by Ed Masley - Sept. 5, 2008 02:46 PM
The Arizona Republic
He was the greatest drummer rock and roll will ever see, a madcap force of nature whose attention-grabbing antics rarely held him back from landing on the beat -- even when tumbling his way through any number of the most chaotic, most exuberant drum fills in the history of rock.

Keith Moon was 32 the day his self-destructive lifestyle got the better of him, 30 years ago this very weekend -- on Sept. 7.

Here's a look at some essential moments in the life a man whose proved, conclusively, that sometimes more is more. 

1961 - Leaves secondary modern school at 15. His art teacher sizes him up as "retarded artistically -- idiotic in other respects," although his music teacher recognizes "great ability" while warning that he "must guard against a tendency to show off." Fortunately, Moonie doesn't heed a word of that advice.

1964 - At 17, muscles his way into an up-and-coming mod group that would soon become The Who, at that point known as the High Numbers. As the group's lone guitarist, Pete Townshend, would later recall in a BBC interview, it went like this. He turned up at a gig and said "I can play better than him," then got behind the kit and proved it, practically smashing the other guy's drum kit to pieces. The band's reaction? As bassist John Entwistle recalled in Anyway Anyhow Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of The Who 1958-1978, "We played Road Runner and he broke this drummer's bass drum pedal and mucked up the hi-hat. We thought, 'This is the fella.'"

1965 - Ushers in The Who's astonishing debut, My Generation, with the loose-limbed abandon of Out in The Streets, a performance that swings like his hero Gene Krupa without the refinement. It's as though he solos through the whole track. But that solo somehow makes it feel more danceable - making good on the early Who's promise of maximum R&B. He also nails the essence of the album's daring James Brown covers, I Don't Mind and Please, Please, Please, and brings the title track to an explosive, awe-inspiring climax, a portrait in chaos that feels even more like a solo than Out in the Streets.

1966 - Contributes two true highlights to A Quick One as a writer - an infectiously ludicrous marching-band-style instrumental called Cobwebs and Strange and haunting proto-psychedelic pop gem I Need You. Inspired by the action at the Ad Lib, London's night club of the hour, I Need You includes a spot-on imitation of John Lennon in a mid-song monologue - or Moonologue - although the end is nearly drowned out by the thunder of his floor toms. Meanwhile Cobwebs features Moon's best Wipe Out imitation yet. He also sings a portion of their legendary mini opera A Quick One While He's Away from that same album.

1967 - To make The Who's American TV debut on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour a truly memorable experience for one and all, he puts some extra firecrackers in his drum kit. When they go off at the climax of My Generation, the explosion singes Townshend's hair and briefly knocks the network off the air while Moon himself is injured by the flying bits of cymbal. That same year, The Who Sell Out, their masterpiece, finds Cobwebs re-imagined as an ad for Heinz Baked Beans and features several prime examples of his innovative drumming, not the least of which is I Can See For Miles, their biggest U.S. hit.

1968 - His explosive, hugely entertaining performance on the definitive version of A Quick One, While He's Away at the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus leaves you feeling kind of sorry for the Stones, who've clearly just been blown off stage at their own party by the greatest live performance in the history of rock and roll, bar none.

1969 - Wins a writing credit from Townshend for a song he didn't necessarily write, Tommy's Holiday Camp, having suggested that the final scene of Townshend's soon-to-be-revered rock opera take place in a holiday camp. As for his drumming, while it's ultimately Townshend's premise and hi-art pretensions that bring home the critical bacon, Moon still manages to call attention to himself, even when surrounded by an orchestra on Overture. His best bits, though, are on the proper rockers, from those drum fills on Amazing Journey/Sparks to Christmas, Pinball Wizard and the album-closing We're Not Gonna Take It.

1970 - Live at Leeds is probably the most acclaimed live album ever, and it's clearly more to do with Moon's amazing energy than Daltrey's having blown the words to nearly every cover. The reckless abandon he brings to Young Man Blues alone should be enough to guarantee this album's standing as the quintessential document of rock's best live band, captured at the tail end of their prime. But every number finds Moon doing something astonishing, from Substitute to an epic performance of My Generation.

