On This day – Keith Moon
Sep 7, 2009 Departures, On This Day
On this day in 1978 Keith Moon died. He overdosed on a drug called Heminevrin. Ironically this had been prescribed to help him over alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
“Moon the Loon” joined The Who in 1964 after Doug Samden left and played on all their albums from “My Generation” (1865) to “Who Are You” released just 2 weeks before his death. His style was not conventional, eschewing the traditional focus on back beats in favour of dramatic fast rolls across tom toms and cymbals. He was never still behind the drum kit, always looking to add drama and urgency into the songs.
Although a rock drummer of distinction it is for his destructive tendencies that Keith Moon seems to be mainly remembered. he had a fascination with destroying toilets. He used to blow them up with explosives starting with penny bangers (cherry bombs) and graduating to dynamite. So obsessed was he with blowing up toilets that he and the band were banned from several hotel chains and named hotels.
His most famous escapade, however, involved a car, not explosives. On the occasion of his 21st birthday (he was actually 20 but wanted to be able to drink in all the states in the USA, so, naturally he said it was his 21st). Moon was drunk and decided that what he really needed to do was to drive a car into a swimming pool. Variously said to be either a Cadillac or a Lincoln Continental it was this act, as well as serial toilet destruction incidents, that led Moon to be banned from the Holiday Inn chain, for life.
Keith Moon died after spending an evening with Paul and Linda McCartney. They had been to a preview of the film The Buddy Holly Story and then to dinner. After returning to their flat Moon and his girlfriend went to bed. Before going to bed Moon took 32 tablets of Clomethiazole (Heminevrin). This was prescribed drug to help Moon with alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He had been told by his doctor never to take more than 3 tablets in any 24 hour period.
Tags: classic rock music, deaths, keith moon, love rock music, On This Day, rock and blues, the who
John Henry Hammond
Jul 10, 2009 Departures
John Hammond died on this day in 1987.
JH was one of those people who were enormously influencial but often overlooked. Often given credit where it was not deserved but denied the credit that was due to him.
John Hammond was a record producer rather than a talent scout. Back in the early ’30s he was writing about the racial divide in the USA and ridiculing it using jazz as the vehicle for this line of reasoning. He was instrumental in promoting Billie Holiday, arranging her first recording debut, she appeared on a Benny Goodman session. Later he also championed the Count Basie orchestra.
For those two instances he deserves to be remembered. However along with promoting blues music and musicians he did one other thing that makes him one of the most important people in popular music development.
He oversaw and championed (but did not produce as many think) “King of the Delta Blues Singers” released in 1961 this was a rerelease of all the recordings made by Robert Johnson. This is possibly one of the 5 most influencial records ever released.
Tags: billie holiday, blues music, deaths, john hammond, On This Day, robert johnson
Michael Jackson Why Wait ’till he’s Dead?
Jun 30, 2009 Rants
That MJ was a tremendous recording artist is beyond doubt, although popularity does not guarantee quality – just remember the Spice Girls phenomena.
What really annoys me is that lots of people are going out and buying MJ records. Let me explain that a bit better. It is not that people are buying his records per se. It is that they are buying them just because he is dead. If they liked MJ’s music then why didn’t they buy the CDs when he was alive? Dieing is a good career move.
Tags: deaths, michael Jackson, rock music
Departed on this Day
Jun 22, 2009 Departures
Judy Garland died on this day in 1999 while Fredastaire died on this day 2 years earlier.
OK so are you asking whether JG & FA are really “real rock” people? Too right they are. FA was obsessed with perfection but what made him real rock was his refusal to treat the audience as dummies.
As for JG she lived the rock’n'roll life before R’n'R.
Tags: deaths
