Keith Moon, without a doubt, stands as one of the most revolutionary and iconic drummers to ever hit the stage. He took rock drumming to a whole new level with his explosive fills and those wonderfully chaotic grooves. 🙏🏼 Don’t forget to check out drum-less versions of these songs and many more with the all-NEW Drumeo: www.Drumeo.com/trial 💪
His playing is pure joy. A unique band in many ways. Arguably, no rhythm section (only kidding of course, Pete was the time keeper and Rodger, when he was "tamborining")
I learned recently that the recorded bass take for The Real Me, was just John warming up. That was never supposed to be the bassline, he was just noodling about and Pete said that's what we're going with.
My favorite Who moment is on the Live at Leeds expanded edition during Heaven and Hell. When Pete starts his solo, John and Keith both show their chops but still keep the structure intact.
Thank you for this comment! I do not believe I’ve ever heard it summed up so precisely! Personally, my tendency in the Who is to focus on Entwhistle (as I am in awe of his playing) but every member of this band was a absolute beast and the band simply couldn’t work without each. No offense to Kenny.
@@frankphillips7436 I agree completely! I'm a drummer who grew up at 13 hearing my sister play every Who album in existence. With talent like this, I greatly enjoy purposely focusing on one instrument or musician and really listening to what they are doing on every song... every member in this band is just awe inspiring. And then together... watch out! Another band I love to do the same to is my first favorite band, Bad Company. Again, amazing talent, people who truly loved their instruments and had tremendous synergy, played straight forward rock n roll. Great fretless bass player, solid and stylish drummer, growling and sliding guitar, incredible voice. If you don't know, do check them out. They don't make bands or music like this anymore... or I'm just too old to go look for it with all this good stuff around eh?
The best overview of Keith Moon’s drumming style that I have seen on the internet. Too many focus on his antics and ignore his genius as a drummer. He was, to my mind,utterly original and without peer.
In today's music world, having a unique and individual progressive style on drums like Keith is almost non-existent. Seems the internet and drum tech institutes have showed drummers how to play, instead of drummers finding their own way to play.
@@DG-sf9ei Could not agree more. Back in those days we just played for the joy of it. Listened to the playbacks and worked on making music, not being a timekeeper.
@@DG-sf9ei If they are done now, it is only for a Gimmick to sell more tickets like the one cover band does playing very simple 1950's to 1960's songs then having the drummer use a totally different technique mainly just arm waving but still playing correctly the song as is, just that these 1950's and 1960's songs are too simple to play normally and they get board or boring to watch so they needed a gimmick.
I saw The Who in 1969 and walked out of the arena in shock. The brilliance I had just witnessed is still with me today. The ever-steady Entwistle’s driving bass, the windmill-swinging lead of Townshend, the microphone gymnastics of Daltry, and the brilliantly maniacal drumming of Moon. It was a spectacle to behold, cataclysmic, and simply beautiful.
That comment tomcaldwell5914 describes and defines the who and keith moon's drumming so well, after listening to "live at leeds" REALLY fckng loud for the first time-i was in a state of shock myself, good times.well said.
My uncle was hospitalized at Hollywood Memorial Hospital in '76. Moon was his roommate for a few days. As a kid, I was in awe that my uncle had a connection with Moon.
I saw the Who show Moon played at Miami Baseball Stadium just before his hospitalization. It was so good Dave Marsh wrote an article in Rolling Stone saying that show had restored his faith in the Who.
I had a dream a couple of years ago, where I was "lecturing" my friends on my favorite drummers. At the top of the list was Keith Moon, who I said had a natural, organic soulful quality all his own that couldn't be imitated, which made him, not just a "great" drummer, but "like a Martian...or an alien from another world...or a being from another dimension," not an ordinary human being from Earth. Truly an un-copy-able artist.
The drummer that’s come the closest to me is Brann Dailor of Mastodon. He treats them like a “lead instrument,” too, especially on their first couple albums.
When Keith brings us out of the break on Won't get fooled again before Roger tells us to meet the new boss is just one of those time stands still moments as you stand there slack jawed trying to take it all in even though you heard it a million times it still grabs hold of you like the first time
I knew and worked with Moon at Track Records in the '70s. One thing you've left out here is what a charming person he was. Always fun, as you'd imagine, but also a great and true friend to anyone who crossed his path.
I remember I was watching a documentary once about either Keith or The Who, and they showed a picture of Keith with a puppy. It was from later in his life, and the sadness in his eyes was striking to me. In that moment I saw him for what he was; that underneath all the craziness was a good person perhaps dogged by a few things that I don't think he ever truly got over (namely accidently killing his friend Neil Boland, and Kim divorcing him). One of the best Moon anecdotes I ever heard was this. Backstage at a Grateful Dead/The Who series of concerts in October of 1976, Jerry Garcia asked Keith, "Is it true you drove a Rolls Royce into a lake on your property?" Keith tipped Jerry a wink and replied, "If you've got it, sink it." It's nice to know The Who and The Grateful Dead liked each other, because I love them both.
@@johnr.8275 He drove more than one great car into that lake. Actually a pond under a tree. His house was in Chertzy, outside London, and the entrance was up a muddy lane that skirted a hedge on its left and a field on the right, at the pond, the lane turned sharp left up to a high brick wall surrounding his property. He often 'forgot' to turn left! Hence, the car graveyard... The house was octagonal in shape with a sunken living room. Had a small lawn edged by an herbaceous border. Track Records was a client and they often asked me to take an executive to Keith's house. Once, we arrived to find Keith propelling a hovercraft that he had had the idea to use on stage. It was basically an iron flatbed with a control station at which he stood. Anyway, he had lost control and it was spinning around fast while at the same time covering ground around the lawn. He managed to lop off all the flowers in the herbaceous border while his girlfriend and her mother, pissed out of their minds, were laughing hysterically whilst swigging glasses of champagne. The house inside was littered with broken/smashed TVs and the like. I drove Keith around on many an occasion. Often clearing up his messes. (For example, returning chunks of stone that he'd yanked out of the walls of Cardiff Castle!) But I liked him. Those were the days.
@@jahnbonyes, I knew Chris Stamp and Terrence. Unfortunately, I also knew Kit Lambert. Not a nice person. (I was asked to clear up some of his messes, too. But that was one step too far for me. I have never divulged what I knew. It was a different time back then.)
Well I don't know ... the same way he didn't love himself? He was known for destroying everything, just out of spite, which doesn't really ring like a well-balanced personality. Was this behavior commercialized and turned into a brand? Sure. Should we all be as destructive and explode hotel toilets, throw TVs into the pool, and eat a handful of amphetamines each morning? For fuck sake. Hitler was a boy scout compared to this guy. Completely nuts, over the top, egocentric, unlikeable, "look-at-me" type of personality and it all reflects in his performances. His last words to his partner were "If you don't like it, you can fuck off!" because she didn't think he should eat lamb cutlets because of how overweight he was at this point in life. A bitter alcoholic and drug addict, completely pissed at everything and everyone. I'm sure he was a centerpiece of any party, and did fun things, made people laugh and have a good time, because of how overly-expressive and explosive he was. But if you ask me how can you not love this guy? QUITE EASY. I'm a firm believer that while his drumming style brought a lot of novelty and character to the scene, there is little else that he did that was truly lovable.
Spot on! Fortune Teller> Tattoo, I Don't Even Know Myself, Too Much of Anything, Young Man Blues, and some others demonstrate just how dynamic and precise he was. That he was making faces, twirling his sticks, and tossing them and catching them into the crash on beat just add to how brilliant he was. Like Roy Clark and Jerry Reed, or John Entwistle, the way they do amazing things sonically, while making it seem like the most fun, natural and easy thing in the world makes people think Keith is just Animal the Muppet.
Yes that was wonderful ... I'd not seen that piece. The pride and joy on Roger's face, ... isolating just the drums and vocals, pointing out Keith's sensitivity and musical interaction. Roger 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 sharing that!
My favourite album of all time is Quadrophenia - from start to finish Keith Moon's drumming is just out of this world. The power in The Real Me to the amazing drum rolls on Drowned. No album tops it.
I was 15 when I heard Quadrophenia for the first time. I thought the album was written about me lol. Listening to Keith play was my ah ha moment as a drummer!
@@TheRyan668 It was definitely one of my "a-ha" moments, too, listening to Keith. The drums on Quadrophenia sound incredible; the best Keith's drums ever sounded in my opinion. I cut my teeth playing along to Keith and Bonham with headphones in my early teens...the poor neighbors!
I used to take the stereo into my room when my mo would go out and play (try to) the whole Quadrophenia album. I was very unpopular in my neighborhood. Lived in Hawaii at the time. The houses had no insulation...@@johnr.8275
In my opinion one of the BEST performances they ever had, up there with Live At Leeds just months before. What an absolute privilege to be able to see them there!
