Keith Moon (The Who) • Interview • 1973 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]

[@packstevewood]

I got so caught up in the interview then it was over after only 4 minutes. Been in love with Keith and his drumming since 1965.

[@TTM9691]

Best interview I've ever seen with Keith. He's answering musical questions, a total rarity. He's not drunk (or overly drunk) and he's not acting the clown. He's talking Townshend's process, The Who's process..... I could barely believe my eyes and ears. Only four minutes long, every second precious.

[@townshendshean]

I'm with you...I was thinking the same things while I watched this. Nice call!

[@scottmoore4582]

I think that's mainly because the interview was about The Who's music and not the wilder side of his life where he felt he had to live up to the "Moon The Loon" image.I've read interviews he had done with Drumming publications and he's pretty straight forward talking about his style and equipment he used.

[@JOHNWLOUCKS]

I totally concur !!!

[@garychattaway9219]

No way is he not drunk. He's hammered. blimey.

[@JOHNWLOUCKS]

@@garychattaway9219 Of course, remember that Keith's level of still functioning and being quite blocked up is quite high where a normal bloke woukd be on the floor out of it.

[@YZEtc]

Not often you see an interview with Keith Moon where he's not doing the usual zany bit. Very good.

[@Kimberlytheresam]

I always loved him since I was a kid❤ and I was born in 79! He was a great drummer

[@leehill1880]

Im the same, I was born in 74 just goes to show how his legend and genius will alway carry on!

[@infrasleep]

I was born in 1960 (!!) and when I was 7 I saw Keith on Top of the Pops bashing the living hell out of his drum kit on "I Can See For Miles" . I loved it; he was the only one who did this-everyone else just seemed to lamely tap the drums and cymbals-what bores!. Inspired, I got a kit together,For drum sticks, I stole the wooden perches out of the budgies cage,made a drum kit out of anything I could hit , but the damnation that brought on my seven year old head -partly for the noise but mainly for stealing the budgies perches,put my career as a drummer in tatters,but I still remember KM's drumming on "I Can See For Miles" and his well battered drum kit-which is how it should be.

[@kevinkhoy7171]

That was quite a refreshing interview from Keith. He was calm & serious. He wasn't trying to be funny! He was actually acting like a True Professional 🥁 Note : If Anyone says Moon was a Sloppy 🥁 Just listen to thee end of the song, "Bargain" I don't think even Bonzo could of done that 🥁 Roll for 90 seconds!

[@patm5086]

True dat

[@Arientis]

Going Mobile I think is an underrated drumming gem! The triplets in the main beat are just so satisfying to hear

[@kevinkhoy7171]

@@Arientis 1 of my Favorite songs! & Yes! You are right! Any other Dummer on "Going Mobile" isn't even a song on Who's Next!: Meaning Moon's 🥁 Style complimented Pete's Songs immensely! 👍

[@michaelmclaughlin6376]

I'm a drummer and I also love Bonzo. Not by any means will I say Moon was the best, but the end of Bargain is very hard to wrap your head around.

[@kevinkhoy7171]

​​@@michaelmclaughlin6376Hear Here, Just 1 of those 💪🏻 Moon Magical 🥁 Roll moments! Captured on Tape! 👍🏻 Moon was in his Prime 1971, 72 & 73 He Played Straight from the ❤️

[@crlaw75]

Quadrophenia was THE BEST album the group did. Keith said it right. Rest in peace, Keith.

[@danholm4952]

yes it was

[@harrykadaras9459]

Keith played the fool, but he really wasn't one. He was just a sad kid that struggled to find his place in life. I wish they had helped him instead of just laughing at him.

[@ramalama9650]

I agree, sort of. It was the best album ANY group ever did. It's an absolute masterpiece! Nothing to this day has ever come close.

[@fortunatoofamontillado1059]

"who's next" !!

[@vitopalazzo7837]

The greatest album ever made.

[@sokratisbairaktaris6345]

IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW BRILLIANT KEITH MOON WAS AS A HUMAN BEING AS WELL AS A DRUMMER. THE WORLD IS A MUCH POORER PLACE NOW WITHOUT HIM. R.I.P. ❤️🙏

[@leighfoulkes7297]

He was a mad drunker who beat the crap out of his wife because she would talk to another man (while he cheated on her every two seconds).

