which I am familiar. I can only describe it as "rolling." His play is constantly rolling and building up throughout most songs. It is a joy to listen to such, and that is what makes him a great drummer...no one else plays that way.
Keith's early influence was Big Band Era music, lessons he took was Big Band Era music influenced, and he played the backing of horn parts he imagined where he thought they should be in the music to open up the sound, and fill 30 other roster spots in the lineup of just he, and 3 other guys.
I'm not a drummer but as a drumming fan it is the swell and fade of his drumming that appeals to me. He provides the tension in the music as much as Townshend. Surely that's unique in non jazz drumming.
You nailed it as far as the "creative" aspect of Keith's playing. His mind and approach to the the drums and their roll (no pun intended) was just...unique. For that reason alone, that makes him quite technical...just not in the "normal" technical way (if that makes sense). I do know this: I've yet to find or hear anyone who can figure him out or sound like him. It's kind of like trying to figure out how the universe was created. While I'm here, I'd like to give out some love to my life-long neighbor, Mr. Roy Burns. I'm sure you are familiar with him. You wanna talk technique and showmanship? Roy is one of the all greats in both areas. And as far as teachers...I'll bet you read a few of his books way back when :)
I listen to the end of MY GENERATION and just shake my head.
Moon was a soloist. Entwistle kept the time. Keith gave their music a cinematic feel and made The Who stand out against almost every other live band of their time.
Great songs helped too.
From a guitarist and massive Who fan perspective , always was amazed that Keith was perhaps the only drummer who would START a roll on the crash, then go around the toms. His entrance on the Seeker and the last part of Pure And Easy (Sods version) are examples as well as portions of Quadrophenia.
Even Pete Townsend did not appreciate how great Keith Moon was until recently. In an interview Pete says that it is only recently that he realised how much acoustic space Keith left for Pete to do his thing in. A lot of more technical drummers would have been invading Pete Townsend's range, but Keith also knew where was the place to put quiet bits. And that instantly makes him better than 99% of the drummers I have ever met.
Yes and No because Moon FIT to the other 3 in unusual ways to make it extremely creative. However, Zak Starkey (Ringo's son) is a fantastic player that gets no credit and represents what The Who would've been without Moon and they still sound full and unique (not as creative!). The Who was very fortunate to have both so we could really understand and hear the difference.
p.s., the Mr Rob link repeated in place of the Roy Harper track in my comment below; here's the Roy Harper track with Keith's drumming: th-cam.com/video/0QiFl-DFRFg/w-d-xo.html
p.p.s., Among several unique aspects of Keith drumming was his having used three 14" mounted toms from 1966 to 1973. I'm unaware of any other drummer who has done this. Andy Johns has reported that Keith tuned the toms at very close intervals. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find any interviews with any of Keith's drum techs regarding his tuning approach. From 1974 onwards, Keith used two layers of mounted toms, all of different sized, with a specially made 15" tom. Listening to the 1973 Philadelphia soundboard recording from The Who's December 4 concert, the terraced intervals of the tom toms are quite pronounced, significantly different than his previous tuning approach with the three 14" mounted toms. Glyn Johns' remark that "Keith didn't give a monkey's about his bloody drum tuning" is not accurate.
Moon played lead drums. I think he conveyed raw feeling better than any other drummer. He had fantastic intuition.
the opening fill on "the acid queen" is so perfect.
I have no qualifications to pass any judgement on Moon's technical prowess, but he was definitely the most exciting drummer I have heard. His style is pure excitement. He's all over the kit at high speed and keeping up a constant cymbal barrage. i love this. Mind you, I have noticed that back in the day, cymbals were a lot more popular than they seem to be now.
Thanks for a thoughtful, balanced commentary on Moon.
In numerous interviews, Roger Daltrey said that when he joined the band it was like having "a jet engine behind us".
One of my favorite performances was caught in this early vid of 'My Generation' while he was still in good physical condition. His playing is idiosyncratic, crisp and brilliant:
th-cam.com/video/LAvjfEAVdr8/w-d-xo.html
I agree with EVERYTHING you said.
Keith Moon is my all time favorite drummer for exactly the reasons you said. ...
Yes .... I know Billy Cobham
Yes ..... I have argued Keith Vs. John Bohnam.
But for the reasons you said, Keith is my favorite drummer.
I could have never put up with his antics, r worked with him. He WAS an asshole.
But, his rawness in his approach to percussion is un-matched in rock and roll.
This comes from a 4th chair trumpet player.
