8. Keith Moon

Born - 08/1946 | Nationality - British | Genre - Pop/Rock

Keith Moon is often thought of as the wild man of rock drums, and I guess that's actually true. But, that's not all there is to remember about Keith.

With The Who he pushed the boundaries of rock drumming by throwing conventional playing out of the window (along with a few tv's might I add).

He stopped using hi-hats altogether and placed tom rolls and double bass drum parts in some unusual but amazingly effective gaps in the music. It was a very original, perhaps even sloppy sounding style, but it worked brilliantly in the Who's music.

One of the reasons Keith was so unique was that he wasn't afraid to do or try anything when he was sat behind the kit. He played off of the guitar parts and vocals by Who band mates Townsend and Daltry, where other drummers would just play a straight safe beat.

He was integral to the band's sound, and showed that a rock drummer doesn't have to be restrained to keeping time and playing a fill at the end of every 8 bars. A fill can be played anywhere, a beat can be more inventive, lively, and impulsive. If it sounds good and works, do it! This is why he was one of the best drummers ever.

Some people see him as being a nut who just thrashed around the kit, but those who take a closer look at his playing realise just how remarkable it was. His technique wasn't the best, but his originality, style, feel, and contribution to drumming more than make up for that. One of the best drummers in rock for sure.