[@gilldanier4129]

Did you know him personnaly or are you quoting gossip?@@leighfoulkes7297

[@kobold7763]

@@leighfoulkes7297 As bad as that may be it doesn’t hold a candle to the fact that he accidentally killed his friend by backing his car into him; albeit by complete accident while drunk. All the while he had been putting numerous people at risk by blowing up hotel rooms and drum kits constantly, one incident in which he injured himself & his band mates. he’s lucky he avoided prison even with all his money and fame

[@jupiterlegrand4817]

WOW! One of the only serious interviews I've ever seen of Keith Moon. (The other being that 30 second clip in Kids Are Alright where the guy asks him to tell the truth and he says "Oh no...the truth as YOU want it? Can't do that. You couldn't afford me.") This is pure gold.

[@brookt3497]

I often think about that quote too...

[@puterio034]

I love Keith Moon as a musician & drummer, his HUGE charisma etc, i wish a documentary was made or a movie but it might be too late for a younger audience to care, LONG LIVE KEITH MOON!

[@ramalama9650]

The Who (Roger and Pete) were going to make a movie about Keith but said they wouldn't unless they could find someone to play Keith perfectly. Look how perfect McVicar and Quadrophenia was. I'd love it if they could do the same with a movie about Keith. As for being too young, I don't really agree. My daughter loved both of the films mentioned above and she was under 16 at the time of watching them. She also now listens to Quadrophenia the album too and understands it completely after watching the film. She never got into Tommy though.

[@hamsandjenohbacon]

They are making one! It's going to be called "the real me"

[@allbottledup9513]

@@ramalama9650 I always thought Tommy was harder to get into. Beautiful in its own right, but much harder to engage with. Especially with tracks like Fiddle About, always put me off. Quad, Who’s Next, By Numbers, Who Are You are probably the most readily accessible and enjoyable albums.

[@musicandpoetry_8]

He’s the coolest and the cutest

[@bmalo4335]

Wow, tremendous! I look forward to seeing more from this interview with the world's most interesting drummer. Love how Keith emphasizes the democratic nature of the band's decision making.

[@ballhawk387]

Moonie was actually an extremely intelligent man, and very dedicated to his music. But had such a low threshold of boredom he couldn't contain his impulses, which unfortunately but inevitably got the better of his music, and shortly thereafter, him. Rock In Perpetuity, Moonie!

[@leechilds3725]

Love keith moon. especially when he puts on a posh voice like an actor being interviewed . he was totally unique !

[@Daniel-RunToRoyal]

Wow!! Amazing footage!! Thank you!!

[@georgehenry76]

My mother would have loved seeing this. What a time to be alive!

[@caddieguy6510]

Keith Moon has a different way of doing music. As he said they sound different every time they perform. That’s why history looks so favorably on Kieth Moon’s drumming performance… total genius.

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

He was a head case

[@OlafProt]

So rare to see him not putting on an accent, not messing about. Just being as eloquent as he was able, given how much he’d clearly had to drink. God it’s so sad he didn’t make it. There’s such clear intelligence, understanding of the process, a desire to not repeat musically.

[@jonnysongs]

he's putting on his Kit Lambert posh accent. His real accent was much more working class

[@johnwatts8346]

@@jonnysongsyeah, he basically dropped his working class accent, same way the other keith (richards) did.

[@lucydayLucida]

@@johnwatts8346 Actually Keith's accent is and always has been genuine. That's a working class accent from that part of England. There's a huge variety of accents throughout the UK. Some sound quite upper class to foreign ears, it seems. Interestingly, Mick Jagger's upper class accent changed to cockney over the years. Now that's a poseur!

[@johnwatts8346]

@@lucydayLucida actually no, it was a affectation, as with dudley Moore, pete daltry wyman watts and rod dont have that put on accent,

[@lucydayLucida]

@@johnwatts8346 If you're saying Keith Richards' accent was an affectation I respectfully disagree. If I can find any resource that makes a definitive statement either way about that I'll edit this accordingly. I don't know much about Dudley Moore, although considering his skill and training with the piano along with the rest of his good education I would suspect he didn't come from working class origins.

[@mikemackay1987]

What a great interview, this is amazing!

[@roddevere2975]

What an interesting guy. I really enjoyed that interview.

[@ROYALPRIX]

Great to see an interview where he wasn't hamming it up, he could really dig in.

[@MrAlistar99]

How brilliant to see the 'normal' side of Keith. Was he talking about Quadrophenia here? They knew it was going to be great didn't they :)

[@danielmoran9902]

Quite easily the best eyebrows in rock.

[@drumz700]

lol..indeed

[@fredsalter1915]

I concur

[@chrisoffer3074]

Nice interview not seen before Keith cared about the group and helped as much as he could

[@leehill1880]

Keith loved The Who. He is so sadly missed.

[@MrBamcito]

Keith was a musical genius

[@ToddCiehomski]

Genius is a stretch

[@apexjoe4769]

@@ToddCiehomski Stretch? The Who were musical geniuses.