In 1982, the guys in my first band sat me down to watch The Kids Are Alright and said, “That’s how you do it.” So, I spent Freshman year in high school immersed in The Who. Moon reminds me of Elvin Jones in that they both create a pulse that the rest of the band rides on. It throbs like a beating heart. And, there’s room within it for their personalities to shine through. That’s the spirit that I’ve carried with me to this very day.
Lots of people like to point out Keith Moon often 'over drummed' his parts. My reply to that is THANK GOD. No one can emulate of compare to Moons totally unique drumming style. It's unhinged, energetic, and perfect for The Who's songs. The Who like Led Zeppelin were bands loaded with lead musicians. When you hear some of the isolated tracks of Moons playing it's sometimes like the complete song.
@@ofdrumsandchords You should learn a lil bit more about music ... Hope for you that one day you'll inderstand and feel that damned outstanding and unique tempo he was able to keep and create throughout his own style. Neal Peart said in the past he would'nt have done his career in Rush without the deep influence of Keith
@@pierrelemenestrel3198 Listen to Miles' drummers. Philly Joe, Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Tony Williams... Tony had a time keeping out of this world. I currently play Cuban music which requires more than a good timing (especially if you try to sing la letra along !).
@@ofdrumsandchords I'm glad that you share with me a lil bit of your carrer. I appreciate, but it doesn't prevent you from having respect 'bout kinda music you tell you dont know very well. I'm musician too and i like rock as well as jazz, soul, jazz rock, jazz fusion, funk, Brasilian etc.... I could speak about Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and some you never heard probably...as far as drummers are concerned. But i can also regognize the talent and genius of creators like Keith Moon or John Bonham in the 60's and 70's.
This was for my opinion the best analysis about Keith Moon. I have seen Keith Moon playing in concert, and it is true, it was impossible to take your eyes off him.
The style, the technique, the drama, the performance, the theatrics, the passion, the uniqueness, the interpretation, the personality, the humour, the music....the best to ever do it.
What was even more impressive than Keith's playing , was, that Entwisile, Daltrey & Townsend all let Keith play whatever he wanted. He also owes it to all 3 of them. I love ""The Who""
It always amazes me when time and space line up where members of a really great band somehow find each other. I'm left thinking how unlikely it all was, but also, "How could it possibly have happened any other way?" And in this case, I think it's even more concrete when you look at what the group was (or more accurately, was *not*) when they had Doug Sandom or Kenney Jones behind the kit. The magic was the four of them--Daltrey, Entwistle, Moon and Townsend--and any single one of them owes it all to the other 3, I think. They all intuitively knew what the band needed, when to lead and when to leave space for the others.
Brandon you are seriously the star of this channel. Your content with the genius of, drummers playing songs they don't know, your work with Chad Smith, etc have catapulted this channel from just a drum lesson channel, to videos I look forward to constantly and even share with my non drummer friends. Thanks for all you do
ABSOLUTELY! I CAN'T PASS a video that Brandon puts out! Love to watch a vid how he charts this one out...that is if he thought of that!! Love this guy!
@@aakkointhat's great that his name is Brandon, but please don't include evil maga chants in this channel, unfunny and unfun and completely distasteful. Thanks, mgmt
Ned from Spain, 61 yrs old and 50 yrs drummin. After my introduction to Ringo among other pop drummers, Keith Moon hit me like a drummin tsunami. This was the absolute best breakdown as well as homage to his incredible ability and importance. At 15:41 you say what I have been waiting to hear about how he matched his fills Rogers singing, doing that with Pete n John too and at 24:00 the fills on Young Man's Blues ! Bar none Moon and the Ox are my favorite Rock rhythm section ever.
I was 11 years old (20 years ago) when i discovered The Who. At the time, as a beginner drummer, i was filled with sadness when i found out Keith passed away even before i was born. To this day he's still my favourite drummer. To this day The Who is my favourite band.
You definitely live under a rock. You need to listen to more music. There are TONS of bands that are much better than the Who. TONS of drummers that are much better than Moon.
@@jraelien5798 Ah thank you. I absolutely needed someone who doesn't even know me to chose my personal taste in music for me. I can't believe I've been listening exclusively The Who on repeat for the last 20 years! Also you might want to check the dictionary (if you don't know it is it's that biiiig booook with a lot of words in it). Better and favourite have 2 different meanings. You really are a smart one.
I attended The Who´s concert in Hit House, Copenhagen, 07.06.1965, the evening before I turned 13. It was like we all were taking part in a theatrical piece with open ends. The chaos, the freedom, the limitless field of expressivity, the ecstatic "we-are-all-one" feeling - that made an impact which has all followed me ever since.
The most underrated song in the Who catalog, and the one that absolutely perfectly captures that Keith was playing music on an instrument rather than just banging away or keeping time, is Go To The Mirror. No two verses are the same, no two choruses are the same, speed, power, dynamics - it is the complete package. Amazing Journey is a brilliant piece of art rock, and the Leeds version of A Quick One is their finest live work and the pure essence of The Who. But in their studio catalog, GTTM is The Who Song.
It’s all about letting your emotions take you but also complementing with the rest of the band’s emotions along the way. Keith was never afraid to lead but left room to follow along. I don’t think we will ever see a more genius eccentric behind the beat like moon was.
I'm A lifelong fan of The Who I heard them first when I was 10 years old. I heard my brother playing I Can See For Miles and fell in love with them. I thought Keith was a drummer I never heard before . I now am 64 years old and still haven't heard anyone like him. To this day The Who is still my favorite band❤
That bit about letting go of the hi hat was spot on. I came to the same realization when I started playing two bass drums. The hi hat forces you into a rigid square and restrictive style. As soon as you abandon the hat, and let the two bass drums act like a counterpart to your left hand, the world opens up and it is liberating. Let the bass player add to keeping time. Give your audience some credit. They don't need a metronome.
@@FOH3663 I have to say Ginger Baker was a master of this when improvising with Cream live. Give them a listen. Spoonful, Sweet Wine, I'm so Glad, N.S.U. All the live stuff.
As a self-confessed Who devotee and fan of them both individually and as a group, I was little apprehensive when deciding to watch this post, worrying that dissection of the artistic whole would leave just messy entrails. How glad I am I took the plunge. Much of the expert analysis here helped me understand why my heart instinctively followed their music in general and Keith's drumming in particular, why I was so moved by it, as a child of the 70s and today still. @BrandonToews you are truly an educator, having given me, in my late 60s, new insights into this wonderfully creative genius. Thank you from an old man with a big smile on his face today! Peace to all and be kind to yourself and others☮☮
I type this as a self-professed Keith Moon nut. When learning to drum, I learned from Ringo to play for the band and play on time. When I discovered Keith Moon, I learned to channel your emotions and aggression into the drums and just go for it. Moon literally taught me to have fun behind the kit and just go for it. This is the best summary I've ever seen of Keith's drumming. Very comprehensive and well edited with clear examples. A few more songs to check out that stand out for me...…"Leaving Here (album or BBC version)", " La-La-La Lies", "Our Love Was", "Happy Jack", "Daddy Rolling Stone", and of course "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere". Watch the Ready Steady Go performance of the last song. Keith goes insane on it. I really love the early Who stuff. Outstanding video!
I saw The Who play live at Kamberly Town Hall in 1965. I couldn't take my eyes of Moon, he was wet through with sweat and he had a quiver full of drumsticks fastened to a floor Tom. I saw bits of drum stick flying all over the place and Moon would have another drumstick out of the quiver in the blink of an eye. This wasn't a concert, it was a dance hall where everyone was dancing and not taking much notice of the band. I just stood there awestruck, I was 19 years old. I am now 76 and still remember that night.
Thank you for the great episode on my favorite drummer. I bought Tommy by The Who when I was 11 years old, I'm 62 and still think he was the most dynamic drummer in the most dynamic band I had ever heard. Brandon did a great job recreating some of his playing too, better than anyone else I have seen. I think Roger's analogy of Moon being the yarn between the knitting needles of Pete's guitar and John's bass is genius. Keith really captured my imagination as a kid and I really spent so many hours as a teen enjoying the scope of The Who's music, especially Tommy and Quadrophenia. I think Quadrophenia is really the band at the top of their creative abilities.
My favorite drummer of all time. The man who got me into it. Thank you for the love you and the Drumeo crew put into this. Nice song picks to highlight from their discography! Was not expecting "New Song" or "When I Was A Boy" to be featured even as a snippet. Much love to you and the team.
The nonstop energy and explosiveness of Moon's dumming is stunning. Most drummers would moderate their playing at least once in a tune! Yet I actually feel a enormous intelligence behind the seeming chaos. "Unbridled enthusiasm".
