Keith John Moon
(August,23rd 1946 – September,7th 1978)
was an
English musician
who was the drummer
for the rock band
Regarded as one of
the greatest drummers
in the history
of rock music,
he was noted
for his unique style
of playing
and his eccentric,
often self-destructive
behaviour.
grew up in Wembley
and took up the drums
during the early 1960s.
After playing with
a local band,
the Beachcombers,
he joined
the Who
in 1964
before they recorded
their first single.
Moon was recognised
for his drumming style,
which emphasised
tom-toms,
cymbal crashes,
and drum fills.
Throughout his tenure
with the Who,
his drum kit
steadily grew in size,
and
(along with Ginger Baker)
he has been credited
as one of the
earliest rock drummers
to regularly employ
double bass drums
in his setup.
Moon occasionally
collaborated with
other musicians
and later appeared
in films,
but considered
playing in the Who
his primary occupation,
and remained a member
of the band
until his death.
In addition
to his talent
as a drummer,
Moon developed
a reputation for
smashing his
kit on stage
and destroying
hotel rooms on tour.
He was fascinated
with blowing up toilets
with cherry bombs or dynamite,
and destroying television sets.
Moon also enjoyed
touring and socialising,
and became bored
and restless when
the Who were inactive.
His 21st
birthday party
in Flint, Michigan,
has been cited as a
notorious example of
decadent behaviour
by rock groups.
Moon suffered
a number of setbacks
during the 1970s,
most notably
the accidental death
of chauffeur
Neil Boland
and the breakdown
of his marriage.
He suffered from
alcoholism
and acquired a reputation
for decadence
and dark humour;
his nickname was
"Moon the Loon".
While touring with
the Who,
on several occasions
he passed out on stage
and was hospitalised.
By the time of
their final tour with him
in 1976,
and particularly
during production
of the studio album
Who Are You
(1978)
and the concert film
The Kids Are Alright,
his deterioration was evident.
Moon moved back to London
from Los Angeles
in 1978,
dying that September
from an overdose
of clomethiazole,
a drug intended to
treat or
prevent symptoms of
alcohol withdrawal.
Moon's drumming continues
to be praised by
critics and musicians.
He was posthumously
inducted into the
Modern Drummer
Hall of Fame
in 1982,
becoming the second
rock drummer
to be chosen,
and in 2011
he was voted
the second-greatest drummer
in history
by a
Rolling Stone
readers' poll.
Moon was inducted
into the
Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame
in 1990
as a member of
The Who.
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