[@richbailey8174]

Genius is overused

[@ToddCiehomski]

@@apexjoe4769 they weren’t geniuses. They were an outstanding rock band.

[@apexjoe4769]

@@ToddCiehomski "musical geniuses"

[@LeeZeidel-s1h]

This clip is priceless I'm getting to know Mr. Moon only now I'm 68 he's complex and fascinating.

[@ChasMusician]

Keith Moon has been my biggest musical hero since I was a kid and I’m 27 now. This is my absolute favorite Keith moon interview all time (even if Keith was somewhat drunk or tranquilized in this) because it shows the eloquent and sophisticated side of Keith Moon that was very genuine and not the “moon, the loon” persona that so many expected or wanted to see, which I thought was very farcical… I think that Loony character that was a rambunctious persona that Keith had to live up to was actually what had likely contributed to killing him, too, in his demise of pleasing everybody else with humor… This interview is so much of what I love about Keith Moon as the soft-spoken genuine person I knew he was deep down, and it shows his intellectual side that isn’t goofy nor coy, nor bombastic or trite… Just the greatest drummer of all time, showing his thoughts on music, which was his passion and love of life. It may sound cheesy, but I really am touched by this interview, so thank you so much for posting it!… Long live The Who and thank you Keith Moon my musicianlbhero - keep on rocking up there in heaven, buddy! 🎉😊

[@poomped53]

This is a treasure.

[@OutOnTheTiles]

Like seriously.

[@MorbidBatwing]

For real ✨

[@Ninineonangel77]

I love Keith I wish he was alive when I was... he was amazing! Just so sad he isn't here in this world anymore.

[@5jerry1]

~ It's nice to see him giving a coherent interview. Even though his speech is slightly slurred, he's not acting the drunk clown. Funny guy, absolutely, but this is a welcome change of pace.

[@stuartspurs4704]

An amazing man. Legend!

[@pipeandslippersman]

he must have drugs and alcohol in his system - but it really doesn't show! the most lucid, straightforward and calm interview i've ever seen of him. no 'show' at all. and that is just lovely! a kid from wembley with an astonishing talent harnessed to one of the greatest rock bands of all time and just doing his work...

[@sharonklinger912]

Any clips we have like this of Keith Moon is a godsend! He tried to get a handle on his partying but too many ppl used him and that's how he died that tragic night.He is truly, wholeheartedly missed by so many!

[@michaelmouse4024]

Listen to Bargain on Who's Next. Stunning sound & amazing drumming. Peerless next to anyone, level with Bonham... Such character such a loss.

[@mdm6098]

A perfect example of a very great rock star. RIP Keith

[@walterevans2118]

WHAT A LOVELY INTERVIEW WITH KEITH …Where he’s being very serious with questions and very interesting.❤

[@williammeier4534]

WOW! Keith Moon straight and serious in an interview. Rarely see him so candid!

[@barrybelotti4493]

not sure he was straight here, it seems like he is on some sort of a relaxant. but pretty together. keith was very intelligent and not crazy all the time. had a couple friends spend some time with him in 76 when he was sober for a bit and they said he was actually pretty quiet.

[@williammeier4534]

@@barrybelotti4493 Keith was terribly insecure and he never forgave himself for the loss of his chauffeur Neil Boland who had been killed in January 1970. He blamed himself for it and was constantly under the influence to quell his guilt.

[@paulselkirk2345]

The best drummer of all time rip Keith gone but never forgotten ❤

[@ArleneVonAllemann]

Omw I love this man. Hus humor, his nature. His drumming genius. What a guy. I'm so very sorry he's no.longer around

[@ahwien]

He appears most articulate. I am so glad I saw him with the Who live at MSG in 1976. The show was postponed a day at the last minute because Keith collapsed a few days before up in Boston.

[@micktaylorisgod]

Charming guy when he was sober-ish.

[@jesuscampos8136]

He was a classic case of Jekyll and Mr Hyde. If that boy wasn't in The Who he definitely would have been behind bars.

[@KendraAndTheLaw]

A loveable guy

[@Sunmoon-gj9gy]

Sad to see someone who was consumed by addiction 😢

[@ragtimegals]

I’m fed up w talking about it😂😂😂

[@OutOnTheTiles]

Incredible interview. Thank you for sharing.✌️

[@see4miles67]

Dear Boy ❤

[@technomad1770]

This interview shows a side of Kieth we don't normally think of, interesting.

