Keith Moon Was Friggin' Unbelieveable

[mirrorimij]

Wow. The guy was a madman.

[kizanski]

For many people like myself, he was just as much of what made up The Who as Townshend was.

[Guest pirateflynn]

Incredible!

[cmatthes]

I could not agree more. At the risk of starting another technique v. feel discussion (yawn!! ) , he was such a unique and powerful musical (and individual) force, he really can't be duplicated.

There are tens of thousands of really good drummers, but he was a great drummer in my book.

[mirrorimij]

I just finished watching the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. The Who ruled that show.

[murkat]

Wow. The guy was a madman.

^ oh yes. Moon and The true God of Thunder were the best bar none rythum section dou, drums/ bass.

the other two? eh, they wouldn't make it thru one quarter season on American Idol...

[HamerHokie]

I could not agree more. At the risk of starting another technique v. feel discussion (yawn!! ) , he was such a unique and powerful musical (and individual) force, he really can't be duplicated.

There are tens of thousands of really good drummers, but he was a great drummer in my book.

Speaking of flawless technique - If you've ever read an interview with Ginger Baker, notice how he gets red-faced anytime the interviewer mentions Moon or Bonham.

[Dumo]

Keith Moon was very original and effective. His drumming was often more melodic than rhythmic. John was very unconventional as well. He was playing lead bass a lot of the time. (The opening basslines of 5:15 he was just screwing around warming up and Pete was rolling tape) WTF? Townshend was a genius songwriter in the 60s and early 70s. Great, great band.

[JohnnyB]

Speaking of flawless technique - If you've ever read an interview with Ginger Baker, notice how he gets red-faced anytime the interviewer mentions Moon or Bonham.

Baker can get red-faced all he wants, but he's the one who brought a big yawn to the Cream and Blind Faith sessions. He never propelled the music the way Moon and Bonham did habitually.

[Willie G. Moseley]

Saw the 'Oo in '72 on the WHO'S NEXT tour. Moon was wacko but built a great rapport w/ the audience (observing that the aroma from Tuscaloosa's paper mills "stinks like s**t!").

One of the most indelible images in rock cinema ever---and one reason I think THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT is the greatest rock documentary ever (w/ GIMME SHELTER a close second) is that wrap-up to 'Won't Get Fooled Again" where Daltrey's silhouetted by laser smoke, then Moon cranks in with (lighted) drums, and when Townshend hits the A chord, he's in mid-leap, airborne from stage left, as the lights come back up, and Pete slides on his knees right at the camera.

It's fraudulent, though, as Townshend is shown coming back into the frame from the wrong side of the stage when the camera goes back out front, but it's incredibly powerful...as was the full version of "See Me Feel Me" at Woodstock in the same movie. Those kind of visuals, as the music is actually being created (even if it ain't in sync) ought to be more memorable than any videos created to accompany a song.

[kizanski]

Speaking of flawless technique - If you've ever read an interview with Ginger Baker, notice how he gets red-faced anytime the interviewer mentions Moon or Bonham.

Baker can get red-faced all he wants, but he's the one who brought a big yawn to the Cream and Blind Faith sessions. He never propelled the music the way Moon and Bonham did habitually.

Well, put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye because the world is surely coming to an end.

I agree with JohnnyB! (...well there is the Sony Bravia thing, too).

Ginger was great. Bonham and Moon were great AND they pushed their band's performances, as opposed to participating in them as merely one of the band members. They were more than that.

I was never a huge Led Zep fan, but I always admired the fact that when Bonham died, they pulled in the awnings, rolled up the carpets and shut the lights.

The Who, on the other hand, waited about 45 minutes and went searching for another drummer. They'll always be my favorite group, but that always bothered me. That, and their choice of replacements: Kenny Jones. The most boring drummer that ever lived. He was like a metronome with a paycheck.

[jettster]

I could not agree more. At the risk of starting another technique v. feel discussion (yawn!! ) , he was such a unique and powerful musical (and individual) force, he really can't be duplicated.

There are tens of thousands of really good drummers, but he was a great drummer in my book.

I thought he was so painstakingly accurate it was almost sterile. I prefer a looser more musical approach from someone who is not necessarily known for being a technician. like this guy

Hey I couldn't resist!!

[LordOfTheThighs]

On a related The Who note:

An excerpt from a web article, concerning why Townshend backed out of the big show last night.

