He was pure, irresponsible, restless childishness. At the end of early Who concerts, as Pete Townshend smashed his guitar, Moon would kick his drums and stand on them and hurl them around the stage, and this seems a logical extension not only of the basic premise of drumming, which is to hit things, but of Moon’s drumming, which was to hit things exuberantly.
“For Christ’s sake, play quieter,” the manager of a club once told Moon. To which Moon replied, “I can’t play quiet, I’m a rock drummer.”
Daltrey's multiple F-bombs give "Who Are You" a flair of bird-flipping indignation, but the arrangement distinguishes the track's power. The real mojo comes from Moon, who pounds his way through the whole tune — including some of rock's most thrilling triplet tom-tom patterns.
Most rock drummers, even very good and inventive ones, are timekeepers. There is a space for a fill or a roll at the end of a musical phrase, but the beat has primacy over the curlicues. In a regular 4/4 bar. Keith Moon ripped all this up. There is no time-out in his drumming, because there is no time-in. It is all fun stuff. The first principle of Moon’s drumming was that drummers do not exist to keep the beat. He did keep the beat, and very well, but he did it by every method except the traditional one.
Queen's Roger Taylor: " Keith Moon influenced my drumming"
Queen's Roger Taylor Has Never Enjoyed His Drum Solos There was more to his back catalogue than Zeppelin backbeats. He later admitted that The Who’s Keith Moon was instrumental for his musical education. Roger Taylor was the muscle of the outfit. Seated at the back of the stage, Taylor brought raw grit to the band, ploughing through the cymbals like an assassin working through the skull of its latest victim. (Faroutmagazine)
“Keith Moon was another big influence on me,” the drummer revealed.”He was just phenomenal at what he did, and he was another drummer with a great sound. Those tympanic toms were quite revolutionary and his phrasing was just so natural, untutored and brilliant.”
Roger Daltrey reckons fans only pay to see if any The Who members die on stage.
Speaking of the tour, Roger Daltrey said: “Pete and I said we’d be back, but we didn’t think we’d have to wait for two years for the privilege. This is making the chance to perform feel even more special this time around.
“So many livelihoods have been impacted due to COVID, so we are thrilled to get everyone back together – the band, the crew and the fans. We’re gearing up for a great show that hits back in the only way The Who know how. By giving it everything we got.”
"The Real Me"
It's one of the wildest bass parts to ever grace a traditional rock song. Entwistle played it in one take, just screwing around in the studio to amuse himself. But "The Real Me," a centerpiece from the Who's 1973 rock opera, Quadrophenia, only works because his bandmates know when and how long to hang back. Townshend is mostly in accompanist mode here, his distorted chords slashing over Moon's Mitch Mitchell-like drum groove. Daltrey belts some signature bluster, but he saves the throat-ripping stuff for the brass-backed choruses. (UCR)
"Won't Get Fooled Again"
The Who Tour Dates 2022
Oct 2 – Scotiabank Arena @ Toronto, ON
Oct 4 – Little Caesars Arena @ Detroit, MI
Oct 7 – UBS Arena @ Elmont, NY
Oct 9 – Schottenstein Center @ Columbus, OH
Oct 12 – United Center @ Chicago, IL
Oct 14 – Enterprise Center @ St. Louis, MO
Oct 17 – Ball Arena @ Denver, CO
Oct 20 – Moda Center @ Portland, OR
Oct 22 – Climate Pledge Arena @ Seattle, WA
Oct 26 – Golden 1 Center @ Sacramento, CA
Oct 28 – Honda Center @ Anaheim, CA
Nov 1 – Hollywood Bowl @ Los Angeles, CA
Nov 4 – Dolby Live @ Las Vegas, NV
Nov 5 – Dolby Live @ Las Vegas, NV
The Who announce huge ‘The Who Hits Back!’ 2022 North American tour
And he believes fans still flock to see fellow OAPs the Rolling Stones for the same grim reason.
Daltrey – who famously sang “Hope I die before I get old” – even reveals he is at peace with taking his final breath on stage.
He says: “People used to wonder whether The Who would make it to the gig. Now they wonder whether they will make it through the gig.
“I think that’s a lot of the reason people come see bands like us and The Stones. They think it might be the night one of us pops it on stage.”
Then he adds with a laugh: “But if you’re going to go anywhere, why not go there?”
Roger revealed their presence is the only thing that keeps him on the road.
He said: “I hate the touring. I hate the travelling, the schlepping, the hotels.“But once you get on the stage, it’s all worth it. There’s something about the music, and for me, because Keith and John passed so early, Keith especially, even though Zak and Pino Palladino don’t play exactly the same way as Keith did and John did, once the music starts, John and Keith are back with me. It’s wonderful.”
The veteran rocker also revealed that his signature move of swinging his microphone can come in handy for battering rowdy crowds at his gigs.
Keith Moon died in 1978 after accidentally overdosing on sedatives - John Entwistle died in a hotel room for overdose of cocaine.