Keith's drumming through the 60's and the first half the 70's was a major contributor to the genius of The Who. His drumming made a positive difference in pretty much every song recorded.
Followed everything the Who did back in the day, and was just flabbergasted at how many people didn't get-it; not seeing how great they all were. But Keith was such a standout, and added feeling and emotion that is irreplaceable in the Who's songs, no matter what the detractors say. Yes, he was a lead-instrumentalist, and nearly every song is testament to his creative and innovative genius coming up with so many melodic rhythms. member
Saw The Who in person a dozen times. At that point, probably none of us non-musicians in the audience knew where their amazing energy was coming from, but it was unmistakable. They were like no other band around. Typically, road performances of the great bands attempted to reproduce their studio tunes and never quite fulfilled that dream. Keith Moon blasted by their recorded sound like an explosion of excitement. They were truly the only band that exceeded their studio recordings - the greatest live band of all time.
I learned so much from playing Kieth Moon tracks as a kid. And a lot of times it didn't really matter if I played his parts "right", they just had to be played with energy. It's impossible not to have fun playing a Kieth Moon part.
Live at Leeds is a must for anyone! There's no greater live release. The ferocity, all that energy and drive, strong, powerful vehicle to deliver their art live. Rarely does a live album capture an act at their peak ... in this case, capturing what countless professionals claim is the greatest live rock act ever, ... that era of The Who. They'd just made it big with Tommy. Finally, all debts were paid, and all four had all the money and rock star lifestyle they each wanted! Tommy was '69 Live at Leeds was '70 Who's Next '71 Of course they had a great run in the mid 70's with Quad, Who Are You, etc. But Live at Leeds captured that early energy, only four years in, everything was still fresh and flourishing. Damn, that's a lot! Caffeine, it's a helluva drug.
I'm so glad all these drummers are covering Keith. The energy and wicked dynamics of Who songs always hit me unlike any other band. It was more than Pete's unique arrangements, John's memorable, "metronomic" bass lines, and Roger's soaring voice. I think the clip of Roger playing the drum & vocal tracks together best illustrates Keith's mindset; accent, build, punctuate, insert tension and release in unexpected places. Oh, and he was hilariously lovable.
@@82mangini Average. Of all adjectives, it would seem average is likely the least appropriate. The well executed point of the video illustrates Kieth was essentially incomparable. He broke the mold ... he was akin to an orchestral expressionist, as a lead instrument ... Entwistle, as well as Townsend kept time, ... as Pete said, "somebody had to". Nothing average about Kieth, including his component of The Who.
@@jimwing.2178 Keith moon os a average drummer. Fact. He can' t play rudiments, he can" t play odd times signatures, he independence is nothing,, he can' t play Dynamics. He is a average drummer
Keith Moon is one of the greatest drummers in rock history. Fact. All those killer mid-60's Who power-pop singles when he was still in his teens; "Can't Explain", "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", "Substitute", "My Generation", "The Kids Are Alright", "Happy Jack", "I Can See For Miles", "Pictures of Lilly". Albums in the late 1960's when he was in his early 20's; "Tommy", "Live at Leeds". Albums in the 1970's when he was in his mid-20's; "Who's Next", "Quadrophenia". He was a unique drummer, a total one-off. No one has played like Keith Moon before or since and he was a total showman. Any time you see a rock or metal drummer with a giant flashy drum set, twirling his sticks, playing out front aggressively you can trace it back to Keith Moon. Two excellent comps: "Meaty, Beaty, Big, and Bouncy" featuring the early singles and "Odds and Sods" featuring late 60's early 70's outtakes. Both albums feature Moon's drumming.
My favorite Rock drummer by far... Keith Moon. This is a very well done summery wit a lot of good background info that helps explain his genesis of creating His sound. If you go back a little further in the rise of 1920 jazz, there was another drummer and leader of His band named Chick Webb, that Gene Kruppa played against, who could have been a template for Keith Moon. Revolutionary for his time also... and too brief a career.
So many songs... but yeah, "Bargain". I've heard the song almost every day on rock radio for the past 40 years. I still stop whatever I'm doing at work to listen to Keith play at the end of that one and it always makes me smile. I smile because somebody did it right.
So glad you included the clip of Daltrey talking about Behind Blue Eyes (saw it years ago). The fact that Moon plays a straight pattern when Roger's not singing is funnier than any of his antics!
I don't think he is playing it straight in that moment... I think he briefly switches from complimenting Daltreys vocals to responding to Townshend's guitar for a bar.
I gotta be honest, always familiar with Keith Moon, but this was a great example of his actual grooves and it really helps me appreciate how unique his style was. Amazingly innovative, and I know if I heard the track without the drums, I would never even consider some of his choices. So cool! Thanks for putting this together.
He was the very incarnation of " Rock ". Not only great at his instrument, but wild, crazy, funny, and completely out of control......" A Real Rockstar "........❤
I've always been interested in the fact that the greatest rock drummers of all time were all heavily influenced by jazz drummers. Watching Keith play is something so special...powerful, comical, and sexy all at once. He made his drums sing.
You didn't listen to many jazz drummers, did you ? Obviously, rock drummers were not influenced enough. By the time the Who or Led Zeppelin released their music, you could hear Cobham with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Ainsley Dunbar with Zappa, Tony Williams, Elvin, Jack DeJohnette, Gadd with Corea, Michael Shrieve with Santana. All these guys had an impeccable timing, especially Tony, his tempo was phenomenal. My father listened to classical music, but also jazz. Masterpieces like Atomic Basie, with Sonny Payne on drums. These guys didn't record with a click. You can play on it, it's a rail. Moon just didn't work enough with a metronome.
@@ofdrumsandchordsThen how do you explain his live playing in 1971? He was one of the first drummers to ever play to a metronome live. How much more boring do you think the shows would’ve been if he would’ve played with the metronome for the whole show? Also I’ll mention, you can sync footage of Keith to different audio months apart, and it’ll sync over 90% of the time with minimal editing. Impressive considering how much he improvised.
@@BobbysArchive Sorry, I never liked these drummers who play an uninterrupted fill during the song. I always listened to great jazzmen, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter who are serious composers, their drummers knew their place. Most of these rock bands had a fluctuating tempo, that was part of the spirit, Hendrix, Led Zep, they really listened to each other. Perhaps Keith Moon was more steady. Anyway, I'm not very interested in rock. This is basically 17th century music, frankly I prefer baroque.
Soooo well done, as always. Keith’s musicality somehow miraculously served the songs perfectly while anyone else playing so many notes would have absolutely ruined the songs and come off as grossly inappropriate. He truly was undeniably one of a kind. Thanks for all your videos.
It really struck me, looking at the sheet music for transcriptions of Keith Moon’s drum parts, how much they looked like they’d been written for a melodic instrument like the piano. For all his bombast and lunatic energy, he really could play!
As a lifelong Who fan and great admirer of Moon's originality and sheer energy...this was hands down the best survey of his genius I've ever come across...I subscribed to this channel the moment I saw that you quoted "When I was a Boy"...from Who's Missing...just an explosion of a drum fill so insane (both times around in this transition back to the verses are different and equally amazing)...if Palmer, Part, and Portnoy admire this guy's energy and original approach...then the panel of experts in the field have spoken...thank you
Keith Moon didn't just keep a beat he was an essential part of the band. He was phenomenal, just listen to his drumming on Quadrophenia, which in my mind was his masterpiece. I've played the drums my whole life and he's always been my hero. All hail the Moon
Thank you for this incredible video! I really enjoyed how you so eloquently showed the different sides of Keith’s playing, especially including his grooves. As a 12 year old in 1979 watching the Kids Are Alright, I was inspired to play the drums. Moonie was the impetus for me to bug my parents until they gave in and let me play. His playing inspired me to practice and learn how to play. His passing has always been a tragic waste in my eyes, just imagine the music he could have made if he had taken more interest in his health. RIP Keith Moon.
He is such a influence to my drumming. I've learned so much from him and other drummers. No I'm not great ,but have built a certain confidence on how and where to turn it up and make rockn happen! Thank you Keith,Be with God,,, rockn out in heaven.
Totally agree with you. Townshend said that when his partner decided to score Quadrophenia so it could be played by an orchestra to be played live at the Albert Hall, it took *four* percussionists to replicate what Moon laid down, probably in one take, on the original album!
Was listening to the Quad at lunch and on the way home. Listen every week. It never gets old. To me, maybe the best album ever. Definitely a master piece.used to listen to the Quad when I was 17. That was 1977. Seemed not many people know what it was. Even my brother and sister that had stacks of albums. 100's
Hello Drumeo, I hope all is well.. I just want to say, I’m a black man who absolutely loves the band the WHO. I saw your video on Keith Moon. I highly enjoyed it. ( very entertaining) I learned a lot I didn’t know about him and the rest of the band. Keep up the great work and stay safe. My RUclips friend..
