Life on the road with Keith Moon!
A selection of his most (in)famous pranks
10. For The Who’s UK tour in 1967, their opening band was The Herds. Moon, with the help of bassist John Entwistle, rigged the gong used by drummer Andrew Steele so that every time Steele tries to bang the gong, Moon and Entwistle would pull on the rope and the gong would move out of his reach.
9. In 1969, Moon and Larry Smith of the satirical rock group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah went to a Marks and Spencer shop. Smith was the first to go and asked for their most durable trouser. After it was shown to him, Moon entered the store and offered to help Smith test the trouser’s durability. They both took one leg and ended up tearing it into two pieces. The staff called the authorities and just in time, their limo driver arrived and said, “Are those one-legged trousers? They’re just what I’ve been looking for!” The driver paid for it and each leg was even packed separately.
8. Moon became friends with actor Oliver Reed because of Tommy. In 1975, during a red carpet premiere, someone threw a lemon curd pie and hit Reed in the face. Then, someone handed him a note that read: “Pie in the Face International. You have been selected by Mr. Keith Moon to become a member.” There was also a certificate with this message written on it: “You are a member, sponsored by Keith Moon.”
7. This didn’t happen just once. When they’re in small villages, Moon liked to make false announcements from his car. He either used police bullhorns or installed speakers in his vehicle. These “announcements” ranged from harmless to that which could likely cause panic e.g. possible tidal waves.
6. Keith Moon wasn’t above going the extra mile when it came to his practical jokes. The guy always went all-out even if that means dressing up as a bald vicar. In stark contrast with his costume, he would shout obscenities at old ladies and basically traumatize them for life.
5. Moon once staged a fake kidnapping with the help of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. And let’s just say it looked so real that the authorities caught up with them.
4. During their appearance at The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on September 17, 1967, he loaded his drum kit with more explosives than his “usual”. The explosion almost blew the band off the stage – it singed Townshend’s hair and affected his hearing. Another guest, actress Bette Davis, fainted after the explosion.
3. On August 25, 1972, Moon sought Pete Townshend’s help to carry the waterbed into the elevator and send it down to the lobby. But it burst before they could remove it and released huge amount of water into the hallway. Realizing he’s about to be in big trouble, Moon went ahead and called the manager to report the “incident.” He claimed that the mattress burst and in the process, destroyed his expensive clothes. Apparently, Moon’s an impressive actor as well because by way of apology, the manager moved The Who to the Presidential Suite.
2. In 1970, he and former Bonzos frontman Viv Stanshall had to wear Nazi officer uniforms for a photo shoot. They didn’t take it off while drinking and even wore the same costume for a few days. That’s not even the worst part. They decided to hire an open-top Mercedes and take a trip to a Jewish neighborhood.
1. He became obsessed with cherry bombs and as The Who toured around the world, Moon made his mark on each hotel by destroying the toilets using the explosives. He once said, “All that porcelain flying through the air was quite unforgettable.”
The Insane And Tragic Life Of Keith Moon | Society Of Rock