Keith John Moon was born to working class parents in Wembley, London, England, on the 23rd August, 1946. At the age of 12, he had joined the Sea Cadet Corp and was given his first musical instrument, the bugle. He left school by 15 and was in his first band, The Beachcombers; this was around the summer of 1963. There was rumour that Keith was self-taught, but history says otherwise, he was shown how to play by the late Carlo Little (1938-2005), Carlo was the original drummer in the Rolling Stones and Screaming Lords Sutch's band, The Savages.

By the age of 18, he had joined a local London band, The High Numbers; this was to consist of what is now known as The Who.

With his own unique style of drumming, rolling the sticks along the skins as to banging the typical beat, he was to become extrovertly charismatic in his life as well as his playing. With a desire, a need if you like, to be the centre of attention, this hyperactive, and largely, self destructive, personality became his own worst enemy.

With a flair for theatrical and ridicululous behaviour, he was the centre point and self-publicist for, if they liked it or not, The Who.

In the meantime, he had fathered a daughter, Mandy, to Kim. He may have been the perfect showman, but behind the scenes, he was often a very aggressive man to live around and with. Kim soon left him, taking their young daughter with her.

He started to live the high life in California, with the likes of John Lennon, Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr, Ringo's son, Zak, was his godson, ironically, it was Zak who played with The Who in their later career, during the nineties and beyond.

While in California, he made his only solo album, Two Sides of The Moon, for MCA Records, a 1975 release, with many guest artists. Keith rarely played the drums while away from the Who, he sang on the album, and played the drums on only three of the tracks.

His on-stage aggression, destroying his drum kits while still playing them and wrecking hotel rooms, apart from being an obvious publicity stunt, was fuelled with an over use of drugs and alcohol. This addictive side to his nature flowed into the 70s, playing against the band, his family and friends. His drumming became irregular and unpredictable. He put on weight, so much so as to have him sit in a chair with the backrest toward the camera, to hide his paunch, on the cover of the last Who album with Keith, the 1978 Who are You.

He died in September 7th, 1978; his death was an accident, by the overuse of the prescribed medicine that was designed ease him off his drink addiction. He died in the same London apartment as Cass Elliot, from The Mama & The Papas, who had died there some four years earlier.


Was the drummer with The Who along with Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle. Dedicatee of the published script of Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979). Joined The Who in late 1964. Prior to that, he played drums for a cover band called The Beachcombers. Was the youngest member of The Who. Roger Daltrey's song "Under A Raging Moon" was a tribute to him. The recording featured the work of 40 drummers, including Ringo Starr and his son Zak Starkey. Was allegedly responsible for The Who being banned from every Holiday Inn in the US for life after creating a ruckus while celebrating his 20th birthday at one of the chain's hotels in the Flint, MI, though actually they continued to use Holiday Inns for much of their career. In reality, Moon and John Entwistle. discussed leaving The Who, going as far to name the band Lead Zeppelin based on the English saying "going over like a lead zeppelin" as Americans say "going over like a lead balloon". Entwistle went as far as to do drawings of the first album cover (the Hindenberg in flames) and they discussed the idea with their then driver Richard Cole. Later when this didn't materialize, and with Cole leaving their employ and going to work with Jimmy Page, the name was indeed used by Page to name the New Yardbirds. Both Moon and Entwistle subsequently took credit for the name. Shared a house in Los Angeles with John Lennon and May Pang, Ringo Starr, and Harry Nilsson in 1974; it was the same place where Bobby Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe had met for trysts in the early 1960s. They called it their "rock-n-roll rest home", and Moon was fond of coming down to breakfast wearing a trenchcoat slit up the back... and nothing underneath. (Klaus Voormann also lived there with his girlfriend, but steered clear of the other men's antics.) Was a front-row guest at one of The Monkees's London concerts; countered the fans' cries of "We want The Monkees!" by bellowing "We want The Who!" as loudly as anyone. The first instrument he played was the bugle. Left school at age 14, after discovering the drums. His public image was so pronounced that the Muppet character, Animal, whose credo is "Drums. Women. Food." was inspired by Moon. Was a huge fan of The Beach Boys and reportedly used to listen to their 1964 album "Shut Down Volume 2" constantly for inspiration, before joining The Who. One of the last songs he sung in the studio was a cover of their 1966 #1 hit "Barbara Ann". He also produced a solo album that had a cover of their 1964 hit, 'Don't Worry Baby'. Son of Kathleen Moon. His ex-wife, Kim Moon McLagan, was killed in a car accident in August 2006 in Texas. Although he owned dozens of fast, rare and expensive cars, he also owned an old, beat-up tractor that he used to drive to his local pub. In 1973 he collapsed onstage at the San Francisco Cow Palace after having taken a huge amount of animal tranquilizer. Was very good friends with Dallas star Larry Hagman and singer Harry Nilsson. He has a Blue Plaque at the old Marquee Club, at 90 Wardour Street, London, to celebrate his first show's with The Who, it reads: Keith Moon 1946 - 1978. Legendary rock drummer with 'The Who'. Performed here at the site of the Marquee Club in the 1960s. Very good friends with Oliver Reed.