First, a little disclaimer - of all the rock star deaths that have occurred since I began to care about such things, there was only one that made me want to weep like a girl, and that was the death of Keith Moon. I've read everything I could find about the man, including several passes through Tony Fletcher's huge biography, Moon. Yes, I am a fan. And I confess that I still viewed him as a brilliant drunk, a buffoon that made an amazing and delightful racket as he fell over into the drum kit.
That changed the other night when I watched the film of The Who's superb performance in 1969 at the London Coliseum, included as a bonus disk in the new DVD The Who at Kilburn, 1977. It's amazing that after playing a selection of old hits, then a complete performance of Tommy, he still had the energy to steam into Summertime Blues with the spirit and enthusiasm that no one else in rock and roll has ever seemed to match. But it's also amazing that in those shots where we see close-ups of Keith's face, we see a clear-eyed, fully-functioning musician, who seemed to know exactly what he was doing at all times.
This show is the video version of Live At Leeds, and was filmed two months before that album. If you're a Who fan, don't miss it. If you're not a Who fan, this show may convert you.