Indeed I agree that Keith Moon was able to become part of the music. I play at Church most weeks... Sometimes drums, sometimes on bass. I get frustrated playing bass sometimes, because the kid that usually plays drums is boring and uninspiring. There's just no Mojo. Some of the other guys you mention fit this mold. Chuck Biscuits completely turned the band Social Distortion upside down when he joined... and Man did that inspire me. Later Charlie Quintana took the drums for Social Distortion. Charlie was more technically sound, but he didn't have the "IT" factor that Chuck did. One of the smartest things that Carmine Appice ever told me was... "Drums CONDUCT the music"... get in there, grab on to it, and project yourself through the music.
+DeadKoby Spot on man.
I'll tell you, I was a "self taught" if you will.. picking up drums as just something I wanted to do. Although a few years past school band, I could still read the patterns in Carmine's realistic rock books... Eventually, I did train with Ray Porrello for a brief time. Ray was a great guy, and working with him was great for technique. But there's something to be said for "going it alone to find the feeling"........ I've seen guys that can play a perfect set with a world class orchestra.. that had all the technical ability in the world, but no heart. There's got to be a balance. You can teach someone with decent natural rhythm to play drums... but it's something else to teach them to feel the music and just be IN THE MUSIC. After drumming for 15 years or so... I've gotten the confident attitude... "I'll put it down... just pick it up." And that's quite frankly what I wish I could teach the rookies I play opposite of. One kid could whup me on technical merits, but he just won't "Put it down".
+DeadKoby The rubber hits the road when you apply what you've learned and play with other musicians. Otherwise its value is diminished. Moon was instinctive, primal, and bold. A nightmare for the art of drumming analysis. Indeed. Moon molded The Who. The Who did not mold Moon. Townsend, Entwistle and Daltrey bent to his will.
drummersagainstitk With all due respect, sir, it wasn't as simple or clear cut as that. True, Keith played as he wished, but he was hardly unique in that regard. With The Who, you had 4 unique talents who were also 4 unique personalities. Each did their own thing - PASSIONATELY - which resulted in one amazing band made up of 4 "lead" performers! Moon played lead drums, Entwistle played lead bass (Keith and John were closest friends within the band), Daltrey sang lead vocals and Pete composed most of the music while also playing rythym guitar featuring his windmilling power chords and occasionally, lead guitar. Through it all, they put up with each other, though sometimes just barely. Ultimately, The Who worked because their sound, stage act, music, lyrics, operas, humor and life stories were so immediately empathetical and powerful to so many. Pete doesn't write songs just to sell records, he writes to tell real life stories that others can identify with, learn from and/or feel better about themselves as they go through their lives.
You're right, i have never been impressed with his technique but the mere presence behind the kit produced energy that was infectuous, that alone highly out weighed his skill level.
Great to see Keith Moon revered and recognised. What a wizard blizzard he is. That Isle of White gig is astonishing. I was looking at it just the other day mezmerized by the journey in the music.
I am a drummer and drumming instructor also. I am also a drummer historian of all the drummers starting with Baby Dodds. I think that you did an EXCELLENT job explaining this. I studied with Joe Morello and also have done drum exhibitions with Buddy Rich (He actually let me play his Ludwig BR set), Louie Bellson, and Ed Shaughnessy. You are being totally fair with what you said regarding K.M. You are putting it all in perspective, and showing us his worth. Superb job here.
Thanks Joe. I've emormous catalog in my channel. You'll enjoy "Why is" vids, top 5 Jazz Drummers, Avant Garde, Pop. etc. Tons of stuff. Important! take a serious look at 2 vids specifically for you. 1st Stick Grip Tutorial 2nd Why Play Match Grip Only? To understand my work technically. I welcome your questions because you are a teacher.
Keith Moon was lead drummer for the who, with unbelievable timing and a fabulous ear and awesome hands. R.I.P Keith and John the best bass player I ever saw.
What a band - John (best bass player) and Keith - (best drummer).
Hopefully you may read this. I started to play drums, aged 12, (in 1981) solely because of Keith Moon, and the My Generation album. Despite my subsequent 'nerd' academic career I ended up as a pro drummer. I want to emphasise the 'orchestral' nature of his drumming - i.e. that he was constantly listening to and responding to all the other instruments AND vocals, or (obviously, after rehearsals) accenting passages or counterpointing them. This, my younger friends, is pure GENIUS - no-one, Not Bonzo, not Camine, not Ginger, or (my own comparison,) Mitch Mitchell could touch him. But IMHO it remains THE way to play drums, xxx
Another drummer posted a comment using the word "orchestral" to describe Moon. I use instinctive or primordial. These words puts together are NOT used to describe any other drummer is very strange indeed. Thanks for your personal account of your inspiration to play.
