He was named as hyperactive as a boy, with a restless imagination and a particular fondness for The Goon Show and music. But it worked. Moon moved back to London in 1978, dying that September from an overdose of Heminevrin, a drug intended to treat or prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. The press party for the release of the Who's Next album was held at Tara. On the album cover, he is seated on a chair back-to-front to hide the weight gained over three years (as discussed in Tony Fletcher's book Dear Boy ); the words "NOT TO BE TAKEN AWAY" appear on the back of the chair. GEORGE WASHINGTON. The Who frontman Roger Daltrey said of Moon (via GQ), "Keith lived his entire life as a fantasy.He was the funniest man I've ever known, but he was also the saddest." Indeed, for (at least) his whole adult life, it seemed like Moon was trying to hide his real self, doing all . [56] His new larger configuration was notable for the presence of two bass drums; he, along with Ginger Baker, has been credited as one of the early pioneers of double bass drumming in rock. At a Madison Square Garden show on 10 June 1974, Townshend and Entwistle decided to spontaneously stop playing during "Waspman" to listen to Moon's drum solo. [58] From 1967 to 1969 Moon used the "Pictures of Lily" drum kit (named for its artwork), which had two 22-inch (56cm) bass drums, two 16-inch (41cm) floor toms and three mounted toms. [113] By the time of the Who's invitation-only show at the Gaumont State Cinema on 15 December 1977 for The Kids are Alright, Moon was visibly overweight and had difficulty sustaining a solid performance. "[128] He loved Amanda, but his absences due to touring and fondness for practical jokes made their relationship uneasy when she was very young. Sandom had generally been the peacemaker as Daltrey and Townshend feuded between themselves, but because of Moon's temperament the group now had four members frequently in conflict. Baba O'Riley05. "[134] Moon would harass them with phone calls, and on one occasion before Kim sued for divorce, he invited McLagan for a drink at a Richmond pub and sent several "heavies" to break into McLagan's home on Fife Road and look for Kim, forcing her to hide in a walk-in closet. [157], Townshend persuaded Daltrey and Entwistle to carry on touring as The Who, although he later said that it was his means of coping with Moon's death and "completely irrational, bordering on insane". He ate the steak while he watched the film The Abominable Dr Phibes but fell back to sleep after taking 32 Heminevrin tablets which were prescribed to help alcohol withdrawal. He was an attention seeker and he had to have it. This erroneous date appeared in several otherwise-reliable sources, including the Townshend-authorised biography Before I Get Old: The Story of The Who. Keith Moon's Death Remembered. Moon initially told his girlfriend Annette Walter-Lax he didnt want to go to the party. An addled Keith Moon f***ing with his kid was beyond forgiveness. [149], After moving in, Moon began a prescribed course of Heminevrin (clomethiazole, a sedative) to alleviate his alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Posted by 6 years ago. A true rollercoaster career that would epitomise the folly of being a rock star, Moon has remained a tragic figure ever since. When she objected, Moon replied, "If you don't like it, you can fuck off!" A month earlier, The Who released Who Are You, their first new album in three years. (Moons 21st birthday party at a Flint, Michigan Holiday Inn has gone down in history as a particularly egregious display of rock n roll machismo that included a car submerged in the swimming pool, food fights, a police standoff, and a $23,000 bill.) One of the things we'd do was wait to see what Keith Moon was going to wear . But the evening was also Keith Moon's last. 0 Votes. Moon had been taking Heminevrin for some time. The following year he released his only solo album, entitled Two Sides of the Moon. BA1 1UA. He bought a number of cars and gadgets, and flirted with bankruptcy. Rare covers every corner of American culture with no slant or bias. 1990. "[92], In a limousine on the way to the airport, Moon insisted they return to their hotel, saying "I forgot something." His band recently released their new album called . Moon continued briefly and then stopped, shouting "Drum solos are boring! He was fascinated with blowing up toilets with cherry bombs or dynamite, and destroying television sets. AllMusic's Bruce Eder said, "When Keith Moon died, the Who carried on and were far more competent and reliable musically, but that wasn't what sold rock records. "The general perception of Keith Moon as a drummer is that he was . Chris Andrews (born Christopher Frederick Andrews in Romford on 15 October 1942) is an English-German singer-songwriter whose musical career started in the late 1950s. . [164] Since 1996, the Who's drummer has been Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey, who had been given a drum kit by Moon (whom he called "Uncle Keith"). That's why he had two sets of tom-toms. These were his last words. According to biographer Tony Fletcher, Moons elementary school music teacher noted that the boy had great ability but must guard against a tendency to show off. That performative streak would come to define the young rock drummer. With a focus on news, media, and humor, we are a RARE voice in todays media landscape. [39] While the other three members handled most of the onstage vocals, Moon would attempt to sing backup (particularly on "I Can't Explain"). Moon's drumming continues to be praised by critics and musicians. "[158] The New Book of Rock Lists ranked Moon No. "My Generation," released late in the previous year, shot to No. [125] The marriage (and child) were kept secret from the press until May 1968. His exploits away from the drum kit are legendary, too, whether bribing a stagehand to add more dynamite for a surprise explosion of his drum set at the end of The Who's 1967 performance on The Smothers Brothers Show to earning a master's degree in wrecking hotel rooms and . He didn't do anything to talk of. [108] Moon passed out again during "Magic Bus", and was again removed from the stage. They remembered his dream of getting out of music and becoming a Hollywood film actor,[16][bettersourceneeded] although Daltrey did not think Moon had the patience and work ethic required of a professional actor. Jul 9, 2019 - Knowing the last words that someone spoke can sometimes throw light on their character or on the circumstances in which they died. Upon returning home, the couple had a fight. The real Keith Moon was a son, a brother, a father and an insecure man. Moon led a destructive lifestyle. I said: 'Nothing.' [153], Curbishley phoned the flat at around 5:00p.m. looking for Moon, and Dymond gave him the news. Annette Walter-Lax says the Who drummer's last words were "If you don't like it, you can f*** off!" After Annette left the flat, Moon took a deadly amount of Heminevrin: 32 pills. While he was still using cocaine, the fact that he didnt go wild on the free champagne was considered progress. 1. [100] "All that porcelain flying through the air was quite unforgettable," Moon remembered. NB Down: III. Keith with Annette on the night he died. "[97], Moon's favourite stunt was to flush powerful explosives down toilets. Because I want to break your fucking jaw You have fucked this band around so many times and I'm not having it any more. Keith John Moon (23 August 1946[2] 7 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. After a two-year break from touring, the bandmates were meeting to film one last set for the rockumentary, The Kids Are Alright but their first attempt had been dismal. The band continued without him for several songs before Townshend asked, "Can anyone play the drums? The WhoMaple Leaf GardensToronto, Ontario, CanadaOctober 21, 1976Audience Recording by JEMS01. the classic rock band which still performs to this day. There was rumour that Keith was self-taught,. After playing with a local band, the Beachcombers, he joined the Who in 1964 before they recorded their first single. Nevertheless, the Who powered through a nine-song set that . When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [123] She and Moon were married on 17 March 1966 at Brent Register Office,[124] and their daughter Amanda was born on 12 July. "[89], According to Townshend, Moon began destroying hotel rooms when the Who stayed at the Berlin Hilton on tour in late 1966. When The Who featured as guests on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in September 1967, the band was asked by the hosts in advance to destroy their instruments. "[142], Peter "Dougal" Butler began working for the Who in 1967, becoming Moon's personal assistant the following year[143] to help him stay out of trouble. On the album cover, he is straddling a chair to hide his weight gain; the words "Not to be taken away" are on the back of the chair. Moon grew up in Alperton, a suburb of Wembley, in Middlesex, United Kingdom, and took up the drums during the early 1960s. "[101], Once, a hotel manager called Moon in his room and asked him to lower the volume on his cassette recorder because it made "too much noise." The drummer knocked out part of his front tooth; at the hospital, doctors could not give him an anaesthetic (due to his inebriation) before removing the remainder of the tooth. Andrew Neill and Matthew Kent estimated that his destruction of hotel toilets and plumbing cost as much as 300,000 ($500,000). Moon Girl aka,13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette comes to the park just as the brand new animated series, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, debuts on February 10 on Disney Channel and February 15 on . He watched a film (The Abominable Dr. Phibes), and asked Walter-Lax to cook him steak and eggs. 4. He said: 'You come 'ere.' He is probably now best known for his big hit, 'Yesterday Man'. Close. He left school by 15 and was in his first band, The Beachcombers; this