Thoughts on Keith Moon

[Joe Nerve]

I just shake my head if anyone tries to dog on one of the most legendary players in history. [/MEDIA]

Don't you realize how cool it is to say people like Keith Moon, Jaco, The Beatles, Vic Vooten, Jimmy Page, or any one of the many greatest musicians of all time, sucked? It makes you stand out in the crowd. Get with it dude.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I read this somewhere and, after listening closely, found it to be true: Keith Moon more closely follows the vocals than anything else. Best example I can find is "Bargain" on Who's Next.

Riis

 

[OldPlucker]

I often wondered about the Muppet character Animal as to who he was supposed to be like. Well here is is playing against another great drummer.

 

[baileyboy]

I'm probably going to get flamed for saying so, but I always thought Keith Moon was a bit of a hack. Crazy, constant fills, it sometimes seemed like he never played the same beat twice in the same song. He was a crazy man who played the drums like a crazy man. He was far from talentless, but I always felt his manic style sounded a little immature. By the way, I loved The Who, so his crazy style never got in my way of enjoying their music.

Same here, always thought his playing was messy and drug-induced.

 

[jmlee]

A drummer buddy of mine said that when he listened to just about any drummer, he could figure out what they were doing, even if he couldn't do it himself. With Moon, he said that no matter how often he listened he still had no idea what Moon was doing.

 

[lfmn16]

Whenever you break new ground you bring out the haters that feel threatened by change. Happens on TB all the time.

 

[baceface]

Same here, always thought his playing was messy and drug-induced.

I understand why people do not like Moon's playing style but my confusion starts with exactly what drug induced music sounds like?

 

[worxforme]

I used to say negative things about people who had made it and their playing because deep inside I was jealous that I never made it to that point of success in music.

In the bass world I'd much rather listen to a bassist with a cool unique style and less than perfect technical abilities than the virtuoso bassists who plays his multi note tuba solo.

Keith did what he did before it was ever done and he did it very well, and along with his mates he made history.

 

[stringthrough]

I respect him for being an original, having good chops, and being a main ingredient of the Who sound, but for me he played too busy, especially with his endlessly long fills.

During my college years my drummer worshipped Moon and we'd get into these debates where I would contend that Baker and Bonham were "better" drummers.

 

[static0verdrive]

Speaking as a drummer (my other instrument) it's because he was sloppy as poopie and never bothered to learn even the basics of his craft. The real drummer in that band was Entwistle, with an able assist from Townshend.

Of course, he's inseparable from some of the greatest work in rock music. He just wasn't responsible for very much of it.

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

Back when I was a drummer only, these comments are about where all my drummer friends (and I) landed with respect to KM. He was there, he did well for what it was, but it's almost more of a punk-rock style... he certainly wasn't greatest of the greats, let's put it that way.

 

[Big Heavy Bass]

I never liked Keith Moon, I'm more into pocket/grooving drummers and for me Moon just simply overplayed. He had a lot of energy but he was just to all over the place for my personal taste. That being said, he was an integral part to the sound of the Who. I was never a massive Who fan so I've never gone super deep into their catalog so maybe he has some more controlled moments that I just missed.

 

[Jeffrey Bryan]

Whenever you break new ground you bring out the haters that feel threatened by change. Happens on TB all the time.

Give this man a carrot. I agree 120% with this. Reminds me of the classic "Cliff Burton & Lemmy don't play bass, they play guitar on bass".

I personally love The Who and the Keith+Ox combo but I also grown to love any imperfections in punk and thrash metal.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

I understand why people do not like Moon's playing style but my confusion starts with exactly what drug induced music sounds like?

Like Smiley Smile, or Their Satanic Majestic Request.

 

[xUptheIronsx]

Being a drummer/percussionist "first" in my musical career, I know I am in the minority that is not really impressed by Keith Moon. That being said, I totally respect the vibe that he gave The Who...I would venture to say that he was the first "punk rock" drummer for sure. He gave them a sense of reckless control that I think helped define their style. They would not have "been who they were" musically with out him. It is funny that I feel more like Entwistle was the foundation that connected Moon's playing to the rest of the group...he sort of "interpreted" Moon's playing.

My hero - Neal Peart - definitely cites Moon as a major influence...and I KNOW that most of the punk stuff I grew up loving would not have been the same without him.

I guess I could sum it up as saying: Great drummer? No....great performer/showman? Yes

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

I feel that Keith moon & John Bonham were rock drummers.

Ginger Baker is a musician. There's a big difference.

 

[scowboy]

Three words...

Live At Leeds.

 

[dalkowski]

Crazy, constant fills, it sometimes seemed like he never played the same beat twice in the same song. He was a crazy man who played the drums like a crazy man.

Precisely—that was the whole point. Moonie was the right drummer in the right band at the right time.

Personally, the music of Thee'Oo got me through high school and the music they made after he died failed to grab me by the short 'n' curlies (fortunately the energy of punk rock filled the void). I still can't think of The Who as The Who without Keith and John.

 

[jallenbass]

I read this somewhere and, after listening closely, found it to be true: Keith Moon more closely follows the vocals than anything else. Best example I can find is "Bargain" on Who's Next.

Riis

He phrased the drum parts like a vocalist. When I realized that his drumming made all the sense in the world to me.

 

[cnltb]

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

Ever asked him if he even wanted to or not?
He's more into horses anyways.

 

[Antman3820]

Believe I read or heard an interview with Neil Peart of Rush, and he mentioned his love of Keith Moons playing.