Happy Birthday Keith Moon: Isolated Drum Tracks

Legendary drummer Keith Moon was born 71 years ago today. As a member of the influential rock band The Who, his aggressive approach to drumming injected power into the power trio of bassist John Entwistle and guitarist Pete Townshend, that rose to fame alongside frontman Roger Daltrey.

Known almost equally for his wild behavior off stage as he was for his talents behind the drumkit, Moon’s eccentricism and substance-fueled antics finally came to an end with his tragic death on September 7, 1978 at the age of just 32. Still revered and consistently cited for his influence and unpolished technique, Moon’s style can perhaps be best appreciated when his drums are heard in isolation.

Below is a series of classic The Who recordings with Moon’s drum tracks separated from his band mates’ contributions. Listen to Keith’s drumming on “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Who Are You” and “Pinball Wizard” here:

[Won’t Get Fooled Again]

[Who Are You]

[Pinball Wizard]