______________________________________________________________

Oh, and here’s why Pete Townshend backed out of the show. He was originally announced as part of the lineup

when the show was scheduled for Nov. 26. When it was moved to Dec. 10, Pete was gone. So, too, was Ronnie

Wood. I don’t know about Wood, but this was what Pete wrote on his blog:

"I pulled out of the Ahmet Ertegun benefit the day I heard Led Zep were performing," writes Townshend. "They

really don't need me, and I will probably perform at some future event for the Ertegun Foundation... If you are

going to the show, have a great time. I am delighted Robert, Jimmy, John and Jason are back in black. I wish

them well. I will be warming up mince pies."

_______________________________________________________________

Warming up mince pies must be code for hanging at the house, beating off to his kiddie porn.

[Pieman]

Halloween 1969. The Kinks and The Who at Aaron Russo's Electric Playground (something like that). The Kinks did their Victoria opera, then their hits. The Who performed Tommy, then the Live at Leeds set. One of my top ten shows.

I knew we were in for a ride, when the carpenters came on stage and nailed Keith's drum kit to the riser. Three years later in Berlin, The Who finished off their summer European tour. They were real drunk and it showed.

[AdmiralB]

For many people like myself, he was just as much of what made up The Who as Townshend was.

The only band I can think of where the drums and bass were the lead instruments, and the guitar was the rhythm section.

[Jack C]

That, and their choice of replacements: Kenny Jones. The most boring drummer that ever lived. He was like a metronome with a paycheck.

Absolutely. The one replacement drummer who might rival Kenny Jones in terms of boring stiffness was GnR era Matt Sorum. The only difference was that Jones was in the motherfuggin Who. Who cares if Sorum made GnR suck. Kenny Jones was in the MOTHERFUGGIN WHO.

Jones' one saving grace was that he appeared on the tune The Quiet One. One of my favorite songs.

[kizanski]

For many people like myself, he was just as much of what made up The Who as Townshend was.

The only band I can think of where the drums and bass were the lead instruments, and the guitar was the rhythm section.

Well put. That's probably (well IT IS) what made their sound so different and why I liked them so much.

All Who fans should pick up the Isle of White DVD. That is a concert which shows just how important Moon and his style was to their live show, their energy and sound in general.

Once he died, that was gone forever, regardless of what replacement drummer they tried to plug in there.

[Jorge]

No disrespect intended, but different strokes...

I cannot stand his playing. To me, he was actually soloing ALL the time, distracting from the song. Just a background noise, if you will. A madman yes, not a really useful one.

[Guest pirateflynn]

Zack Starkey is a great drummer. It's clear that he really gets Moon's style and nails it down. He keeps all of the excitement but tightens it a little. For me, seeing The Who anymore is seeing for Zack Starkey play like Moonie.

[polara]

No disrespect intended, but different strokes...

I cannot stand his playing. To me, he was actually soloing ALL the time, distracting from the song. Just a background noise, if you will. A madman yes, not a really useful one.

Yuh, I'll join ya there. Loved loved LOVED the Who but "all fills all the time" isn't my kind of drumming.

[MCChris]

That, and their choice of replacements: Kenny Jones. The most boring drummer that ever lived. He was like a metronome with a paycheck.

Absolutely. The one replacement drummer who might rival Kenny Jones in terms of boring stiffness was GnR era Matt Sorum.

Certainly no reasonable person would have expected another Keith Moon, but Jones wasn't like that in the Faces (as evidenced by the Old Grey Whistle Test show that pops up on VH1 Classic on occasion). Maybe Pete, Roger and John were as disappointed as the rest of us when he got the Who gig and went in the crapper.

[Guest pirateflynn]

Maybe Pete, Roger and John were as disappointed as the rest of us when he got the Who gig and went in the crapper.

...... or maybe they just wanted a guy who would show up on time and not be half in the bag already.

[tbabinec]

Check out the recent multi-disk Monterey Pop. The Hendrix concert is worth the price of admission, as is Otis Redding, AND the original movie + the outtakes disk give you most of the Who's set. I believe that was their US debut.

[kizanski]

Certainly no reasonable person would have expected another Keith Moon...

The surefire way toward a disappointment: Unrealistic expectations.

ELEPHANT TALK!!

...... or maybe they just wanted a guy who would show up on time and not be half in the bag already.

Now, that's just nit-picking isn't it?

I believe that was their US debut.

I believe it was Jimi's US debut.

[JohnnyB]

I believe it was Jimi's US debut.

What about when he was opening for the Monkees? Doesn't that count?