Keith's drumming

[Keithjmoon70@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 12/8/2003 11:05:13 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
sschrade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
There are pauses & pat-
terns in his bass drum work which belie the "thump thump thump" theory.


Scott:


Instead of using the word "mainly" I should have said "often" with regard to 
the thumping bass drum and it was "mainly" when he did his flurries with his 
hands.  Of course that's not all he did!  I'm a painter, not a writer. S'BT

When Keith went at it with his arms, his feet were often thump thump 
thumping. From where did you get that I was saying he was some kind of wild man?  If 
that were the case, he wouldn't have been able to reproduce what he did, live, 
like he did better than any one of the 4 on LAL. (see Happy Jack) I'm talking 
about his style, not his ability.  I can mention many songs where he doesn't 
go thump.  Most of 'em ... but I can mention many where he does.  

All around, it is easier to play along with Keith's bass than it is to play 
along with the other guy's. At least for me it is.  Maybe I am just really 
good? :-/

Back to where this started, and why I said this; when I hear the "Good times 
Bad times" beat going on downstairs I know what drummer Jonny is emulating.  
The style is way different and the stutters are the main point in Bonham's 
drumming there. It's *not* easy, especially since he is doing many things while 
doing the stutter like the high hat beat, crashes and the skins very 
deliberately.  John Bonham was great. He practiced and it showed. But Keith was 
*brilliant* and  more talented intrinsically.  His style on the bass drum was 
completely different.  Like you said truthfully, in his drumming he played with the 
*song* and on many occasions, even *made* the song. (ICSFM, MW, HJ,TKAA, Bargain, 
etc.)

John Bonham was Japanese, while Keith was Chinese.  Bonham had the character 
and the work ethic, thus he "earned" his ability to play but could only go so 
far. Keith had the inner brilliance and could have gone much farther than even 
he did himself, but didn't have the character to keep it going upward while 
not on the road with The Who.  (Political side note here: This is why the 
Chinese aren't ruling the earth. In general, many have brilliant minds, but they 
aren't on the road with The Who all the time.)


>but why isn't Moon recognized for his subtlety & oftentimes delicate
approach to the drums?  "Ho ho ho, Keith Moon & his thunderous rolls &
his smashing everything up!  Ho ho ho!  Wild man of rock!  Trying to hit
everything at once!  Ho ho ho!"

Casual fans say this.  The dumb media spreads this.  We never say this.
He played the *triangle* and the ride cymbal at the same time very delicately 
on "Our Love Was" -another thing that my boy figured when I asked him about 
the bells that Kevin spoke of in our coordinated effort here.  You can't get 
too wild on that triangle. 

Jon in Mi.