Fantastic video! Great analysis and breakdown of what made Keith such an innovative, one-of-a-kind musician and performer. Appreciate both the archival footage and instructional drum demonstrations. I've been listening to The Who for decades and still heard new aspects of their music. One of your best so far!
Great video! I've heard of Keith Moon, I've seen him listed on many "greatest drummers" lists and I've heard some of the more popular songs by The Who. However, I never really listened to him play or focused on the drum parts of the various songs I've heard. So, this entire video has been a great learning experience for me! Thanks for posting!
Moon the Loon was raised in my hometown Wembley. There are many stories known to us locals, although we are dying out now. One story relates to him working at Henry Cooper’s fruit & veg shop at the bottom of Moon’s road (Chaplin Road) (Henry Cooper was one of England’s most successful heavyweight boxers in the sixties, and retired to open his shop in Ealing Road, Wembley) So after working at this shop as a teenager, he joined the Who at a local pub in Sudbury Hill, a town near to his home. He obviously hated his job in fruit & veg, and wasn’t too keen on his boss. When he had been successful enough to buy a Rolls Royce, which he painted in psychedelic colours himself and had a PA system fitted, he parked opposite Henry Cooper’s shop one Saturday, a busy day. For a couple of hours, all you could hear was “Henry Cooper, you’re a WANKER”, and that shocked everyone, shoppers, staff and owner alike. But he got his revenge.
What I get from Keith Moon is to never be afraid to try a different approach to drumming. If one is in a band, don’t hesitate to throw something completely different out there and see if it works.
Moon, Bonzo, Peart and Buddy. For non-drummers, that's pretty much it for household names. Alex Van Halen, too, maybe but his name is also the name of the band, so...
I think what Keith Moon showed everyone is that there are no limits other than the ones you impose on yourself particularly in drumming where it’s easy to get analytical and exact and that much like Moffet you can play just from the spirit.
The WHO will always be my number 1. With Keith, it just brings goosebumps listening to it. I hear new things in their songs time and time again, and I've listened to them literally thousands of times. It's virtually all I listen to and all I try to play on bass and guitar
Epic piece of analysis ... lifelong Who fan, inherited from my old mans record collection which I raided as a teen, he was a proper South London Modster in the day riding round the city to see The Stones , Who n Yardbirds wherever they were playing ( oh to have a 250cc Lambretta n no risk of a breathalyser test lol)... always knew the Moon wsa exemplary , but you really set it out for all to see ... on reflection Quadrophenia is his album / legacy n his input / output (?) truly shines .... love your work
I'm not a drummer, and I do not play any instruments. I've been watching this channel for a few days now, and I'll never hear music the same way again. Never realized how important the drums were until seeing these videos. It's really amazing to see such talent on here. Never thought dudes and ladies banging on shit could be so great.
Thanks for covering a truly important drummer in rock music, the whirlwind we once knew as Keith Moon. As Roger emphatically stated, Keith certainly had an element of musicality about him, in spite of his completely undisciplined approach to the instrument. Moonie’s rhythmic shading is really out there but he also manages to weave a crazy groove. What’s unmistakable is that you always walk away from listening to him play knowing you just had a thrill.
Being an old former drummer of the 70's (not very good), I based my style on Keith. I've always called it a mix of Moon and Corky Laing. He was so unique that he was captivating in every song. I was fortunate enough to see him with the Who on four occasions, and it was just incredible. I finally was able to obtain an autograph of his a couple of years ago, and it is truly a treasured item. Almost any great drummer of today will list him as an influence!
I would argue that Moon's drumming was liquid. The notes poured out of him as if they were a waterfall. The sound simply gushed over the listener. Frankly I think this style is extraordinary impressive. I much prefer him to even Bonham.
Keith Moon, without a doubt, stands as one of the most revolutionary and iconic drummers to ever hit the stage. He took rock drumming to a whole new level with his explosive fills and those wonderfully chaotic grooves. 🙏🏼
Don’t forget to check out drum-less versions of these songs and many more with the all-NEW Drumeo: www.Drumeo.com/trial 💪
"The Real Me" is my favorite drumming Kieth did. So powerful....
I tend to hold my breath during the whole song!
His playing is pure joy. A unique band in many ways. Arguably, no rhythm section (only kidding of course, Pete was the time keeper and Rodger, when he was "tamborining")
Do a video about Bill bruford, please! Follow you fron italy❤
Make a video about mike portnoy just please….
Love those live takes, kit and playing well done 👏
The fact that John Entwhistle could work with Moon as a coherent rhythm section further illustrates not just the genius of Keith, but of John as well.
The Ox !
All four of them were/are genius!
@@Brain_Juice Absolutely amazing band!
I learned recently that the recorded bass take for The Real Me, was just John warming up. That was never supposed to be the bassline, he was just noodling about and Pete said that's what we're going with.
💯💯💯💯💯
The Who... Lead singer, lead guitar, lead bass, lead drummer... what a synergy created by incredibly talented individuals.
My favorite Who moment is on the Live at Leeds expanded edition during Heaven and Hell. When Pete starts his solo, John and Keith both show their chops but still keep the structure intact.
And almost all of them sometimes magically led at the same time. Check out John playing at 18:45.
"Lead" bass and "lead" drums?? 😂
Thank you for this comment!
I do not believe I’ve ever heard it summed up so precisely!
Personally, my tendency in the Who is to focus on Entwhistle (as I am in awe of his playing) but every member of this band was a absolute beast and the band simply couldn’t work without each.
No offense to Kenny.
@@frankphillips7436 I agree completely! I'm a drummer who grew up at 13 hearing my sister play every Who album in existence. With talent like this, I greatly enjoy purposely focusing on one instrument or musician and really listening to what they are doing on every song... every member in this band is just awe inspiring. And then together... watch out! Another band I love to do the same to is my first favorite band, Bad Company. Again, amazing talent, people who truly loved their instruments and had tremendous synergy, played straight forward rock n roll. Great fretless bass player, solid and stylish drummer, growling and sliding guitar, incredible voice. If you don't know, do check them out. They don't make bands or music like this anymore... or I'm just too old to go look for it with all this good stuff around eh?
The best overview of Keith Moon’s drumming style that I have seen on the internet. Too many focus on his antics and ignore his genius as a drummer. He was, to my mind,utterly original and without peer.
a great analysis !!
In today's music world, having a unique and individual progressive style on drums like Keith is almost non-existent. Seems the internet and drum tech institutes have showed drummers how to play, instead of drummers finding their own way to play.
great comment! it's pretty much exactly what i was thinking.
@@DG-sf9ei Could not agree more. Back in those days we just played for the joy of it. Listened to the playbacks and worked on making music, not being a timekeeper.
@@DG-sf9ei If they are done now, it is only for a Gimmick to sell more tickets like the one cover band does playing very simple 1950's to 1960's songs then having the drummer use a totally different technique mainly just arm waving but still playing correctly the song as is, just that these 1950's and 1960's songs are too simple to play normally and they get board or boring to watch so they needed a gimmick.
I saw The Who in 1969 and walked out of the arena in shock. The brilliance I had just witnessed is still with me today. The ever-steady Entwistle’s driving bass, the windmill-swinging lead of Townshend, the microphone gymnastics of Daltry, and the brilliantly maniacal drumming of Moon. It was a spectacle to behold, cataclysmic, and simply beautiful.
I saw them in 1976, it was my first rock concert at Oakland Colisium!
@@DarrenReetz Awesome, my friend.
You are a lucky man.
That comment tomcaldwell5914 describes and defines the who and keith moon's drumming so well, after listening to "live at leeds" REALLY fckng loud for the first time-i was in a state of shock myself, good times.well said.
@@jefflyon2020 Awesome, my friend.
My uncle was hospitalized at Hollywood Memorial Hospital in '76. Moon was his roommate for a few days. As a kid, I was in awe that my uncle had a connection with Moon.
I saw the Who show Moon played at Miami Baseball Stadium just before his hospitalization. It was so good Dave Marsh wrote an article in Rolling Stone saying that show had restored his faith in the Who.
As Mike Portnoy said, there was no drummer like him before or since. Nobody plays like that!! Truly and literally a one of a kind drummer.
Can't wait for them to get to Mike Portnoy himself. If you haven't seen the hello kitty solo with winery dogs, please do.
I had a dream a couple of years ago, where I was "lecturing" my friends on my favorite drummers. At the top of the list was Keith Moon, who I said had a natural, organic soulful quality all his own that couldn't be imitated, which made him, not just a "great" drummer, but "like a Martian...or an alien from another world...or a being from another dimension," not an ordinary human being from Earth. Truly an un-copy-able artist.
