Thoughts on Keith Moon

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Charlie Watts is ten times the drummer Keith Moon was.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Cool to listen to, I don't know how I'd meld with his style if I played with someone like that. I had one kid I played with recently who was just a "beat the drums as hard as you can" and he just couldn't establish a backbone to the beat, just too many fills or noise with his playing...no dynamics. However the first drummer I played with played the same way, but knew when to do fills and established a skeleton to the beat before trying to toss muscles and skin on it. I still keep in touch with THAT drummer lol

 

[mindwell]

Keith Moon made great music. Far more important than whether his playing fit somebody's preconceived notion of what constitutes the "craft" of drumming.

Exhibit B, which is a live lip-synch in the studio:


Compare this with Simon Phillips' live version:



No contest. Phillips may be the "better" drummer, but does anybody really think his part is as musical or as effective?

 

[zontar]

The older one has better singing & guitar playing as well.

 

[SirMjac28]

Rock and Roll was still pretty young when Keith started there wasn't a blueprint to follow and musicians today are able to drink from a well that artists like Keith help to fill.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I know that Philthy Taylor, of Motorhead, cited Keith as an inspiration. Philthy also played double bass drums. Sadly, Phil is playing that great big gig in the sky now, with Keith.

 

[mellowinman]

I just shake my head if anyone tries to dog on one of the most legendary players in history. No one before him played that style and made it work. I'm not aware of anyone since who has, and if anyone has, they are most likely a copycat. The man is an icon; a truly unique and amazing musician, and will never be forgotten.

 

[DrayMiles]

He was a great drummer for the Who... Personally, I Thought he overplayed, didn't really listen to Entwistle as much as Entwistle listened to him, and generally sucked for my taste... But, was perfect for the Who, and I like the Who as a band. I was told by a few notable people that the Who "knew how to stay out of his way..." But, after 20 years of playing with English drummers I came to the conclusion I don't like playing with English drummers generally. They tend to drag, overplay and react to whoever is playing the melody. NOT THE BASSIST. I think that's why guitarists like them so much. Although in Rock (John Bonham), that backbeat made things feel BIG, or heavy, which worked for that genre... Depending on who else was in the band... There are exceptions like Dave Early (God rest his soul), or Ashley Soan (Scottish though..) that I've worked with... But 9 1/2 times out of 10, I hated it. I love Richard Bailey's playing, but in the studio, I knew that he wasn't going to compromise anything in the groove, so I did... As I told someone once "(insert name) doesn't play with you, he enforces his feel on you and you have to bend to his feel. Good or bad..." I think a sympathetic English drummer is more valuable than Platinum, and just as hard to find these days.

If you like an AMERICAN groove or R&B, then you probably won't enjoy having an English cat behind you generally speaking of course...

Moon was a trailblazer definitely, but I believe one or two drummers with that style is enough...

But that's my opinion and experience...

D.

 

[matt holt]

Let me start by saying that the who are the reason I play music. With that in mind, My take on their collective genius is that they took something that shouldn't have worked, and somehow made it perfect. If someone said to me "Check out this band; The drummer is constantly playing an insane barrage of symbols and Toms, The bassist plays like a lead guitar player, The actual guitar player plays mainly power cords, and the singer screams a lot and is pretty pitchy" my reaction would be "God, that sounds horrible; why would you ever want to listen to that?" And yet, I absolutely love it, and some of those records have helped get me though some really emotionally tough times. It doesn't really matter if Kieth moon was a "good" drummer-he is an indispensable part in creating music more powerful and important than most "good" players (myself included) ever will. The Who just wouldn't have been (and are not) the same without him-he was the perfect drummer for them, and almost certainly the only one who could have made them what they were.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I'm surprised how many great The Who fans are here that don't bother to capitalize the name of the band.

 

[GregC]

Human metronome? Maybe, but only because he was forced to play to a click track. That's why you see those headphones taped to his head.

I don't believe he wore those till very near the end of his life. He was truly a mess by then.

 

[GregC]

Charlie Watts is ten times the drummer Keith Moon was.

Apples and oranges. I doubt either could have played the way the other does.

 

[hintz]

I love Keith Moon. Exhibit A:

I always LMAO when I watch him play, probably the most entertaining drummer I've seen footage of!!

 

[Ric5]

I know he technichally wasnt a bassist, but I heard My Generation on the radio the other day, and his fills are just amazing. Feeling inspired, I went back and listened to their whole catalogue and Keith (not to mention John) blew me away on almost every song. I dont know why he gets so much hate from drummers... anyway, anyone else have any thoughts on the late, great Moon the Loon?

Keith was part Genius and part hack and part total crazy loon. He was an unconventional drummer. He did not even have a hi hat in his set.

 

[GregC]

I think Keith was at the height of his powers in the late '60s before the substances damaged him too much. The Who blew everyone off the stage at the Stones' Rock'n'Roll Circus--this is one of my favorite Moon performances. (Damn, the version with the video keeps getting taken down, I guess.)

 

[mntngrown]

Elvin Jones thought Keith Moon could play- thats a pretty decent endorsement.

Yeah I still remember picking up a Downbeat magazine at my school and reading the Elvin Jones interview where the interviewer journalist played some Who and some Cream or whatever and asked Jones to comment on both drummers. He pointed out how Moon brought the band back in tight when things were slipping and how they should make Baker an astronaut and lose his ass. Pretty funny. But then Jones played a drum battle with Baker so whatever. They were both great IMHO. Got to see them both live at Fillmore/Winterland. The Who caused my ears to ring for 3 days after. Not so much for Cream. Apropos of nothing. A drummer buddy of mine latched on to Ginger Baker in the 60's and studied his style for years. When I play with him there is no issue of time or locking in. Sync from the get. Great players both from a great era. OK Gramps go to bed now. tee hee

 

[matt holt]

I'm surprised how many great The Who fans are here that don't bother to capitalize the name of the band.

yea, i'm Pretty bad About my use of caps In general

 

[Polk Salad]

He is on my drumming Mt. Rushmore.

Keith was(is) beyond words. I was just listening to Quadrophenia earlier today. BOOM!

 

[matt holt]

Charlie Watts is ten times the drummer Keith Moon was.

And Mic Jagger is one tenth the singer that Josh Groban is-you tell me which one you would rather listen to

Not knocking the stones, but if you want to be dismissive based on technical ability (which I don't), there is plenty to dismiss about them

 

[JimmyM]

Charlie Watts is ten times the drummer Keith Moon was.

Charlie Watts can't hit the hi-hat and snare drum at the same time.