was around the summer of 1963. "He was too much of a child himself. Keith Moon played his final tour date with the Who on Oct. 21, 1976, at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The kit was eventually fitted with copper fittings[58] and later given to a young Zak Starkey. His first was in 1971, a cameo in Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as a nun afraid of dying from a drug overdose. [143], On 4 January 1970 Moon accidentally killed his friend, driver and bodyguard, Neil Boland, outside the Red Lion pub in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Who manager Bill Curbishley agreed that Moon "wasn't disciplined enough to actually turn up or commit to doing the stuff. TIL that Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, asked his then-girlfriend, Walter-Lax, to cook him steak and eggs. TIL that drummer Keith Moon's last words were "If you don't like it, you can just fuck off!" as a response to his then girlfriend when she refused to cook him a steak and egg breakfast. [15] He also enjoyed singing, with a particular interest in Motown. Watch. Keith Moon, The Who's celebrated drummer, was born in Wembley on 23 August 1946, and is widely acclaimed as the greatest drummer in the history of rock. [28] Although Townshend described him as a "completely different person to anyone I've ever met",[24]:38:48 the pair had a rapport in the early years and enjoyed practical jokes and improvised comedy. [118] Even when the group became relatively financially stable after Tommy, Moon continued to rack up debts. Keith Moon with the Who in 1970 - 74 was just a force of nature, and one I'm glad to have witnessed up close 3 times. [155] Police determined that there were 32 clomethiazole pills in Moon's system. Bill Curbishley remembered that "he wouldn't walk into any room and just listen. Fletcher considers the drumming on this album to be the best of Moon's career. The Mamas and the Papas singer, Cass Elliot had died in the same flat four years prior also at the age of 32. [21] The Beachcombers all had day jobs; Moon, who worked in the sales department at British Gypsum, had the keenest interest in turning professional. Banger O'Riley. Moon was . But he ultimately died of a drug overdose on September 7, 1978. Their debut album, My Generation, showcased the unique style of Moons drumming: full of tom-toms, crashing cymbals, and surf music influence. It's too good for words. "Drinking suited the group a lot better. [136], Moon enjoyed being the life of the party. The Beachcombers continued as a local cover band after his departure. [98] Entwistle later said, "He decided that if it was a publicised fact that it was his 21st birthday, he would be able to drink. . A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth. [104], Returning to the hotel, Moon started a food fight and soon cake began flying through the air. Moon enjoyed touring and socialising, and became bored and restless when the Who were inactive. Close. While touring with the Who, on several occasions he passed out on stage and was hospitalised. I said, Whats wrong? He said, No, no, you suddenly realise who your friends are Moon didnt elaborate, and Carr later admitted the drummer looked, shagged out and like a caricature of himself., Inside the cinema, Keith seemed agitated and insisted they leave an hour into the movie. His life was a truly tumultuous ride. Moon was recognised for his drumming style, which emphasised tom-toms, cymbal crashes, and drum fills. He'd move his arms forward like a skier. This new edition includes a newly written After word that consiers Moon's lasting legacy . Not a man prone to public displays of emotion, Entwistle continued with the interview until asked when The Who plans for the future. [92], He followed Moon when the drummer relocated to Los Angeles, but felt that the drug culture prevalent at the time was bad for Moon: "My job was to have eyes in the back of my head. Rock Musician. He quickly ended the interview when the journalist asked him about the Who's future plans. We'd go home and he'd start a fight with me. [175] The Jam paid homage to Moon on the second single from their third album, "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight"; the B-side of the single is a Who cover ("So Sad About Us"), and the back cover of the record has a photo of Moon's face. [77], In the 2007 documentary film Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, Daltrey and Townshend reminisced about Moon's talent for dressing as (and embodying) a variety of characters. In 1966 Moon moved to an even larger kit,[55] but without the customary hi-hatat the time he preferred keeping ride rhythms with ride and crash cymbals, but he later reinstated the hi-hats. The last photo of Keith Moon As last words go, they are pretty hard to beat. With a focus on news, media, and humor, we are a RARE voice in todays media landscape. [29] Moon's recklessness with money reduced his profit from the group's 1975 UK tour to 47.35 (equivalent to 423 in 2021).