Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon - Tony Fletcher

I can't really say I've been a huge Who fan, I liked all their singles yet don't own any of their albums, but having musical friends it always surprised me how so many drummers would quote 'Keith Moon' as a major source of musical, and often also social, influence. I'd heard some stories about Moon the Loon but mostly thought he drowned in a car in the swimming pool (yes, I was confused with Brian Jones of the Stones)! After reading this book I have ...
...as it pretty much covers it all.

Author Tony Fletcher reveals at the end of the book that, when a teenager, he met Keith shortly before his death and you can tell it's a subject close to his heart. With so many Chinese whispers, urban legends and the Who themselves exaggerating stories surrounding the legend of Keith Moon it must be hard to unravel exactly what actually happened but he certainly tries his best although occasionally ... more

I can't really say I've been a huge Who fan, I liked all their singles yet don't own any of their albums, but having musical friends it always surprised me how so many drummers would quote 'Keith Moon' as a major source of musical, and often also social, influence. I'd heard some stories about Moon the Loon but mostly thought he drowned in a car in the swimming pool (yes, I was confused with Brian Jones of the Stones)! After reading this book I have to say I'm a bit of a Moon authority now as it pretty much covers it all.

Author Tony Fletcher reveals at the end of the book that, when a teenager, he met Keith shortly before his death and you can tell it's a subject close to his heart. With so many Chinese whispers, urban legends and the Who themselves exaggerating stories surrounding the legend of Keith Moon it must be hard to unravel exactly what actually happened but he certainly tries his best although occasionally gets a bit side-tracked with this. He also draws on as many sources as possible starting from the very beginning of Keith’s life with his family, school friends and members of his first band (the Beachcombers) up to girlfriend Annette Walter-Lax who was with him when he died. FYI or rather FMI from mixing alcohol with a prescription drug overdose rather than in a swimming pool.

If you want to know about Keith Moon this is the book, at nearly 600 pages it's quite long and at times it may be a little over-involved in the details but luckily with such a colourful character it’s rarely boring. There’s also some interesting general information about Britain’s social history and the evolution of the music scene in there too, charting the rise of musical styles, influences and bands in the late 50s onwards. You do feel a bit like you’re growing up and seeing these changes alongside the character, which helps you get into the feel of the times.

Off stage Moon was a born clown with the desire to amuse and entertain anyone around him so naturally many of the major Moon stunts, stories, escapades and wanton destruction of hotel rooms are covered in the book. In fairness the Who/Moon would usually end up paying for any damages they caused and most of them are very funny and inventive, such as trying to get a waterbed into the lift to take it down to flood a hotel lobby. Some however are quite dark and offensive such as walking into a Bierkeller dressed as a nazi. The one thing that comes through is Moon’s combined pleasure from amusing and shocking people so the chance to combine the two was rarely missed but generally it’s felt they were more out of mischief than malice.

His private life, lifestyle and relationships also come under the microscope and are all examined in great detail. Behind the scenes Moon was a deeply troubled and insecure person despite his apparent confidence and flair in public. The private side is frequently less appealing than his better known public persona and he often comes across as a very demanding and difficult person to deal with yet despite this most people interviewed still talk about him with genuine affection. The author also examines Moon’s unique playing style, in as much as it’s possible to describe music with words, and tries to define what made him such an influential drummer.

This is a rollercoaster ride through the life of one of the wildest and most excessive rock stars ever. From the humble beginnings at a Wembley comprehensive to living in the futuristic dream house Tara and Los Angeles with Steve McQueen as his neighbour it’s a fascinating tale of a working class boy made good. Incidents such as the accidental death of his chauffeur and whether he did or didn’t actually drive a car into a hotel swimming pool are all examined in great detail from all angles too.

The photos are also very good and add real depth to the book both by showing key characters in the Moon story and bringing the eccentricities you read about Keith to life in picture form. As well as the usual family snaps and pictures with bands there's plenty of him in crazy costumes and living it large but my personal favourite has to be of the milk float he converted into a mobile living room! Sitting in an armchair in smoking jacket and slippers you have to appreciate the imagination behind the madness and it's worth owning the book for this alone!

This should appeal whether you're hardcore Moon or Who fan or just want to learn more about one of rock's craziest cultural icons. This has it all; top musicians, actors, models, expensive houses, fast cars, drink, drugs, (personal andand property) destruction... the lot. 

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