The drummer that’s come the closest to me is Brann Dailor of Mastodon. He treats them like a “lead instrument,” too, especially on their first couple albums.
When Keith brings us out of the break on Won't get fooled again before Roger tells us to meet the new boss is just one of those time stands still moments as you stand there slack jawed trying to take it all in even though you heard it a million times it still grabs hold of you like the first time
Never cared for the Mooney.. far too busy..sloppy
Grateful to be old enough to have seen Keith Moon play live!
Lucky duck!
How close were you??
An older friend of mine saw The Who in 1971 in Boston Music Hall (now the Wang Center). To have seen peak Keith Moon in 1971 must have been amazing.
@@drummer78 I had the programme from that show when I was a kid-must gave been quite a show!
@@Barry101er I think The Faces may have even been the opener. I’ll have to look that up.
I knew and worked with Moon at Track Records in the '70s. One thing you've left out here is what a charming person he was. Always fun, as you'd imagine, but also a great and true friend to anyone who crossed his path.
Peter Rudge, Kit Lambert, Chris Stamp, and Bill Curbishley knew. He was a sweet soul. ;)
I remember I was watching a documentary once about either Keith or The Who, and they showed a picture of Keith with a puppy. It was from later in his life, and the sadness in his eyes was striking to me. In that moment I saw him for what he was; that underneath all the craziness was a good person perhaps dogged by a few things that I don't think he ever truly got over (namely accidently killing his friend Neil Boland, and Kim divorcing him). One of the best Moon anecdotes I ever heard was this. Backstage at a Grateful Dead/The Who series of concerts in October of 1976, Jerry Garcia asked Keith, "Is it true you drove a Rolls Royce into a lake on your property?" Keith tipped Jerry a wink and replied, "If you've got it, sink it." It's nice to know The Who and The Grateful Dead liked each other, because I love them both.
@@johnr.8275 He drove more than one great car into that lake. Actually a pond under a tree. His house was in Chertzy, outside London, and the entrance was up a muddy lane that skirted a hedge on its left and a field on the right, at the pond, the lane turned sharp left up to a high brick wall surrounding his property. He often 'forgot' to turn left! Hence, the car graveyard... The house was octagonal in shape with a sunken living room. Had a small lawn edged by an herbaceous border. Track Records was a client and they often asked me to take an executive to Keith's house. Once, we arrived to find Keith propelling a hovercraft that he had had the idea to use on stage. It was basically an iron flatbed with a control station at which he stood. Anyway, he had lost control and it was spinning around fast while at the same time covering ground around the lawn. He managed to lop off all the flowers in the herbaceous border while his girlfriend and her mother, pissed out of their minds, were laughing hysterically whilst swigging glasses of champagne. The house inside was littered with broken/smashed TVs and the like. I drove Keith around on many an occasion. Often clearing up his messes. (For example, returning chunks of stone that he'd yanked out of the walls of Cardiff Castle!) But I liked him. Those were the days.
@@susannahbaringtait1257 GREAT stories, Susannah! Thanks for sharing. You must have known Pete Rudge also if Track was a client, eh?
@@jahnbonyes, I knew Chris Stamp and Terrence. Unfortunately, I also knew Kit Lambert. Not a nice person. (I was asked to clear up some of his messes, too. But that was one step too far for me. I have never divulged what I knew. It was a different time back then.)
Never mind the drumming genius, just look at that face, that smile, those expressions, how can you not love this guy??
Well I don't know ... the same way he didn't love himself? He was known for destroying everything, just out of spite, which doesn't really ring like a well-balanced personality. Was this behavior commercialized and turned into a brand? Sure. Should we all be as destructive and explode hotel toilets, throw TVs into the pool, and eat a handful of amphetamines each morning? For fuck sake. Hitler was a boy scout compared to this guy.
Completely nuts, over the top, egocentric, unlikeable, "look-at-me" type of personality and it all reflects in his performances. His last words to his partner were "If you don't like it, you can fuck off!" because she didn't think he should eat lamb cutlets because of how overweight he was at this point in life. A bitter alcoholic and drug addict, completely pissed at everything and everyone.
I'm sure he was a centerpiece of any party, and did fun things, made people laugh and have a good time, because of how overly-expressive and explosive he was. But if you ask me how can you not love this guy? QUITE EASY. I'm a firm believer that while his drumming style brought a lot of novelty and character to the scene, there is little else that he did that was truly lovable.
ruclips.net/video/fP_WYc90bBI/видео.html
he was lovable rascal .
One thing not mentioned is how precise he actually was. He wasn't just playing aggressively and creatively. He's always on the beat.
Spot on! Fortune Teller> Tattoo, I Don't Even Know Myself, Too Much of Anything, Young Man Blues, and some others demonstrate just how dynamic and precise he was. That he was making faces, twirling his sticks, and tossing them and catching them into the crash on beat just add to how brilliant he was. Like Roy Clark and Jerry Reed, or John Entwistle, the way they do amazing things sonically, while making it seem like the most fun, natural and easy thing in the world makes people think Keith is just Animal the Muppet.
Best description I ever heard: John Entwistles basslines were the getaway car, Keith Moon's drumming was the crime.
Oh, I love this description with all my heart
That is a thing of beauty.
Daltrey's pure joy listening to the way Moon plays off the vocals in Behind Blue Eyes is so great
My favorite part of this video! There’s something about that drum part that just brings me joy too!
Yes that was wonderful ... I'd not seen that piece.
The pride and joy on Roger's face, ... isolating just the drums and vocals, pointing out Keith's sensitivity and musical interaction.
Roger 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 sharing that!
Agreed. Amazing how that sounded.
Roger loved Keith so much !
And Keith loved "Pity" Townshend but this ass**le HATED Moonie...😢
Fortunately, he will never know that his bro was happy he died at 32.
Organised chaos is how I think of Moony's drumming style. An absolute innovator and legend.
My favourite album of all time is Quadrophenia - from start to finish Keith Moon's drumming is just out of this world. The power in The Real Me to the amazing drum rolls on Drowned. No album tops it.
It's absolutely the best-recorded Who album in terms of the drums. They sound MASSIVE on Quadrophenia!
TOMMY is Also incredible by Moon
I was 15 when I heard Quadrophenia for the first time. I thought the album was written about me lol. Listening to Keith play was my ah ha moment as a drummer!
@@TheRyan668 It was definitely one of my "a-ha" moments, too, listening to Keith. The drums on Quadrophenia sound incredible; the best Keith's drums ever sounded in my opinion. I cut my teeth playing along to Keith and Bonham with headphones in my early teens...the poor neighbors!
I used to take the stereo into my room when my mo would go out and play (try to) the whole Quadrophenia album. I was very unpopular in my neighborhood. Lived in Hawaii at the time. The houses had no insulation...@@johnr.8275
I feel blessed to have seen Keith and The Who, live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, just 16 years old. What a performance.
Did we meet up somewhere there???? An unbelievable few days....happy daze!
In my opinion one of the BEST performances they ever had, up there with Live At Leeds just months before. What an absolute privilege to be able to see them there!
Keith’s fill always sounded like he just threw the drums off a cliff ,but tastefully and never losing time. Genius
he probably did just throw the drums off a cliff
I haven't watched the whole thing yet but do they touch on his use of double bass for flams and flourishes? No one ever does.
Lol, or a train that's about to go off the tracks.....but the tracks realigned themselves with the conductor.
His toms were always tuned in such a way that you ALWAYS knew it was him.
@@relevantinformation6655 Mine are always tuned in a way that you know it's going to sound like shit compared to the pros
In 1982, the guys in my first band sat me down to watch The Kids Are Alright and said, “That’s how you do it.” So, I spent Freshman year in high school immersed in The Who. Moon reminds me of Elvin Jones in that they both create a pulse that the rest of the band rides on. It throbs like a beating heart. And, there’s room within it for their personalities to shine through. That’s the spirit that I’ve carried with me to this very day.
He was a great example of the passion you can use while drumming.
Lots of people like to point out Keith Moon often 'over drummed' his parts. My reply to that is THANK GOD. No one can emulate of compare to Moons totally unique drumming style. It's unhinged, energetic, and perfect for The Who's songs. The Who like Led Zeppelin were bands loaded with lead musicians. When you hear some of the isolated tracks of Moons playing it's sometimes like the complete song.
Two bands with a floating tempo. Very painful. You never listened to any great drummer with a good timing ?
The Who - Keith Moon = the who?
@@ofdrumsandchords You should learn a lil bit more about music ... Hope for you that one day you'll inderstand and feel that damned outstanding and unique tempo he was able to keep and create throughout his own style. Neal Peart said in the past he would'nt have done his career in Rush without the deep influence of Keith
@@pierrelemenestrel3198
Listen to Miles' drummers. Philly Joe, Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Tony Williams...
