Drum Teacher Reacts to Keith Moon - The Who - Heaven and Hell - Episode 106 

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Entwhistle once said of Keith's playing, "it sounds like a drum kit being thrown down a stairwell."

That's one of the best descriptions of Keith's playing that I've ever heard. Wonderful stuff. Along with John Bonham, Moon is my favourite drummer (John Entwistle is my #1 bassist). His playing was once described by one of his bandmates thus: when a drummer plays a fill he either goes left to right, or right to left. Keith went forwards. He was a drumming genius.

I've always felt that with enough time and practice I would be able to figure out how to drum like almost any rock drummer, even Peart and Bonham. With Moon, his playing is so primally intuitive that I continue to marvel at a display of execution that is beyond my understanding. I constantly ask myself, "How is one person able to do this?"

I saw Keith play many times and his playing was much like his personality: exuberant, unpredictable and unconventional.He played from his heart and rarely repeated a fill twice the same way in a song. His drum bass fills were amazing!. One of a kind for sure.

Keith wasn't a technically sound drummer, but more of just a power drummer, that relied on "feeling" more than anything else. He was very good at what he did, and he had a style all his own. It was like his entire part in a song was one 5 minute "Drum Fill". As if he were allergic to a steady beat for any length of time. He was the perfect guy for the frenetic style of "The Who." Thanks

Keith played the way he lived. Love Keith Moon

I always thought Keith looked like he was scrambling eggs back there. Happy Jack is another song that is so signature to his style.

Yes! The Who are incredible live! So powerful! This whole show is amazing, everything firing on all cylinders! Like a train careening down a mountain, always threatening to go off the rails. Thrilling.

The very best drummer ever... Thumbs up. Hats off to this clever chanel. Greetings from Mexico City.

I’m an old head. I first saw them in 75! What made them different was that they all played lead! Kieth played lead rhythm and beat without a thought. Amazing! THEY WERE PUNK!

Who fan since late 70's. Seen them multiple times and they are in my all time top 3. I have consumed 1000's of hours of news, interviews, documentaries, videos, etc. about The Who but I have NEVER heard a critique of Keith Moon and his playing related to the rest of the band as perfectly as this one. You nailed it. Excellent work. Earned your thumbs up for sure and brightened my day. Godspeed.

One of my top 3 favorite rock concerts captured on film. I don't think Keith even has a high hat set up for this show. Spot on analysis. The Who wanted everything about their act to be over-the-top. No better drummer for that than Moon.

I always thought The Who helped pave the wave for Punk and Heavy Metal

There aren't too many drummers you can point to that don't use a hihat live, and for the most part with some exceptions that's true with Moon. He had these two big cymbals and he's crisscross between the two every other time and it created this like sonic sheen or like a webbing that covers the whole song. If the drums aren't recorded well it almost just sounds like white noise, but when it's well recorded you can tell what he's actually doing. A great show from that era on film is The Who 7.7.70 Live at Tanglewood, it's perfect, great sound, great visuals, the footage and music are in perfect sync, and the camera focuses on Keith much of the time. For any Oooo fans that haven't seen it it's worth the time, but be warned once you start the show you'll have to see it from start to finish.

Great lesson from Keith BE YOURSELF, be your own drummer, be unique and if people dont like it so what who gives a shit someone will appreciate your willingness to be different, music dosent progress without the willingness to take risks. Hey hey from the NE of England BE UNIQUE, BE YOURSELF, MAKE THE MUSIC HAPPEN

Moon. My god. Live at Leeds was the first Who I ever heard and to this day the greatest drum performance I’ve ever heard. Completely out of control. And completely in control. The sheer drama is astounding. Also, did the guy EVER use his high hat? No, seriously. Crazy genius.

Their performance at this event of Young Man Blues is incredible.

Nice!!!! Keith moon was a legend, and there wouldn’t be heavy metal drumming g if not for him!!!! Glad to see you’re not copyrighted yet (just suffered my first copyright claim yesterday)!!!!

Best description of the Who ever..."Four guys in a room all playing lead instruments at the same time"....Done !!!!

Live at the isle of wight is one of the greatest live rock performances of all time. This whole set is incredible. Keith has always been one of my all time favorite rock musicians!! Love the Who❤

Moon the Loon is THE BEST! LONG LIVE THE WHO!!

PS. In a documentary on the Who, drummer great Rob Ladd does a great analysis of Keith's playing and how it's essentially inverted from what is typical.

Yes it’s Jazz inspired, yes it inspired Punk. This was a great song choice to speak about Moon. Also love Mitch Mitchell, but Keith is my favorite

I recommend that you review Moon’s performance at “The Tanglewood Music Shed” on July 7, 1970. The Isle Of Wright performance pales in comparison to that breathtakingly dazzling performance. That performance is usually available on RU-vid titled “The Who Live At Tanglewood” (7/7/1970).

This was just posted on the official Who Facebook page. Very entertaining and your enthusiasm is infectious, great video :)

I agree with The Who as precursors of punk. Any chance you could do analysis of Stephen Morris from his Joy Division days?

