As Keith Moon’s daughter, Amanda De Wolf experienced the madness and excess of life with rock’s greatest drummer. To celebrate the publication of a new book, A Tribute To Keith Moon: There Is No Substitute, the former Mandy Moon grants Classic Rock a rare audience and offers a candid trip down memory lane.
Amanda’s first years were in the middle of her parents turbulent marriage; Moon forced Kerrigan to give up her modeling career and was often violently abusive towards her, breaking her nose three times, throwing objects such as broken bottles at her and even chasing Kerrigan around their large house with a shotgun. She left him in 1973, tired of the situation. She took Mandy with her to live in Ian McLagan’s house, becoming Mandy’s father figure.
Her mother and The Small Faces and Faces’ Ian McLagan were married in 1978 until the time of her death in 2006.
Mandy’s mom died in a car accident in Texas, she was the owner of a skin care salon. Amanda’s birth father, the famous drummer Keith Moon, died 7 september 1978.
Amanda been interviewed for that Keith Moon: Final 24 documentary " I regretted it - she says-The only reason I did it was that it was right after my mum [Keith’s ex-wife Kim] died in 2006. She’d appeared in a VH-1 documentary about Keith and I was pleased to have that reminder of her on film. So I did Final 24, so maybe if something happened to me.
"I heard Pete Townshend was writing something for it, so I thought, Oh, Okay. I’d been interviewed for that Keith Moon: Final 24 documentary [in 2007] and I regretted it. The only reason I did it was that it was right after my mum [Keith’s ex-wife Kim] died in 2006. She’d appeared in a VH-1 documentary about Keith and I was pleased to have that reminder of her on film. So I did Final 24, so maybe if something happened to me.
Compiled by Ian Snowball and authorised by the Estate of Keith Moon and Keith's daughter, Amanda De Wolf, There Is No Substitute is a fitting tribute to The Who's legendary late drummer Keith Moon.
Including many photographs - some previously unseen - and contributions from Keith's friends and fans as well as musicians (notably drummers), commentators and those who knew him best.
Focusing on Keith's influence as a drummer and musician, the book assesses the impact he made on rock 'n' roll, while also reflecting the deep affection that his madcap genius inspired among those with whom he came into contact. Shifting the emphasis from the outrageous mischief to the music, the book celebrates the power and artistry behind Moon's drumming, including contributions that explains why his was such a unique legacy in rock percussion.
Interviewees include Kenney Jones, who became The Who's drummer after Keith's death, Rick Buckler of The Jam, Don Powell of Slade, Mick Avory of the Kinks, Carl Palmer of ELP, Clem Burke of Blondie and the late Jack Bruce.
