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Keith Moon

Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour.

Moon 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 Kids Are Alright and Who Are You, the drummer's deterioration was evident. Moon moved back to London in 1978, dying that September from an overdose of Heminevrin, 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.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 23, 1946 (Central Middlesex Hospital), Died September 7, 1978 (Mayfair)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1957 - 1971

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 82 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 119572 11/10/1967 Relax Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 119641 11/29/1967 Silas Stingy Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 119642 11/29/1967 Sunrise Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 119643 11/29/1967 Rael Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 119977 2/23/1968 Call me lightning Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 119978 2/23/1968 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 120562 7/9/1968 Magic bus Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 120563 7/9/1968 Someone's coming Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121165 2/18/1969 Pinball wizard Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121166 2/18/1969 Dogs part two Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121447 1968-1969 Overture Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121448 1968-1969 It's a boy Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121449 1968-1969 You didn't hear it Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121450 1968-1969 Amazing journey Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121451 1968-1969 Sparks Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121452 1968-1969 Christmas Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121453 1968-1969 Cousin Kevin Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121454 1968-1969 The acid queen Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121455 1968-1969 Underture Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121456 1968-1969 Do you think it's alright Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121457 1968-1969 Fiddle about ; Pinball wizard Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121458 1968-1969 There's a doctor I've found Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121459 1968-1969 Go to the mirror boy Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121460 1968-1969 Tommy can you hear me Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 121461 1968-1969 Smash the mirror Who, The instrumentalist, drums  
(Results 26-50 of 82 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Moon, Keith," accessed May 10, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/332327.

Moon, Keith. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/332327.

"Moon, Keith." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 10 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/332327

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