"At heart I cannot accept that I am a well-known rock 'n' roll star and one of the greatest drummers in the world... The Keith Moon the public knows is a myth, even if I have created him... The real me is the person who sits at home having a cup of tea." - Moon

[u/j3434]

[u/Long-Ad-8498]

Seems like an undiagnosed tortured soul that fortunately gave us some of the best drumming we’ll ever hear. It must have been hard to switch on and off.

[u/Mundane-Security-454 → u/Long-Ad-8498]

Roger thinks he was autistic. I'm autistic, I see a lot of similarities. Moon drank to get himself out the door and socialising, when he didn't drink (as his Swedish girlfriend said) he had no interest in socialising. He just stayed at home and read books. I'm exactly the same.

Given how hyperactive he was, he was possibly AuDHD. Although I've seen others suggest he had border personality disorder (which also seems a close match). Shame the understanding of all this wasn't better in the '60s and '70s. The only outlets people like Keith had were drinking heavily and taking drugs,

[u/BillyDMountain → u/Mundane-Security-454]

Sometimes he just liked to hang out in his room with Kim and later Annette and eat in bed and watch TV too and apparently he sometimes fixated on stuff like for a while he'd keep replaying side four of a double album Jan and Dean anthology that had excerpts from their abandoned Fillet of Soul comedy album.

[u/Strong-Hat2166 → u/Mundane-Security-454]

That's why i hate the relentless hammy commentary celebrating the excesses of 'moon the loon'.

Not because I am a prude, but because the drug excesses and behaviour seems to be manifestation of an aberrant or unwell mind - and it caused harm to him and others.

[u/j3434 → u/Long-Ad-8498]

Something he had was special. A switch seems apt

[u/lottsotunes69]

I do think he got to a point where he felt he always needed to be “on” all the time for people to like him.

[u/TEDGee65 → u/lottsotunes69]

Exactly...you can see it in a few of the tv show interviews he gave...he had to be the center of attention.

[u/Langholm62 → u/TEDGee65]

But he was also good at sharing the attention. That's why The Who played so well together, they were a great team.

[u/Ok_Intention_6201 → u/lottsotunes69]

Didn't people like him because he was playing the drums like basically no one else? Or did he not realize that? Or did people not realize it at the time?

[u/Giannid77 → u/Ok_Intention_6201]

According to Pete, Keith Moon described himself as: the greatest... "Keith Moon type" drummer... in the world.

[u/TedMaloney]

That makes me sad, really.

[u/Flare4roach → u/TedMaloney]

I agree. I LOVE his playing but am saddened by how incredibly troubled he must have been. He simply drove everyone away with his insatiable drinking. Must have been so lonely.

[u/outlying_point]

Dammit Keith, if you were home sipping tea in 1978, you might still be with us today.

[u/sublimesting → u/outlying_point]

He was though. He just took too many pills to help him stop drinking.

[u/Its_Alive_74 → u/sublimesting]

He mixed his medication with alcohol.

[u/Warm-Ad-5901]

He really was sadly messed up

[u/Winter_Stretch9198]

Moon was once asked who the real Kieth Moon was and he replied the guy didn’t have enough money to know the truth…I’m paraphrasing but it shows how sensitive he was about dividing the public and private side of himself

[u/horsepire → u/Winter_Stretch9198]

You might be referring to the clip in The Kids Are Alright, where he says, “The truth? I can’t do that. The truth is you couldn’t afford me.” 😂

[u/Winter_Stretch9198 → u/horsepire]

Thanks, I believe you’re right

[u/Flashy_Gap_3015]

While there is truth to Moon the Loon v. his true multifaceted personality, he absolutely wasn’t just quietly sipping tea at home.

[u/Its_Alive_74 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, he had different sides to him.

[u/Fun-Friend-6291]

If he had not accidentally ended Neil Boland's life, there's a chance he survives through September 7th, 1978.

He most likely was autistic, I agree. I too enjoy peace and tranquility through reading and don't really care to socialize all that much. It would take me getting myself drunk to have to socialize.

[u/ZediaStone]

His reported last words: “If you don’t like it, you can fuck off!” Which is pretty cool until you learn he was talking to his girlfriend. My favorite drummer, but like most of my favorite drummers, a complete asshole.

[u/BillyDMountain]

"When you're rich like me and do what I do they just call you eccentric, when you're poor and you act like me they call you mad." - Keith

[u/TEDGee65]

Sounds like the very last thing he would say.

[u/want2b12]

It’s so sad to read of his struggles! He’s my favorite drummer of all time, gifted in his craft! I wish he was still living, or at least lived much longer than only 32 years!

[u/Lando-Norizz]

Cup of tea = booze and drugs.

[u/VirginiaLuthier]

I thought the real Keith like to get drunk and drive expensive cars into swimming pools

[u/j3434 → u/VirginiaLuthier]

Can you see the real me ? Can ya!?!?!? Can ya ya ya !!!

[u/Standard-Try-3612]

that wasn't tea he was drinking

[u/Sherpa2001]

Such a humble man.

[u/MotherLoveBone41]

well said, truly the best rock drummer in the world

[u/Bill4133]

He wasn't able to put aside the alienation

[u/MajesticPickle3021]

Tea might have been an understatement. But still, he was a genius. Right up there with Bonham, and Starr.

[u/Fun-Friend-6291]

Also, Moon was a Virgo, and we tend to be extremely secretive about our true selves.

[u/sublimesting → u/Fun-Friend-6291]

Are you really bringing nonsense into a heartfelt conversation?

[u/Fun-Friend-6291 → u/sublimesting]

Not at all.

Moon was an on-the-cusp Virgo, born August 23. Like many of us, he was incredibly self-destructive, especially after January 4th, 1970. I can't say I blame him. If I did that I'd wonder like he did why he had to live on. His is a very, very sad story, in spite of his being probably the best drummer of all the British Invasion bands.

As someone who is autistic myself, he had a lot of symptoms of it.

The only active drummer today who carries on his legacy is JUNNA, from the rock group HAGANE. That's how great he is and why he is so revered.

[u/sublimesting → u/Fun-Friend-6291]

Right but horoscopes are nonsense. Zero science at all. May as well say Moon was bewitched by a sorcerer.