Tony had a time keeping out of this world. I currently play Cuban music which requires more than a good timing (especially if you try to sing la letra along !).
@@ofdrumsandchords I'm glad that you share with me a lil bit of your carrer. I appreciate, but it doesn't prevent you from having respect 'bout kinda music you tell you dont know very well.
I'm musician too and i like rock as well as jazz, soul, jazz rock, jazz fusion, funk, Brasilian etc....
I could speak about Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and some you never heard probably...as far as drummers are concerned.
But i can also regognize the talent and genius of creators like Keith Moon or John Bonham in the 60's and 70's.
LIsten to The Who`s Live at Leeds as loud as you can. That`s the best way to enjoy Keith Moon and The Who in my opinion.
The only way!
@@phillipschultz7869 Agree. lol
That works!!
This was for my opinion the best analysis about Keith Moon. I have seen Keith Moon playing in concert, and it is true, it was impossible to take your eyes off him.
Keith moon was a average drummer
@@82mangini
Sure 🙄.
That's why he is such a legend.
@@82mangini whatever kid!
@@juliebryne2903 whatever fanboy!!
John Bonham was an average drummer.
The style, the technique, the drama, the performance, the theatrics, the passion, the uniqueness, the interpretation, the personality, the humour, the music....the best to ever do it.
What was even more impressive than Keith's playing , was, that Entwisile, Daltrey & Townsend all let Keith play whatever he wanted. He also owes it to all 3 of them. I love ""The Who""
Very good point!
It always amazes me when time and space line up where members of a really great band somehow find each other. I'm left thinking how unlikely it all was, but also, "How could it possibly have happened any other way?" And in this case, I think it's even more concrete when you look at what the group was (or more accurately, was *not*) when they had Doug Sandom or Kenney Jones behind the kit. The magic was the four of them--Daltrey, Entwistle, Moon and Townsend--and any single one of them owes it all to the other 3, I think. They all intuitively knew what the band needed, when to lead and when to leave space for the others.
Sadly, they were never the same after his death.@@smackela
Very true
Keith was the most joyful, whimsical drummer in the history of rock music and he was great. Such spirited playing
This is the first unmoronic analysis of Moon I have found in 20yrs searching. Thank you!
Brandon you are seriously the star of this channel. Your content with the genius of, drummers playing songs they don't know, your work with Chad Smith, etc have catapulted this channel from just a drum lesson channel, to videos I look forward to constantly and even share with my non drummer friends. Thanks for all you do
❤❤❤
Agreed, awesome guy. Let's go Brandon!!
ABSOLUTELY! I CAN'T PASS a video that Brandon puts out! Love to watch a vid how he charts this one out...that is if he thought of that!! Love this guy!
@@aakkointhat's great that his name is Brandon, but please don't include evil maga chants in this channel, unfunny and unfun and completely distasteful.
Thanks, mgmt
@@casanovafrankenstein8538 Cry me a river XD
Ned from Spain, 61 yrs old and 50 yrs drummin. After my introduction to Ringo among other pop drummers, Keith Moon hit me like a drummin tsunami. This was the absolute best breakdown as well as homage to his incredible ability and importance. At 15:41 you say what I have been waiting to hear about how he matched his fills Rogers singing, doing that with Pete n John too and at 24:00 the fills on Young Man's Blues ! Bar none Moon and the Ox are my favorite Rock rhythm section ever.
I was 11 years old (20 years ago) when i discovered The Who. At the time, as a beginner drummer, i was filled with sadness when i found out Keith passed away even before i was born. To this day he's still my favourite drummer. To this day The Who is my favourite band.
You definitely live under a rock. You need to listen to more music. There are TONS of bands that are much better than the Who. TONS of drummers that are much better than Moon.
@@jraelien5798 Ah thank you. I absolutely needed someone who doesn't even know me to chose my personal taste in music for me. I can't believe I've been listening exclusively The Who on repeat for the last 20 years!
Also you might want to check the dictionary (if you don't know it is it's that biiiig booook with a lot of words in it). Better and favourite have 2 different meanings.
You really are a smart one.
I attended The Who´s concert in Hit House, Copenhagen, 07.06.1965, the evening before I turned 13. It was like we all were taking part in a theatrical piece with open ends. The chaos, the freedom, the limitless field of expressivity, the ecstatic "we-are-all-one" feeling - that made an impact which has all followed me ever since.
Been drumming for 40+ years. What I learned from Keith Moon is fearlessness. I don't always realize it, but I always strive for it.
One of my biggest inspirations for drumming. I owe a lot to the guy. RIP
The most underrated song in the Who catalog, and the one that absolutely perfectly captures that Keith was playing music on an instrument rather than just banging away or keeping time, is Go To The Mirror. No two verses are the same, no two choruses are the same, speed, power, dynamics - it is the complete package. Amazing Journey is a brilliant piece of art rock, and the Leeds version of A Quick One is their finest live work and the pure essence of The Who. But in their studio catalog, GTTM is The Who Song.
Moon's drumming on "Tommy" is my favorite, too.
It’s all about letting your emotions take you but also complementing with the rest of the band’s emotions along the way. Keith was never afraid to lead but left room to follow along. I don’t think we will ever see a more genius eccentric behind the beat like moon was.
I'm A lifelong fan of The Who I heard them first when I was 10 years old. I heard my brother playing I Can See For Miles and fell in love with them. I thought Keith was a drummer I never heard before . I now am 64 years old and still haven't heard anyone like him. To this day The Who is still my favorite band❤
It makes me feel good to know these great drummers know the deep cuts.
This means they REALLY listened to the who.
That bit about letting go of the hi hat was spot on. I came to the same realization when I started playing two bass drums. The hi hat forces you into a rigid square and restrictive style. As soon as you abandon the hat, and let the two bass drums act like a counterpart to your left hand, the world opens up and it is liberating. Let the bass player add to keeping time. Give your audience some credit. They don't need a metronome.
Why are you “Aubie Tiger?” A friend of mine was Aubie in 1983 or so… War Eagle
@@michaellennon9427 Just an Auburn fan. War Eagle.
Fascinating observation.
@@FOH3663 I have to say Ginger Baker was a master of this when improvising with Cream live. Give them a listen. Spoonful, Sweet Wine, I'm so Glad, N.S.U. All the live stuff.
Yes, no hat hand/foot leaves more bashing/smashing movement possibilities. More bottom end thump.
As a self-confessed Who devotee and fan of them both individually and as a group, I was little apprehensive when deciding to watch this post, worrying that dissection of the artistic whole would leave just messy entrails. How glad I am I took the plunge. Much of the expert analysis here helped me understand why my heart instinctively followed their music in general and Keith's drumming in particular, why I was so moved by it, as a child of the 70s and today still. @BrandonToews you are truly an educator, having given me, in my late 60s, new insights into this wonderfully creative genius. Thank you from an old man with a big smile on his face today! Peace to all and be kind to yourself and others☮☮
Fantastic comment!
I type this as a self-professed Keith Moon nut. When learning to drum, I learned from Ringo to play for the band and play on time. When I discovered Keith Moon, I learned to channel your emotions and aggression into the drums and just go for it. Moon literally taught me to have fun behind the kit and just go for it. This is the best summary I've ever seen of Keith's drumming. Very comprehensive and well edited with clear examples. A few more songs to check out that stand out for me...…"Leaving Here (album or BBC version)", " La-La-La Lies", "Our Love Was", "Happy Jack", "Daddy Rolling Stone", and of course "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere". Watch the Ready Steady Go performance of the last song. Keith goes insane on it. I really love the early Who stuff. Outstanding video!
I saw The Who play live at Kamberly Town Hall in 1965. I couldn't take my eyes of Moon, he was wet through with sweat and he had a quiver full of drumsticks fastened to a floor Tom. I saw bits of drum stick flying all over the place and Moon would have another drumstick out of the quiver in the blink of an eye.
This wasn't a concert, it was a dance hall where everyone was dancing and not taking much notice of the band. I just stood there awestruck, I was 19 years old. I am now 76 and still remember that night.
"I'm the best Keith Moon type drummer in the world." - - Keith Moon
Thank you for the great episode on my favorite drummer. I bought Tommy by The Who when I was 11 years old, I'm 62 and still think he was the most dynamic drummer in the most dynamic band I had ever heard. Brandon did a great job recreating some of his playing too, better than anyone else I have seen. I think Roger's analogy of Moon being the yarn between the knitting needles of Pete's guitar and John's bass is genius. Keith really captured my imagination as a kid and I really spent so many hours as a teen enjoying the scope of The Who's music, especially Tommy and Quadrophenia. I think Quadrophenia is really the band at the top of their creative abilities.