[@MorbidBatwing]

I don’t care if people think he’s drunk but Keith Moon still looks handsome as always🖤

[@regissuchma5764]

Moon was my idol as a great drummer

[@briantaylor2.023]

There wasn’t a time when he wasn’t drunk! What a legend! 🙌😂

[@carolbuckley7900]

Oh I’m in love with Moonie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I have a table which is full of framed photos of Keith Moonie one in drag and a nude one among others, I guess it’s like a shrine for him. We’re kindred souls that’s for certain. I have bipolar disorder and I was a total lunatic mess until the doctors finally put me on the right meds. God if Moonie was born much later I think he too could have been correctly diagnosed w AHD or bipolar and w the right meds he might have been able to survive like I did. GOD his angelic face and huge dark eyes just everything especially watching him play the drums! Pure genius! Legend and to me the Greatest most loved drummer of all time! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💋💋💋💋

[@forreal245]

You must think Groucho Marx is handsome too.

[@musicandpoetry_8]

He functions pretty well for being really drunk

[@VidClips858]

The most serious, sober thing I've ever seen him do without a drum kit.

[@sratus]

..but clearly not actually sober

[@jamesheath7601]

RIP legend

[@michelleseal8732]

Best drummer ever ♥

[@assiaaxel9881]

Can really see the Virgo in him come out in this interview ✨ Would be so incredible to have more interviews or the rest of this one up, he means so much to many and great to hear him speaking for himself instead of others doing so❣️ An inspiration in these times and forever

[@musicandpoetry_8]

I’m a Virgo too, an august one, I think that’s why I like him so much

[@sarab6415]

Charming man💖

[@Andy-ok7ev]

How. Woufhi. Hi

[@Andy-ok7ev]

W b y

[@Andy-ok7ev]

Hope u. Find. Some. 1. 1 day

[@Andy-ok7ev]

In

[@CaptNeeda]

Yes he had his demons, yes he’s slightly inebriated, but he’s never anything other than engaged, polite and very interesting. And his last quip’s hilarious.

[@905Alive]

Quad is their best, Quad is his best studio drumming , I wish more people got Quad, it's so universal

[@toxievope3617]

Joker or not,he certainly seems to have it together at during this interview.

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

Keith was an intelligent , funny as keck and witty man, he was as wild as a march hare and we would not want Keith any other way. Keith and the Who boys brought the great joy and most brilliant memories to hundreds of millions of people all over the world, Dear old Keith is buried about 1 mile from where I live. Keith is still enjoying life and having a whale of a time in Heavin where he resides in his eternal peace

[@ruffian1868]

Interviewed whilst in Australia when he played Uncle Ernie in the Tommy Production.

[@counterpuncher01]

LOLLLLLL he's adorable in this...agreed best interview with Keith I've seen.

[@vicweast]

He was the best!

[@richbailey8174]

Nice to see him talking seriously for a change.

[@alexthomson7465]

That interviewer knew his shit

[@alfredpetrie7920]

It never ceases to amaze me how ie Londoners speak as supposed to a Dundonian like me.Fascinating

[@johnringoo756]

Just before quadrophenia..cool

[@stevecowan9714]

I think he was talkung about the up and coming quadrophenia

[@giorgiorevolver8527]

What a hero

[@nigecracknell8139]

I miss Keith, gone far to soon!

[@gregoryyoung8819]

Keith Moon created an image. And then he had to live up to that image. And then sadly, it was that image that took his life.

[@carpenoctem775]

Spoke coherently, but partied like a wild animal. lol

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

That's just being English mate

[@JeffHalle]

Great clip. Moon lost teeth when he drove a limo into the pool of a Flint Michigan Holiday Inn during a drunken birthday celebration, while the band was in Flint for an Atwood Stadium concert, 1967.

[@harrymyers1427]

Best damn drummer in Rock in my opinion and the wildest

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

Nah that'll be Bonzo

[@coupedriver280ce]

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 🥁💫THE BEST💫🥁 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 There is no substitute 20.2.2024

[@pjsfineart2881]

Man...he was younger than my son here 😔❤

[@leighfoulkes7297]

For a second there I thought he was sober but then after a while, I could tell he had a few but to many.

[@leehill1880]

I actually thought he was sober, probably had a tolerance I guess

[@oddities-whatnot]

A troubled man. He wasn’t mad or crazy, probably a personality disorder thats all. Misunderstood back then.

[@mojopin70]

Which personality disorder?

[@gregoryg3256]

🌘🌚🌕 aah Moon the Loon ..one of a Kind...

[@EmeraldWoodArchives]

Best eyebrows in rock history.

