Summer
1978, The Who released the album Who Are You with Moon singing a bit on "Guitar
and Pen." During one of the recording sessions when Moon was struggling,
Keith declared, "I am the best Keith Moon style drummer . . ." Moon's
drumming drives the title track. Chillingly, the album cover has Keith Moon
sitting on a chair that states, "Not to be Taken Away. Posthumously in
1979, The Who released the feature films, Quadrophenia with Keith Moon as
Executive Producer and The Kids Are Alright, with Keith Moon as a featured
performer. In Kids, Moon, in response to the director asking for the truth,
states tellingly, "No, I mean, the truth as you want to hear it. I can't
do that. You couldn't afford me
Keith
Moon is rock and roll's greatest drummer. Moon's fills, rolls, patterns and
toms' work pushed rock drumming beyond the limits of the then rock drummer.
From his punk playing on "My Generation" to his playing to the synthesizer
tracks like "Baba O'Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again" and
the Quadrophenia album, Keith Moon expanded the range and vocabulary of the
rock drummer. Moon's style ranged from big band, surf, rock and proto-punk.
On Moon's
drum style, John Entwistle stated, "[Moon] didn't play from left to right
or right to left, he'd play forward. When you see him playing mad breaks,
he's not going around the kit, his arms are moving forward from the snare
to the toms. I've never seen anyone play like that before or since.
On advice
Moon would give to people taking up the drums, Keith is attributed with saying,
"Learn guitar." If one listens to Moon's playing (or sees video
of The Who live), Keith is playing off of Who guitarist, Pete Townshend more
than Moon is keeping time by playing off of Who bassist John Entwistle.