The LEGEND!
The Who?
My favorite drummer of all time. The man who got me into it. Thank you for the love you and the Drumeo crew put into this. Nice song picks to highlight from their discography! Was not expecting "New Song" or "When I Was A Boy" to be featured even as a snippet. Much love to you and the team.
He drummed his own way, lesson to learn just drum your own way, be yourself, don't be a clone.
The nonstop energy and explosiveness of Moon's dumming is stunning. Most drummers would moderate their playing at least once in a tune! Yet I actually feel a enormous intelligence behind the seeming chaos. "Unbridled enthusiasm".
Keith's drumming through the 60's and the first half the 70's was a major contributor to the genius of The Who. His drumming made a positive difference in pretty much every song recorded.
Followed everything the Who did back in the day, and was just flabbergasted at how many people didn't get-it; not seeing how great they all were.
But Keith was such a standout, and added feeling and emotion that is irreplaceable in the Who's songs, no matter what the detractors say.
Yes, he was a lead-instrumentalist, and nearly every song is testament to his creative and innovative genius coming up with so many melodic rhythms.
member
and keep in mind that NO ONE can play drum like Moon did = He is #1 !
He didn't aspire to be a great drummer, he just wanted to play drums for The Who. That's the attitude that greatness is made of.
Probably the best comment of Keith's capability!!
@@jamesedwards2237 I think his capability is known worldwide.
Saw The Who in person a dozen times. At that point, probably none of us non-musicians in the audience knew where their amazing energy was coming from, but it was unmistakable. They were like no other band around. Typically, road performances of the great bands attempted to reproduce their studio tunes and never quite fulfilled that dream. Keith Moon blasted by their recorded sound like an explosion of excitement. They were truly the only band that exceeded their studio recordings - the greatest live band of all time.
He'll always be my favorite drummer.
I learned so much from playing Kieth Moon tracks as a kid. And a lot of times it didn't really matter if I played his parts "right", they just had to be played with energy. It's impossible not to have fun playing a Kieth Moon part.
One of my first inspirations since I started playing drums. The live at leeds album and who's next are a must for any drummer.
Live at Leeds is a must for anyone!
There's no greater live release. The ferocity, all that energy and drive, strong, powerful vehicle to deliver their art live.
Rarely does a live album capture an act at their peak ... in this case, capturing what countless professionals claim is the greatest live rock act ever, ... that era of The Who.
They'd just made it big with Tommy.
Finally, all debts were paid, and all four had all the money and rock star lifestyle they each wanted!
Tommy was '69
Live at Leeds was '70
Who's Next '71
Of course they had a great run in the mid 70's with Quad, Who Are You, etc.
But Live at Leeds captured that early energy, only four years in, everything was still fresh and flourishing.
Damn, that's a lot!
Caffeine, it's a helluva drug.
I'm so glad all these drummers are covering Keith. The energy and wicked dynamics of Who songs always hit me unlike any other band. It was more than Pete's unique arrangements, John's memorable, "metronomic" bass lines, and Roger's soaring voice. I think the clip of Roger playing the drum & vocal tracks together best illustrates Keith's mindset; accent, build, punctuate, insert tension and release in unexpected places. Oh, and he was hilariously lovable.
Keith moon was a average drummer
@@82mangini
Average.
Of all adjectives, it would seem average is likely the least appropriate.
The well executed point of the video illustrates Kieth was essentially incomparable.
He broke the mold ... he was akin to an orchestral expressionist, as a lead instrument ...
Entwistle, as well as Townsend kept time, ... as Pete said, "somebody had to".
Nothing average about Kieth, including his component of The Who.
@@82mangini In the non-political/non-religious category, calling Keith Moon an average drummer must be in the top five dumbest things ever written.
@@82mangini
Have you thought about actually addressing the comments you are "replying" to?
Or are you going to repeat your mantra ALL day?
@@jimwing.2178 Keith moon os a average drummer. Fact. He can' t play rudiments, he can" t play odd times signatures, he independence is nothing,, he can' t play Dynamics. He is a average drummer
Keith Moon is one of the greatest drummers in rock history. Fact. All those killer mid-60's Who power-pop singles when he was still in his teens; "Can't Explain", "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", "Substitute", "My Generation", "The Kids Are Alright", "Happy Jack", "I Can See For Miles", "Pictures of Lilly". Albums in the late 1960's when he was in his early 20's; "Tommy", "Live at Leeds". Albums in the 1970's when he was in his mid-20's; "Who's Next", "Quadrophenia". He was a unique drummer, a total one-off. No one has played like Keith Moon before or since and he was a total showman. Any time you see a rock or metal drummer with a giant flashy drum set, twirling his sticks, playing out front aggressively you can trace it back to Keith Moon. Two excellent comps: "Meaty, Beaty, Big, and Bouncy" featuring the early singles and "Odds and Sods" featuring late 60's early 70's outtakes. Both albums feature Moon's drumming.
My favorite Rock drummer by far... Keith Moon. This is a very well done summery wit a lot of good background info that helps explain his genesis of creating His sound. If you go back a little further in the rise of 1920 jazz, there was another drummer and leader of His band named Chick Webb, that Gene Kruppa played against, who could have been a template for Keith Moon. Revolutionary for his time also... and too brief a career.
So many songs... but yeah, "Bargain". I've heard the song almost every day on rock radio for the past 40 years. I still stop whatever I'm doing at work to listen to Keith play at the end of that one and it always makes me smile. I smile because somebody did it right.
So glad you included the clip of Daltrey talking about Behind Blue Eyes (saw it years ago). The fact that Moon plays a straight pattern when Roger's not singing is funnier than any of his antics!
I don't think he is playing it straight in that moment... I think he briefly switches from complimenting Daltreys vocals to responding to Townshend's guitar for a bar.
I love that Dahltry is a fan of his own band mates genius
I gotta be honest, always familiar with Keith Moon, but this was a great example of his actual grooves and it really helps me appreciate how unique his style was. Amazingly innovative, and I know if I heard the track without the drums, I would never even consider some of his choices. So cool! Thanks for putting this together.
He was the very incarnation of " Rock ". Not only great at his instrument, but wild, crazy, funny, and completely out of control......" A Real Rockstar "........❤
As a drummer when I hear Keith, it's the emotion I hear. The brazenness be "yourself" to not follow convention sets you apart.
Keith is my all time favorite drummer! Going Mobile might be my favorite drum song ever
drums on BELL BOY....THE REAL ME and
A NEW SONG....
Now I'm a Farmer, his opening drums on that, make the song special.
Keith Moon played riffs on drums. I can't think of anyone else I can describe that way.
Keith moon was a average drummer
@@82mangini While you are brilliant, obviously.
@@brianshockledge3241 I am not but i never Said that and Keith moon is not at drumming top!! Fact!!
@@82manginibetter than jason rullo🍿 😊
@@82manginiAnd yet will always be the most famous drummer who ever lived.Remind us WHO ARE YOU.
In terms of learning from Keith, be yourself, be free. Elvin Jones and Tony Williams expressed admiration for Keith in this way
I've always been interested in the fact that the greatest rock drummers of all time were all heavily influenced by jazz drummers. Watching Keith play is something so special...powerful, comical, and sexy all at once. He made his drums sing.
You didn't listen to many jazz drummers, did you ? Obviously, rock drummers were not influenced enough.
By the time the Who or Led Zeppelin released their music, you could hear Cobham with Mahavishnu Orchestra,
Ainsley Dunbar with Zappa, Tony Williams, Elvin, Jack DeJohnette, Gadd with Corea, Michael Shrieve with Santana. All these guys had an impeccable timing, especially Tony, his tempo was phenomenal.
My father listened to classical music, but also jazz. Masterpieces like Atomic Basie, with Sonny Payne on drums.
These guys didn't record with a click. You can play on it, it's a rail. Moon just didn't work enough with a metronome.
@@ofdrumsandchordsThen how do you explain his live playing in 1971? He was one of the first drummers to ever play to a metronome live. How much more boring do you think the shows would’ve been if he would’ve played with the metronome for the whole show?
Also I’ll mention, you can sync footage of Keith to different audio months apart, and it’ll sync over 90% of the time with minimal editing. Impressive considering how much he improvised.
@@BobbysArchive Sorry, I never liked these drummers who play an uninterrupted fill during the song. I always listened to great jazzmen, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny,
Wayne Shorter who are serious composers, their drummers knew their place.
Most of these rock bands had a fluctuating tempo, that was part of the spirit, Hendrix, Led Zep, they really listened to each other. Perhaps Keith Moon was more steady.
Anyway, I'm not very interested in rock. This is basically 17th century music,
frankly I prefer baroque.
