The Who Keith Moon | Christie's

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The Following 30 Lots Are The Property Of The Moon Family. Keith Moon was arguably the most explosive and distinctive drummer in rock history. Born in London in 1946, he began to play in his early teens, and gigged with several local pop bands. In April 1964, he attended a performance by an early line-up of the Who (who were then still working under the name of the Detours). When he discovered that they needed a full-time drummer, he immediately offered his services, breaking the bass-drum pedal on their kit for good measure. His powerhouse style marked him out from his contemporaries. He was the first rock drummer to use a kit with two bass drums, and he became famous for his cascading and cacophonous fills and rolls. His tempestuous playing fitted perfectly with the Who's sound, and he soon became a legend among his fellow musicians. On top of that, Moon was an irrepressible, madcap personality, with a penchant for mischief-making and risk-taking unparalleled in the annals of rock. Wildly funny and sometimes dangerously self-destructive, he was destined to enjoy a brief but incident-filled life. His luck ran out in September 1978, when he succumbed to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs after attending a party thrown by Paul McCartney in London. The Who attempted to carry on without him, but in retrospect the band agreed that without Keith Moon, they simply weren't The Who anymore. Nearly 30 years after his death, he remains one of rock's most famous characters, whose life is scheduled to be celebrated in a Hollywood film next year.

The Who Keith Moon

Details

The Who Keith Moon
A presentation 'gold' disc for the album Live At Leeds, R.I.A.A. certified, white matte -- Presented to KEITH MOON -- 21¾x17¾in. (55x45cm.) framed

Provenance

The Moon Family.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Live At Leeds was released in May, 1970 reaching number three in the U.K. charts, and number four in the U.S.

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