He was a legend in his own time. Few people achieve that. I don't care what anyone says. He was a great drummer. He didn't need to know all the rudiments. He had time as what Ginger Baker would say. His drum parts were powerful.
As a guitarist I love watching stuff about drumming, and I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned excitement, every band is different, but without a drummer who understands what is needed you're doomed!
I just realized why none of theDrum software sample systems have MIDI grooves like Mooney / Michell. that's what I understood Keith Moon is the Drummer I've always looked for , but I never was a WHO fan so I really missed out on his drumming till lately he GETS it the attempt to paint a picture of the music while being a solid drummer. I had one drummer that I could play with & it was like I knew what he would play & he would know what I would play next it was amazing we wrote a lot of songs w/that method.
Fantastic! I'm studying Kieth at the moment, your video was a great source of information!
I wish you could still see them do Naked Eye from that concert outside of owning the documentary. It seems everyone has deleted it for some reason. I guess I'll have to buy the dvd. Worth it cause it also has so many other great performances from other acts.
Jeff Nichols, a writer on drums for, well, Ever, said once that John Bonham was the most imitated drummer, but Keith Moon was inimitable. Defo. I've been playing since I was 12 (1981) and first heard KM on My Generation. Changed my life. Not only that, but KM played with EVERY other instrument, like an orchestra leader. I learnt Soooo Much, xxx
Thanks for your comment. While Bonzo was imitatied by ROCK players, there were many others in diff styles..ex.Max Roach. Keith was all AUDIBLE instinct is the best way I can discribe it.
I saw The WHO with Keith 12 times 1967/75 . I have a stick story . We saw Joe Cocker/ Buddy Rich Orchestra/ The WHO in May 1969 , Chicago , on the 1st " Tommy" tour. On one song he bounced sticks off a Tom for maybe three minutes . My bass player was closer to him and he got 8 sticks that night. He gave me a pair that I still have. 🥁. Yes indeed , he had to be seen to be appreciated.
A very odd pairing of bands. Fantastic to hear. Thanks.
Couldn't agree more i'm a guitar player and i would of loved to have jammed with Keith, creative etheral energy like a jack in a box! one of my favourite keith drum tracks is Amazing Journey from the Live at Leeds album, when that kicks in....just wow.
Dude! YOU--- NAILED IT! KM played by soul, not by mind. His spirit was always in his sticks. Exactly how I play--- or I don't play at all. He loved his fellow mates and it was his place to enhance--- never to take away always to add! Ciao!!! Play with ALL you got
I was on the West London scene playing drums at the a same time as the Who was- never got to see them live because we were usually gigging the same nights. I had help and assistance from Charlie Watts and encouragement from Ginger Baker.
I have no argument with the points made in this video but would like to add one aspect of Kieth's style - he always seemed (to me) to be playing along with the phrasing of the lyrics and riffs. Kieth was a drinking pal of my best mate back then - but we never met. Pity he burned out so quickly.
An interesting perspective on playing to the lyrics. I've not heard that before. Thx for commenting
Thank you for this. I really like how you detail the particular attributes of Keith's drumming as compared to a (the) more reserved aspect of the drummer just being the timekeeper for the band.
Here's the thing... He had fast hands, ungodly reflexes, and coordination without having to think about it.
He _played_ the drums, instead of "keeping time."
I wonder how many people with those innate skills are discouraged.
Well said. I always identified with Keith. I started playing drums as a child at about 8. By fourteen I started playing live professionally. Meaning getting paid. By fifteen I was in the studio. At sixteen I started doing session work. I am also self taught. My teachers were Peter Criss, John Bonham, Phil rudd, Jeff Percaro, etc. I wasn't concerned about technique until I was twenty two. It's a funny story. Suffice to say I finally found someone that completely pulled my foundation out from under me. I met Hector Gonzales i n Los Angeles in 1991. He started teaching me ghost notes, syncopation, independence, etc. He taught me something I never had before. Finesse.
That's a great point of view.
I think it's fairly well understood. The Who was an inverted atypical rock band. You look at Ringo or Charlie Watts, and you're looking at classic timekeeping drummers; artful little fills here and there, but all in all, the heartbeat.
In The Who, the rhythm section often played what amounts to lead parts. Entwhistle and Moon were playing leads, and it was left to Townsend to often perform the job of rhythm playing. The key to understanding the classic Who lineup is not to listen to Moon and Entwhistle, but to listen to Townsend, who is somehow using a very rhythmic guitar to keep everything held down. Think of the outro of Baba Oriley, pulsing and rhythmic, and it's Townsend's guitar that's holding it down, not Moon's drums.
