![the who keith moon the who keith moon](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cb/0a/1d/cb0a1d68ef7c131056e201e8c56ae444.jpg)
On Townshend’s celebrated rock opera he becomes an orchestra within himself, driving the band along with an intelligence and sureness of touch that defies analysis. Moon’s drumming is outstanding throughout the group’s début album My Generation and on several Sixties singles, most notably ‘Happy Jack’ (1966) and ‘I Can See For Miles’ (1967), but it is on the double album Tommy (1969) that his talents are best utilised. Shortly after Keith’s recruitment, The Who became managed by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp whose energy and ambition focused the group. He became a surf music fan as a schoolboy, took early lessons on drums as a teenager and played with three local bands in his native Wembley in north-west London, The Escorts, Mark Twain & the Strangers, and The Beachcombers, before joining The Who in the spring of 1964. Moon’s kit was the biggest in rock, at one stage boasting at least 10 tom-toms, twin bass drums, twin timpani, snare, half-a-dozen cymbals and a gong. It’s been said that Keith Moon was to the drums what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar – a complete original. He played quite differently to his peers, turning his massive kit into a lead instrument, and his up-front technique was crucial in establishing the Who’s passionate style. Moon simply sat back and waited, as the car crashed through the fence around the pool and into the water. Unfortunately, in his inebriated state, he released the handbrake and began rolling towards the pool. Moon, ever keen to avoid the boys in blue snuck outside and got into a Lincoln Continental Limousine and attempted to make a getaway. As the party had become out of control, the police were called to put an end to the festivities. On 23rd Aug 1968, enjoying a wild birthday party Keith Moon drove his Lincoln car into a Holiday Inn swimming pool. He played on all The Who albums from their debut, 1965’s My Generation, to 1978’s Who Are You, which was released two weeks before his death. Moon had attended a party the night before organised by Paul McCartney for the launch of the ‘The Buddy Holly Story’ movie. A post-mortem confirmed there were 32 tablets in his system, 26 of which were undissolved. Keith Moon, drummer with The Who, died on 7th Sept 1978 of an overdose of heminevrin prescribed to combat alcoholism.