Soooo well done, as always. Keith’s musicality somehow miraculously served the songs perfectly while anyone else playing so many notes would have absolutely ruined the songs and come off as grossly inappropriate. He truly was undeniably one of a kind. Thanks for all your videos.
It really struck me, looking at the sheet music for transcriptions of Keith Moon’s drum parts, how much they looked like they’d been written for a melodic instrument like the piano. For all his bombast and lunatic energy, he really could play!
I'm not sure how much of an audience there is for this, but I would really love to see a "Genius Of" video on Bill Bruford. He definitely deserves it.
I want it
@cinematthew4431 Count me in!
I agree.
That would be nice to see
Absolutely!
As a lifelong Who fan and great admirer of Moon's originality and sheer energy...this was hands down the best survey of his genius I've ever come across...I subscribed to this channel the moment I saw that you quoted "When I was a Boy"...from Who's Missing...just an explosion of a drum fill so insane (both times around in this transition back to the verses are different and equally amazing)...if Palmer, Part, and Portnoy admire this guy's energy and original approach...then the panel of experts in the field have spoken...thank you
The above was supposed to read Palmer PEART and Portnoy!!! Stupid auto correct BS
Keith Moon was the most amazing drummer ever in history, nobody played like he did. His drum fills were unique and absolutely mind blowing 🤯🤯🤯🤟🤟🤟🤟🤩🤩🤩🤩
Keith Moon didn't just keep a beat he was an essential part of the band. He was phenomenal, just listen to his drumming on Quadrophenia, which in my mind was his masterpiece. I've played the drums my whole life and he's always been my hero. All hail the Moon
One of the drummers whose unique sound I breathed in at an early age and became a part of my drumming DNA. The man was a BEAST.
Thank you for this incredible video! I really enjoyed how you so eloquently showed the different sides of Keith’s playing, especially including his grooves. As a 12 year old in 1979 watching the Kids Are Alright, I was inspired to play the drums. Moonie was the impetus for me to bug my parents until they gave in and let me play. His playing inspired me to practice and learn how to play. His passing has always been a tragic waste in my eyes, just imagine the music he could have made if he had taken more interest in his health. RIP Keith Moon.
❤
Shooting stars sparkle for a short time while they burn themselves out.
Keith was the biggest inspiration for me to learn to play the drums.
He is such a influence to my drumming. I've learned so much from him and other drummers. No I'm not great ,but have built a certain confidence on how and where to turn it up and make rockn happen! Thank you Keith,Be with God,,, rockn out in heaven.
Baby don’t you do it!! Probably my favorite. The number one thing I learned from Keith, is listen to the music, and give it all of you.
that's indeed some unique drumming, this shows you don't necessarily need to play hi-hats to get a good sounding groove
I started my Drumming career in 1972 playing tracks from the Who , I loved the Keith Moon style and there's been no one like him SINCE. Rock on Keith.
I'm glad you mentioned that Keith Moon wasn't always playing constant fills, and could, and often did, lay down a more traditional beat.
The entire drumming on Quadrophenia is some of the greatest recorded rock drumming in the history of music. The end
Totally agree with you. Townshend said that when his partner decided to score Quadrophenia so it could be played by an orchestra to be played live at the Albert Hall, it took *four* percussionists to replicate what Moon laid down, probably in one take, on the original album!
Disagree
Was listening to the Quad at lunch and on the way home. Listen every week. It never gets old. To me, maybe the best album ever. Definitely a master piece.used to listen to the Quad when I was 17. That was 1977. Seemed not many people know what it was. Even my brother and sister that had stacks of albums. 100's
Hello Drumeo, I hope all is well.. I just want to say, I’m a black man who absolutely loves the band the WHO. I saw your video on Keith Moon. I highly enjoyed it. ( very entertaining) I learned a lot I didn’t know about him and the rest of the band. Keep up the great work and stay safe. My RUclips friend..
The genius of Bill Ward from Black Sabbath? Nobody has ever done a detailed analysis of his unique style.
Please please pleaaaaaaaaase make this pleaaaad PLEAAAAAE I BEG YOU PLEASE MAke this drumeo please
Bill Ward and his drumming in Black Sabbath contributed to the rise of metal during the 80s. He practically invented an entire new genre of music
Absolutely agree! Very unique style and sound.
We as a society are in desperate need for this
Bill Ward beat drums like they owed him money.
Fantastic video! Great analysis and breakdown of what made Keith such an innovative, one-of-a-kind musician and performer. Appreciate both the archival footage and instructional drum demonstrations. I've been listening to The Who for decades and still heard new aspects of their music. One of your best so far!
Greatest Drummer In Rock History. RIP Keith.
16:05 seeing roger’s passion when talking about and listening to keith’s drumming in this clip I always get goosebumps 🥺💕
Absolutely. It had the same effect on me.
Great video! I've heard of Keith Moon, I've seen him listed on many "greatest drummers" lists and I've heard some of the more popular songs by The Who. However, I never really listened to him play or focused on the drum parts of the various songs I've heard. So, this entire video has been a great learning experience for me! Thanks for posting!
It is worthwhile to listen to The Who's albums and focus on the drums the entire time. There are so many gems amidst the madness.
Would really like to see Brad Wilk on this series… He has laid down some really cool grooves on Rage and also Black Sabbath
Let's not forget Audioslave!
Moon the Loon was raised in my hometown Wembley. There are many stories known to us locals, although we are dying out now. One story relates to him working at Henry Cooper’s fruit & veg shop at the bottom of Moon’s road (Chaplin Road) (Henry Cooper was one of England’s most successful heavyweight boxers in the sixties, and retired to open his shop in Ealing Road, Wembley) So after working at this shop as a teenager, he joined the Who at a local pub in Sudbury Hill, a town near to his home. He obviously hated his job in fruit & veg, and wasn’t too keen on his boss. When he had been successful enough to buy a Rolls Royce, which he painted in psychedelic colours himself and had a PA system fitted, he parked opposite Henry Cooper’s shop one Saturday, a busy day. For a couple of hours, all you could hear was “Henry Cooper, you’re a WANKER”, and that shocked everyone, shoppers, staff and owner alike. But he got his revenge.
What I get from Keith Moon is to never be afraid to try a different approach to drumming. If one is in a band, don’t hesitate to throw something completely different out there and see if it works.
Loved Keith's over-the-top drumming and his wild persona. One of very few drummers to become a true household name.
Moon, Bonzo, Peart and Buddy. For non-drummers, that's pretty much it for household names. Alex Van Halen, too, maybe but his name is also the name of the band, so...
@@cvn6555 Ringo?
I think what Keith Moon showed everyone is that there are no limits other than the ones you impose on yourself particularly in drumming where it’s easy to get analytical and exact and that much like Moffet you can play just from the spirit.
This is a great comment
Love this!
Listen to Who’s Next all the way through, his accompaniments are incredible, every note was PERFECT ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
The WHO will always be my number 1. With Keith, it just brings goosebumps listening to it. I hear new things in their songs time and time again, and I've listened to them literally thousands of times. It's virtually all I listen to and all I try to play on bass and guitar
Epic piece of analysis ... lifelong Who fan, inherited from my old mans record collection which I raided as a teen, he was a proper South London Modster in the day riding round the city to see The Stones , Who n Yardbirds wherever they were playing ( oh to have a 250cc Lambretta n no risk of a breathalyser test lol)... always knew the Moon wsa exemplary , but you really set it out for all to see ... on reflection Quadrophenia is his album / legacy n his input / output (?) truly shines .... love your work
I'm not a drummer, and I do not play any instruments. I've been watching this channel for a few days now, and I'll never hear music the same way again. Never realized how important the drums were until seeing these videos. It's really amazing to see such talent on here. Never thought dudes and ladies banging on shit could be so great.
Thanks for covering a truly important drummer in rock music, the whirlwind we once knew as Keith Moon. As Roger emphatically stated, Keith certainly had an element of musicality about him, in spite of his completely undisciplined approach to the instrument. Moonie’s rhythmic shading is really out there but he also manages to weave a crazy groove. What’s unmistakable is that you always walk away from listening to him play knowing you just had a thrill.
i mean ive been waiting for this one, no one has ever made music sound so alive
I have only one major regret in my life: Never having seen Keith Moon play live!! 💖
Being an old former drummer of the 70's (not very good), I based my style on Keith. I've always called it a mix of Moon and Corky Laing. He was so unique that he was captivating in every song. I was fortunate enough to see him with the Who on four occasions, and it was just incredible. I finally was able to obtain an autograph of his a couple of years ago, and it is truly a treasured item. Almost any great drummer of today will list him as an influence!
I would argue that Moon's drumming was liquid. The notes poured out of him as if they were a waterfall. The sound simply gushed over the listener.
Frankly I think this style is extraordinary impressive. I much prefer him to even Bonham.