It's funny that you mentioned "Bargain" as one of Moon's stand-out performances. It's always been my favourite Who song. There's just sumthin about how it all gels together, almost magical.
I agree because I look at Moon's ideas in context of my own after playing drums 55yrs. "Magical" is an interesting word given that Moon played the recording Bargain completely improvised. It's organic, creative and INSANE at the same time.
he was an amazing drummer.there will never be another like him..
The musical talent and your artistic genes, makes you special and even a star.
I'd have said on a personal choice, Live at Leeds when they play a medley during the long My Generation track of Sparks....still sounds f>
вы ошиблись, момент где у кита муна отлетают палочки от барабана, это был не концерт на острове уайт, а концерт в монтерее 1967 года
Great insights, thanks for sharing this. All that live, unscripted, spontaneity seems a lost art.
I saw them playing in the early days at Eel Pie Island, London. During one number Keith broke the skin on his floor tom yet carried on playing with just his left hand. Whilst still playing he lifted the floor tom up and threw it over his shoulder. A tech guy returned with a new drum as if nothing had happened. Amazing to watch.
the isle of wright gig in 1970 is the who at the peak of their power and glory, the 4 members of a band that shouldn't have worked but wow did they ever! Entwistle solo bass playing, Pete's power chords, Roger's voice at its peak and Keith's best keith moon style drumming watch how much they all watch each other knowing when to bring it down and when to go full on, for me it's the greatest rock show in the history of rock bar none! and is so much better than any of their peers eg: led zep who first few albums were just straight up plagiarism i like led zep i do but they ripped so many songs off it put me of them.THE WHO 51 YEARS OF THE BEST ROCK MUSIC EVER! POW!
I aways liked Keith Moon‘s unorthodox approach, almost abstract drumming style method (compared to classical training). He seemed to have that spark of life when he played. I think of three drummers that I call “busy drummers”; Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell and Ginger Baker. That is not a put down. They always seemed to be busy when they played even though their respective styles are all different. After all, they are from three piece bands and you need to fill the space somehow.
I have noticed drummers from three piece bands, drum differently than drummers from multi piece bands. They must take it upon themselves to fill the air that would otherwise be empty (that‘s a guitar player’s observation… I don‘t play percussion).
You're right. Clapton had said as much in a few interviews many years ago. In rock this may be true. But.....as I said in the video he brought acrobatics to drums which is somewhat similar to Gene Krupa did to the Big Band Era Late 30's-40's (Benny Goodman).Thx man.
Mike R.robesonm4214@yahoo.com
I kinda put drummers into 2 categories: Busy, and Minimalist. In Jazz that would be, say, Buddy Rich and Phillie Jo Jones, and in rock the examples would be Keith Moon and Charlie Watts. To me the biggest connection between Moon and Krupa is Keith's lower-than-normal ratio of drums to cymbals. He kept 'rides' going with melodic drum runs, instead of banging on cymbals relentlessly. A nonpareil of an artist.
Q: What's the last thing a drummer says before the band fires him?A: "Hey, fellas! Let's try one of MY songs!"
Unless the drummer is the LEADER of the band [i.e.: Dave Clark]
Thanks for the comments, as a drummer form 1963, I grew up on the pre-war jazz and big band drummers and then rock and roll. In my youth I saw Louis Armstong to Jimi Hendrix, all obviously with great drummers. In 1975 I saw The Who, and to this day, they were the greatest show I ever saw. I agree with you 100 per cent. Moon's propulsion of Entwhistle set up Townsend's astonishing, underrated guitar work. Incidentally, I saw Led Zepplin on their first tour at the Fillmore, Christmas 1968, They played the first album 1st. cut to last. Bonham sounded thick, with too much kick on the bass. My opinion. Again Thanks.
Thx for your comment and support. Grt to hear.
Excelentes comentarios. Totalmente de acuerdo.
In a recent Rolling Stone interview Townshend said he's glad he doesn't have to play with Moon anymore because Moon didn't bother to keep time (he was "fucking difficult to play with"), leaving Townshend to take on that task and the extra work that came with it. Of course Pete also acknowledges that the Who would never have been the Who without Moon's brilliance, and that he really misses The Loon even after all these decades.