1971 - Plays a nun in Frank Zappa's 200 Motels and lays the groundwork for the most dramatic scream in rock with a series of thundering fills coming out of the synthesizer break in Won't Get Fooled Again. That song is taken from The Who's best-selling album, Who's Next, whose iconic cover image was almost a picture of Moon in a corset, clutching a riding crop.

1973 - Contributes hilarious voice and jungle drums to Bell Boy on Townshend's most ambitious work since Tommy, Quadrophenia. And while it could be - maybe should be - argued that his drums are almost buried in the mix on most tracks, the playing itself is unstoppable, especially in moments as assertive as The Real Me, 5:15 and Doctor Jimmy.

1975 - Provides the most watchable moments of Ken Russell's Tommy, camping it up on the organ while welcoming campers to Tommy's Holiday Camp in an extended version of the song. The Who By Numbers feels like something of a setback after Quadrophenia, but even with his growing focus on the bottle, Moon gets in some great performances, especially on Dreaming From The Waist and Success Story.

1976 - Hams it up on an old-timey cover of the Beatles' When I'm 64 for the soundtrack to All This And World War II.

1978 - Steals scenes from Mae West in the ultra-campy Sextette as a fashion designer. "That dress is so fantastic, even I would wear it," he sputters in his strongest cockney accent. "In fact, I have." Three weeks before the drummer's death, his final album with the band, Who Are You, hits the streets. It's not his finest hour, by a long shot, but it's not without its flashes of the old Moon brilliance, mostly on the title track (as heard on CSI!). Ironically, the album cover shows him straddling a chair that reads Not To Be Taken Away. If only.

Isle of Wight Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-HhEC27exM

The Greatest Rock Drummer of All Time, Sorry Charlie  with No Moon NO Who.
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They are one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. For over four decades, they have changed modern music as we know it. But some of their most famous performances have never been released... until now.
On December 15, 1977, The Who performed before a select invited audience at the Gaumont State Theatre in Kilburn, North London, to record a concert for Jeff Stein's film, The Kids Are Alright, which turned out to be one of the last live performances by drummer Keith Moon. Shot in 35mm, this holy grail for fans has been digitally restored and remastered in high-definitiion for the ultimate The Who experience.
This 2-DVD set also includes The Who's powerhouse London Coliseum gig from 1969, a never-before-seen rarity and one of the band's personal favorites.
Take an amazing journey with The Who like you've never seen or heard them before, featuring their greatest hits and hours of incredible footage! It's the rock discovery of the year!
Two incredible concerts - totaling 138 minutes!
Kilburn Songs: "Can't Explain," "Substitute," "Baba O'Reilly (Teenage Wasteland)," "My Wife / Going Mobile," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Dreaming from the Waist," "Pinball Wizard," "I'm Free," "Tommy's Holiday Camp," "Summertime Blues," "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation," "Join Together," "Who Are You?," "Won't Get Fooled Again"

London Coliseum Songs: "Heaven and Hell," "Can't Explain," "Fortune Teller," "Tattoo," "Young Man Blues," "A Quick One While He's Away," "Happy Jack," "I'm a Boy," "I'm Free," "Tommy's Holiday Camp," "See Me, Feel Me," "Summertime Blues," "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation"

Plus 70 minutes of rare Coliseum bonus tracks and extended versions including the first-ever long performance of Tommy: "A Quick One While He's Away," "Overture," "It's a Boy, " "1921," "Amazing Journey," "Christmas," "Acid Queen," "Pinball Wizard," "Do You Think It's Alright," "Fiddle About," "Tommy Can You Hear Me?," "There's a Doctor," "Go to the Mirror," "Smash the Mirror," "Miracle Cure," "Sally Simpson," "Tommy's Holiday Camp," ""I'm Free," "We're Not Gonna Take It"