JunkdrummerTV your takes are spot-on, distinctively rare, and interesting AF. Rawk on!!

Never really thought about this era's crop of drummers as from jazz but it makes sense, esp that example you gave re Mitchell in Manic Depression. Nice history lesson in this! 👍

The Who were definitely proto punk. Think about Merseybeat bands and even The Stones in 1964-65 and then compare to The Who at this time smashing instrumentals, getting feedback and basically being extremely aggressive/angry onstage...The Who were true innovators with their stage performance. Keith Moon made being in a band and playing drums seem fun. He was sometimes erratic but when he was on, it was always exciting. Btw, check out The Who’s 1970 Tanglewood show on RU-vid for one of his best performances.

Great to hear a drummer say this about Keith.

Keith moon rules!

Nice video and a fitting tribute to Moon the Loon. There's so much out there about who was the greatest etc and I always say that he was far from the most technically proficient drummer but was a musical genius who transcended the role of drummer. I mean, he made the drums sing and ring beautifully. And his style could be just as plangent and ethereally evocative and delicate as it was hard, startling and arresting.

4 solos at once. Moonie is full throttle from the beginning. This song, this show, is my favorite Who video. I have the DVD and the whole show is top 5 all time.

I love the early live stuff from The Who. Raw banger that keep on comin', like a runaway freight train. Controlled mayhem at it's best. I love listening to Amazing Journey/Sparks from Live at Hull. Another amazing performance by Moon.

Great review. Loved it

Long live the bloody WHO⚡️

You are so spot on. They are the beginning of Punk. Just listen to their early 60s stuff. Punk at it's birth. Also they are the God Farthers of British Rock. They were blowing the amps to pieces well before Led Zep, Black Sabbath etc. Please watch the full Isle of Wight Live 1970 concert. You'll see a lead bass, lead singer, lead guitar and a lead drummer. Faaarking mental.

Bass line on (the real me) on the album Quadrophenia, John and Keith playing off each other ,brilliant

Another great analysis & react of one of the greatest British Invasion bands!

Thanks JD. I didn't realize that Moon , and the other greats, were so Jazz oriented. Very interesting

I think the best John Entwhistle written song is "My Wife".

You were a great jam band that's where they really got wild not so much on Studio albums but in concert

Greatest Rock Band Ever

You mention Keith & Pete bounce off each other. I love when they get into their pissing contests. They are brilliant together when they compete with each other.

Moon was a mad drumming genius.

Very well done, all the Who were jazz players

And he said "This'll go down like a Lead Zeppelin." the rest is history .. :-)

Keith Moon: he listens responds and augments !!

Mitch Mitchell is my favourite drummer of all time also.

Totally man! Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell & Ginger Baker the most sell-able, busiest drummers of all time. Love the channel! Cheers from an old Las Vegas drummer!!

"COMMENT"! Take that ya fuckin' algorithm.

Keith moon was the greatest... If your into your reading the book called dear boy that's based on his life is a must read!!!!!

Keith at his best, my fave, is A QUICK ONE, he goes nuts in that some, amazing and fun too.

This is awesome! And thanks, I’ve always said that the Who was the first punk band.

As soon as i seen the notification and it was your upload and the topic was Keith Moon. Unorthodox was the word that came to mind. I read years ago that moon could literally go in the studio. Listen to the tracks of what The Ox and Townsend had laid down and within a couple of hours have all his tracks finished. Its like wtf am i listening to? For some reason Vernon Reid and The cult of personality comes to mind. Just all over the place yet somehow brings it all together. Ive always been fond of Squeeze Box. Thats the shit. Onto the next. Yes, that Stevweater is back in the closet til next year.

The Most influential drummer still.

Alas! The great Keith Moon! Something to think about: Rock and Roll exist because of drummers. We played tripolets over an eighth note creating the tension necessary to drive the kids wild. Your welcome...

Keith Moon was clearly on the downside of his career when The Who recorded “Quadrophenia”. From 1968 until 1972 Moon’s drumming was at its absolute creative zenith. Listen to his drumming on “Tommy”, “Live At Leeds”, “Who’s Next” and “Odds And Sods”. He’s literally playing the percussive equivalent of “tone paintings”. He and Entwistle are totally synchronous. Watch the video of his dazzling drumming at “The Tanglewood Music Shed” on July 7, 1970 (I was there). A video of the concert is usually available on RU-vid. Moon’s drumming is absolutely on fire; brilliant, creative, effortless, fluidic and powerful. The drumming on “Who’s Next” is nothing less than absolutely monstrous. The same can be said about his drumming on “Live At Leeds”. Unfortunately, by 1973, Moon had succumbed to the excesses and pressures of the “Rock And Roll” lifestyle. The toll on his drumming was catastrophic and he slowly became a shadow of his former self. For the record, I’ve seen “The Who” live several times. In 1969 at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit (the Tommy tour). In 1970 at The Tanglewood Music Shed in Massachusetts (the last time The Who performed “Tommy” in the US). In 1971 at Cobo Arena in Detroit (the “Who’s Next” tour). In 1973 at Cobo Arena (the “Quadrophenia” tour) and in 1975 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac Michigan (the “Who By Numbers” tour). Ginger Baker and Keith Moon are the reasons I started playing the drums in 1967.