Of course, Townshend and Daltrey have never had a smooth relationship either, even after playing together for 60 years. Some projects are just damn difficult to pull off. As they say: Life's a bitch and then you die.
which concert did you say,the isle of wight,1970 was it>?
wasn't jimi hendrix also there,or was that another yr,right?
mitch mitchell was an awesome drummer,so was john densmore,
then again so were ringo,ginger,and probably many others,
for me,stewart copeland was the real jimi hendrix of the drums-or else we're still waiting for the jimi of drums--i need some drums!
Yes, Keith Moon was a showman, and sometimes that overshadows his playing, as with his offstage antics as well. What made him so great is he served the music his band played. There's no argument he was no Tony Williams or Buddy Rich, but I can argue that despite whatever someone who is more on the technical side thinking its easy to play like Moon, I'd like to see them try and emulate him. Also, if you really want to hear the best examples of Moon: Live at Leeds (with Heaven and Hell as opening track) and Quadrophenia where he shows how he was a technical drummer.
Not a drummer, but always felt I had it in me and missed my calling in life. I listened to that Isle of Wight DVD at a good volume on a good surround system and was converted to the WHO. The camera guy focused on Moon, who really stood out at this performance, until some asshole with a leather cap on blocked the best angle of Keith. The WHO was the best live rock band ever, and Moon was their backbone. My other favorite drummers are Simon Phillips, Carl Palmer, John Bonham, and Ginger Baker.
Well said. I really enjoyed this. I think you were spot on about Keith and you hit the nail right square on the head. If you listen to his double bass playing and how it meshed with John, it really is fantastic. Pure and Easy is such a great example of this.
Fact. When Keith Moon was called back to record the Who's new album 'Who's Next' he had major problems getting his drums down on these tracks. Because unlike before he was wild and free to do what he wanted. With 'Who's Next' he had to play for the first time to a click track. This stumpt him. And drove him nuts. He had to relearn how to play in a disciplined way and keep time which he found frustrating and restrictive. But he got there in the end. That why who's next is a great album. But I still prefer 'Tommy'
Great insights and I agree with every word. And I'm not a drummer, I'm a guitarist but I love to hear great drummers.
I'm not a drummer, I'm not even a musician however I have always been a massive Who fan. There is one point in the Isle Of Wight video during the song "Water" at where Keith is doing a drum roll. At 3:40 As he is doing this he lets go of the drum stick it flies up about 2 feet spinning in the air. Keith catches it and carried on the drum roll without missing a beat.
th-cam.com/video/SbrU7Ea_bkY/w-d-xo.html
His technical ability might not follow thee books, but his drumming was just SOOO perfect for The Who, and there is no way someone with zero knowledge of drums could make a drum arrangement so perfect for a specific song like Keith. The guy was a genius. What the Who also showed me was that the drummer doesnt have to always be the time keeper and heartbeat. That role fell to John on Bass. It was so unique and thats what made them great.
Summertime Blues at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) is another great example of Keith Moon's ability, energy, & showmanship. Enjoyed this video.
Another aspect of moon that is unique, he did not use a hi-hat in the traditional way and eventually ditched it all together. And yet, he was remarkably tight to the meter of the song. (Pete would probably disagree) Moon would most likely not work playing for any other band. He and Ginger went to see Duke Ellington and saw Louie Belson’s double bass, both began working to incorporate it into their own playing.
I am not a drummer, or any type of musician. But I enjoy music. The best way I can describe Moon's playing, is more than a beat or a rhythm section, he sounds like lead instrument. Just like Entwistle on the bass. He is more than a bass, he fills the voids in a three piece band. That's why when you listen to the Who, Moon and Entwistle make it sound like there are 5 pieces.
First of all, very interesting your perspective regarding KEITH MOON's importance to the Drumming Universe, and here it comes some suggestions: Barriemore Barlow, Terry Bozzio, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford.
Please look at my Psycho Riffs in Rock 1-5. I mention Barrimore B riff. Also My Terry Bozzio video with Jeff Beck bootleg. I also mention CP on How to Spin Stx video. One day maybe a Bill Bru. Let me know what you think Thx man.
I will, take care.
Moon's drumming wasn't thinking (even though he would have no doubt thought a lot about what he played) but feeling from his deepest soul expressed through his body and heard through his drums......and luckily the world heard. He would have hated anyone discussing his drumming but you share some great points
Nice video, but you forgot one very important and amazing thing. Keith never plays the same fill twice. In almost every track, he plays a different drum fill in each bar, which is absolutely amazing. I doubt he even learned or wrote this stuff down. Probably played differently in each take. And this is why he is so hard to copy and imitate, let alone the rest of his style and theatrics.