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

Keith John Moon 23 de agosto de 1946 07 de septiembre de 1978 77 años 32 años 45 años

[@sweetitis]

Such a shame Keith couldn’t have been intervened and saved What an enormous talent and id wager a deep down decent sort I for one miss him and Pete tearing it up onstage

[@leehill1880]

Pete has always been honest and truthful about Keith, and it may have been viewed as mean on Pete's part. But I think Pete loved Keith and Keith adored and looked up to Pete so much.

[@tosinmcboy]

Keith he is my favourite drummer to be in your interview today 🤎💜💕💞♥️👍🥰

[@lemurianchick]

Sometimes I can't peg English regional accents and whether they are posh or working-class. 😂 This is a case in point. Keith sounds kinda sorta "classy" but not sure...

[@drummer78]

Keith grew up in Wembley in a comfortable yet what would then be considered working class household. The one thing about Keith though was he was a great mimic and loved changing characters and accents. There was the aristocratic “Dear Boy” Keith, a pirate type Keith, a Cockney Keith, etc.

[@dylanemeraldgrey]

I thought the same thing. I just saw "born to working class parents" while scanning search results. One of the best to ever do it, imho.

[@dylanemeraldgrey]

@@drummer78 yeah, true...this didn't seem over the top in any way, so it threw me off a bit.

[@Meddled]

I think he's channeling Kit Lambert here a bit. Like John Martyn, these mercurial musicians where insecure and good at copying the mannerisms, phrasing etc of other speakers. This isn't Keith's natural speaking voice.

[@drbalbon7332]

He speaks clearly and without any "regionals".

[@caesarsmith4711]

Best rock drummer on the planet he was

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

Nah Bonzo was better

[@caesarsmith4711]

@@dcmastermindfirst9418 Bonzo Dog Doo Dah to him

[@livinlifetothefullest2750]

​@dcmastermindfirst9418 technically Bonzo was probably better but Moon didn't just turn up with a huge kit he used every part of the kit for every song plus you see how Moon can more intense especially he goes on a real rocker.

[@davuljul]

the rest is of the interview is protected WTF !??!

[@skygod1975]

Can anybody tell me if this was his actual accent? I'm told his natural accent was more Cockley sounding? Is this true?

[@see4miles67]

Yes this is his normal North London accent.

[@krisscanlon4051]

Wow about as clear I've ever seen him...shocking...very gentle and forthright. I don't think he is playing a character of any sort.

[@joebrewer4529]

Maybe Keith Mooney didn’t write edgy songs, but he did actually write really good songs and to be honest I’ve probably listened to in the city more than any other who they ever made

[@christophercooper6731]

Was Moon the Loon channelling Cuddly Dudley (AKA the Sex Thimble) or the other way around?

[@7rays]

I still miss him terribly to this very day

[@slowery43]

we don't care, this is not all about you

[@jimo3173]

What a lot of people never knew about Moon was he had a pretty serious case of attention deficit disorder; it just wasn't a known medical condition at the time he was alive. That's probably why he had a hard time keeping a steady beat in time and so followed the music rather than lead the music and why he did fills at every turn. They called him Moon the loon because no one knew what was really going on with him. That's also why he usually didn't play the same riffs on the same songs. It had to be a lot tougher for him to play the drums with that condition with no treatment available for it. Had they known about A.D.D. and could treat it back then, he probably wouldn't have come across as a spaz case.

[@sardonicus76]

Was this interview recorded immediately after the Cow Palace show? He’s seems unusually sedate, here.

[@see4miles67]

No it is Australia April 1973

[@nickmelucci]

Despite his antics he was one of the most eloquent Rock musicians ever.

[@robw8173]

What year did Daley thompson join the band?

[@tonysuley4306]

This interview was before he watched Scarface with Allpachino

[@truthinesssss]

Interesting

[@Ruda-n4h]

He is real accent was 'norf' London as in the interview with Russell Harty on the Kids Are Alright, but he liked putting on a posh one when p&*%^d as here, 'old boy'.

[@Weird-City]

Dudley Moore based his Arthur character on Moon.

[@kencoakley3959]

My sister and brother in law's first date was to see The Who in 1973, promoting Quadrophenia. Three yearx later, they went to see The Who at Boston Garden. When most of the audience were seated, the show was canceled because a drunk Keith Moon fell off a stool and passed out backstage.

[@franzschubertv2874]

what was the song that the first question was about?

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

Not a song, the Tommy album.

[@user-xl3py6sd3w]

WHO would not love the the Moon.

[@Notawesomeatall7]

I had NO idea the Who were English!

[@quad1000]

It's just a shame; a damn, wasteful shame. Even almost 50 years later. But not sure if there was any way to untangle madness with such originality. Moon was no dummy, just did awful, destructive things.

[@LilianaMillan-o9q]

KEITH MOON 23 FEBRERO 1947