John Entwistles fingers and Keith Moon

Questions about who is the best drummer or guitar player etc...in the world is absurd and irrelevant. For me, Keith moon is unique, absolutely fantastic, a blast listening to. He fit the bill with The Who. No one else can or could. That's it.

I always reminded of Keith Moon when seeing Rat Scabies chaotic drums with The Damned.

Their performance of the whole Tommy album at this concert and on the complete Live at Leeds live album are probably the definitive versions of that great album. Keith and John are one of the greatest rhythm sections in all of Rock history. This was a very accurate description of Keith's playing style.

I loved Kieth Moon, great unique drummer definitely unique guy. Gone to soon. But, it was stated that Kieth would drum to the lyrics, so it's ironic that you said that about him drumming to reply to Daltery's singing.

I love all the greats but Keith live in his prime leaves me shaking my head more than any drummer!

It's hard to even try to imitate Moon's frantic style. It's a helluva aerobic workout

must say, this channel is just so chill

Great to see your take on my very favourite band. Kudos.

no, you're completely correct. The Who were a huge influence on the early punks. no if ands or buts. IMO, they're the grandfathers of punk.

I love that he has no hi hats

Right after saying "He's a mad genius on the drum set" at 10:37 he twirls his stick in the *middle* of an ape-shit fill. LMAO! Mad genius, all right! But he still doesn't get the deserved credit for his flat-out *musicality.* He had great *ears,* and unmatched feel and dynamics. Even carried the bloody *melody* on tunes such as "Happy Jack" and "La-La-La-Lies." Also, an interesting and surprising thing Roger Daltrey pointed out in his book was that Moonie actually had horrible *stage fright,* of all things, and during this era the band went on stage perfectly straight and sober. So this song gave him a chance to work out the nerves straight away, and work them out he did. And as you pointed out, the shows were quite the workouts, so despite the after-show indulgences, they were pretty fit during their period of heavy touring from the late 60s to early 70s. And you're bloody right about not getting the gig if you come in like Moonie. Been there, done that! I've been channeling Hal Blaine to the best of my ability in my current indie pop gig, but there are a few bits where I get to channel Moonie here and there. P.S. Intro was too long, fast forwarded to the content, which was awesome and fun. Subbed.

Greatest rhythm section in rock imo Greatest rock drummer Greatest rock Bassist. They were the loudest fastest and busiest of all ! Well said Steve great analysis please do more Keith Moon stuff I've officially subscribed to you now!

Cool video. Isolated drum tracks are on RU-vid for Keith Moon. That would be cool to react to.

Pretty good kettle drums on Happy Jack.

Finally someone who thinks that the who was the first punk rock band to which I agree

uber-drunk, jazz-rock, animal -- perfect

of course he rides the cymbals, there isn't a hi-hat is there. lol! Greatest of all time.

Welcome to 2021, Steve .. hope you had a good holiday .. :-)

Killer content dude. I Always watch your vids!!

Keith Moon the Best drumner un the world

Nice one!

I enjoyed that expose. Just learning.

The who were basically proto punk along with blue cheer. Stooges and mc5 and that Detroit scene came after being influenced by the who, blue cheer, and partially the kinks in their early days and how the kinks would perform live. . If you think the who weren't a huge influence on early 70s to early 80s punk you're just silly.

I have been saying for years that a large % of the drummers from the Classic Rock era were taught by Jazz drummers and studied Jazz formally or informally.

Good stuff bud keep em coming

you could analyze Mitch Mitchell playing with The Dirty Mac.

The Who were at the Isle of Wight in 1970!

You're so right they were the first punk band! One side note. Except for the horns "Have you seen you mother" The stones song is so punk!

Best reaction to K Moon ever, explained perfect

My mom & dad were at the Cincy show that 11 got killed. My mom was never a day over 5ft tall & only survived because she climbed up some tall dudes back she didn't know like a tree & piggybacked through the madness so somewhere out there is some tall dude that more than likely saved my mom's life that night & I thank u for that sir.

What "rules"? Just play! Love the channel.

You’re hearing him on a night where he actually is more of a time keeper.

Moon was an absolutely genius. Moon the loon.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Jazz-influenced vinegar and piss - in the best sense.

I am sharing this to The Who & Keith Moon fan page on FB

Agree with you about The Who and punk. My Generation was an early punk song.

awesome video brother,Ian Paice of Deep Purple myb next?

Keith Moon plays like his drum kit got pushed down the stairs.

You should do Greg Saunier from Deerhoof. IMO hes the modern day Keith Moon. Absolutely incredible. His drumming on Apple O' is gorgeous totally Keith Moon and he wrote all the music apparently.