The genius of Keith Moon

I was watching The Kids are Alright last ngiht, it's out on DVD now, and what I thought was a sloppy drunken performance of Won't get Fooled Again was just the performance of an older guy who lost his chops. There is a Moonie cam on the second DVD and I watched his whole performance and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, it was a solid rock performance with subtelty.

Then I put in Who's Next this morning on the way to work...that guy's playing brings tears to my eyes. That band was so good.

I hear a lot of Moon in Vinnie's playing. The tension, force and inventiveness of Vinnie comes straight out of Moonie...I heard it clearly today...

If you watch the old performances of Moon, he is pretty damn precise, powerful and quick, not nearly as sloppy as he was thought.

That's what drumming is about to me...

There's a Keith Moon autobiography out "Moon: The Life and Death of a Rock Legend" by Tony Fletcher.

It doesn't paint a nice picture of the "man" and shows how his many issues impacted his drumming. There's a thread going on this at another forum that isn't as much drum related as it is issues related--Keith the addict.

The guy was a unique character. Interesting comments about Keith & Vinnie. I don't recall a thread/ posts that discussed a lot of VC's early influences--what he listened to in junior high/ high school, etc. I'm sure there's a lot of info available.
For him to develop such an extensive vocabulary to play with Zappa at a young age he must have listened to a lot more than The Beach Boys and Beatles! I've seen a lot of kids with solid rudimental chops, but to be able to phrase around the kit musically...that's another level.

There is an even better bok about Moon written by his so called "babysitter" and for the life of me right now I cannot think of the title of the book. There's actually 2 books by this guy.
"mind blank"
Ok, it's by Dougal Butler and the title is
Full Moon: The Amazing Rock and Roll Life of the Late Keith Moon

Spontaneity...that's another thing those guys share.

I read the Dougal Butler book, it paints a depressing story. Moon really wasn't a happy guy. You have big problems if you abuse yourself that badly. Ultimate irony that he died on that anti-booze med...

I saw a TV thing on him and they couldn't determine if it was a suicide or accidental OD from a medication he was on.

I'm a bit puzzled as well about hearing 'Moon' in 'Vinnie's playing but he did influence a lot of rock drummers in the 70's as well as 'Bonham' did.

I hear Moon when Vinnie goes out on long excursions into unknown territory. Moon does the same stuff that makes your abdomen tense up until it gets resolved.

And Vinnie will place crashes, short tom fills and bd ruffs in his fills sorta like Moon used to do.

Plus they both play like no one else does.

I never really liked "The Who" music but millions of people do, sooooooo what do I
know?

I always thought Moon was a fabulous drummer & showman. He influenced allot of guys
because he was flashy & brilliant with the media but he also had a very unique approach
to drumming. To bad he was a lost soul.

Dudes, I just don't see it. I never thought he was any good. Can you provide a link to some of his "out" stuff?

Quadrophenia is his ultimate performance. it gives me the chills. Pure and Easy, Bargain and Behind Blue Eyes from Who's Next are amazing.

He just heard music differently. Like barriemore Barlow and Vinnie. Vinnie also will go for large dramatic fills like Moon.

Oh, yes... Bargain, from Who's Next is great playing. Also, "Song is Over". (Man, that whole album was amazing, wasnt it? I particularly like "My Wife", written by the dearly departed Ox, John Alec Entwistle, God rest his soul) You have to take Keith for what he was, but I definitely think he and Vinnie share the same rambunctiousness in their playing. For instance, take Vinnie on "Teen Town", with him, Pena, and Garfield. It's like, "listen to me totally come up with this crazy, out stuff, fall down the stairs backwards and blindfolded, and land on my feet, at the downbeat of one". Keith was rambunctious as well, he just didnt have the sheer technical chops, of course, but the spirit was definitely the same.

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Originally posted by benrand:
Quadrophenia is his ultimate performance. it gives me the chills. Pure and Easy, Bargain and Behind Blue Eyes from Who's Next are amazing.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Personally, I've always preferred Quadrophenia over Tommy (when talking same genre), and I still get chills listening to Won't Get Fooled Again.

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Originally posted by jonthibault:
Dudes, I just don't see it. I never thought he was any good. Can you provide a link to some of his "out" stuff?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yeah, I feel the same way man. Just never got into Keith or The Who.

If you want to hear the similarities between Moon and Vinnie, check out Goin' Mobile.

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Originally posted by benrand:
Like barriemore Barlow and Vinnie. Vinnie also will go for large dramatic fills like Moon.[/QB]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Man, now you're talking...Barlow is such a tasty drummer !!! He's in my top 5, no question. Let's start a thread about 'Barriemore'!

I have Burstin' Out in my car. He plays this fill on the first song, a tune in three, that goes from the 8" vistalite tom all the wayyyy down to his 18" floor. It is phrased so wierd...and sounds SO COOL. he just goes back to playing the mezzoforte groove he was playing, as if nothing happened.

Some say Bozzio came up with weird beats...Barriemore came up with **WIERD** beats.

The track on QUdrophenis that sort sums up Moon's subtelty and playing for the song, as well as his chops and intensity, is Dr. Jimmy.

It's hard to verbalize how his tom fills accentuate the emotions of the song...

I'm gonna get some mp3s of Moon goin this week.

Yes, I know what you mean Benrand. I heard some live show where I thought Keith sounded like Jack Dejohnette was sitting in. Great loose rock drum approach with over the bar line phrasing. It's refreshing to hear someone in a successful rock band go for it like that!

benrand wrote:

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I have Burstin' Out in my car. He plays this fill on the first song, a tune in three, that goes from the 8" vistalite tom all the wayyyy down to his 18" floor. It is phrased so wierd...and sounds SO COOL. he just goes back to playing the mezzoforte groove he was playing, as if nothing happened.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Totally agree there [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] !! His solo on Conundrum is [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] as well...

I wonder what Barriemore is up to these days... [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 11, 2004 10:12 PM: Message edited by: beat Hit ]</font>

He manages Mr. Methane, a fartist. Check out the link for a chuckle.


Bursting out

blake1, you have some really good pictures of weckl, vinnie and purdie on your site. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]


Oh and, keith moon sucked.
Thank you.