Moon: The Life and Death of a Rock Legend

Rating:
Summary: Stunning...Tragic...Depressing
Review: This is by far one of the best books I've read about the life of a rock star. Fletcher covers the gamut of Moon's life: his childhood where we begin to see his restless nature; his early career in music; his indoctrination into The Who; and his plunge into rock-and-roll excess - drugs, booze, whores, drunken pranks.

Naturally, with any biography of someone famous, you have to read about the early years to understand the latter years. I never like reading about the early years, but you can certainly see a pattern that's being created in Moon. And, how it gets crazier each year, especially with success.

I would have preferred more in depth detail about the making of each album with respect to Keith's drumming; it's there, but not as much detail as I would have liked (being an amateur drummer myself). Since the book is about Moon, Fletcher doesn't go into too much histrionics about the band themselves, but writes more from Keith's perspective.

The book becomes a bit depressing when you realize that Keith is out of control and I find myself wondering why he couldn't get it under control? You put yourself in his place and think "I've got money and everything, why must I behave this way?" From this point of view, you wonder...what was the point, Keith?

The conclusion of the book leaves you wondering what could have been if he had gotten his act together and made a half-hearted attempt at going straight.

The book is definitely recommended if you are a Who fan. It's superb reading, can be a bit tedious with all the repetitive shenanigans of Keith, but well worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: First-rate.
Review: This is one of the best biographies I have read concerning well-known rock stars. Fletcher succeeds where a lot of other biographers fail in that he's a fan but he is also able to be objective. You get the facts here and he destroys a lot of the myths surrounding Moon's escapades. Moon did so much during his life that there is no need to make up stories about him (as a lot of his friends and aquaintences have done). The things he has done are funny, outrageous, infuriating and sad. Fletcher recounts his life in detail. He also writes about Moon's drumming style and attempts to shed some light on what made him one of the most unique and also one of the great drummers in rock and how the Who simply wouldn't be the Who without him. One of my favorite parts of the book is where he gets quotes from other drummers about Moon's style and where he fits among the other great drummers of that era. During the first half of the book it's pretty evenly split on stories about Moon's personal life and the stories about his musical one. As the book progresses, the personal side starts to be discussed a lot more (his addctions, moving to California, etc.). This is in part due to the fact that in the '70s the Who took longer breaks between albums, something Moon had a very hard time coping with. A lot of the stories are funny, but a lot of them are very disturbing and sad (Moon's insecurity about himself, the drug and alcahol addictions, the spousal abuse and the fact he paid a guy to break Ian MacLagan's fingers). Fletcher recounts these details very well and although the book is quite long, it's never boring. Fletcher was able to get many interviews from friends and family and his research into Moon is very professional. This book coud have come across tawdry; instead it comes out great.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Story!
Review: Thumbs up to Tony Fletcher for the excellent job of researching and documenting the life of one of rocks greatest drummers. I too, like many of the other readers couldn't put this book down. It was full of excitement and energy just like Keith. I hope that someone will one day convert this amazing story from text onto film. In my opinion, this book was worth every penny.

Rating:
Summary: Harrowing, Funny and So Sad
Review: Tony Fletcher's admiration and fascination with the subject of this biography is very clear. Keith Moon's life was unique for sure, and this book is an exceptionally well written and thoroughly researched treatment of a compelling personality. The horrors of Keith descent into alcoholism and drug abuse provide a clear warning of the dangers of such behaviour. Keith's manic lifestyle was so frightening, yet despite it all Keith was very loveable, if only he could have accepted that. This is a must reading for Who fans. A sad, yet honest and revealing, account of one of pop cultures most fascinating individuals. God bless, Keith, and thank you, Tony.

Rating:
Summary: The biography to end all biographies
Review: What an amazing book this was. I couldn't put it down. Nowhere else is Moon's life so well documented and explained in detail. Before reading this book, I knew who Keith Moon was, but now I really know what kind of person this explosive drummer really was and what he did to revolutionize rock and roll.

Rating:
Summary: Well done bio
Review: When I was 14, 30 years ago, I discovered the Who. Not long thereafter, I started fiddling about with the drums. Keith Moon was my inspiration, because listening to him made it seem the drums were important, that they were as an intregal part of the music as any other element of the ensemble. That serves as testamment, everso redundantly, what he meant to music. First and foremost it should be made needlessly apparent that Keith Moon was an incredible musician. This book would lead me to believe that drumming came as naturally to Keith as walking.
This book paints a portrait of someone that was so many things to so many people. It's a disappointment that Keith could be such an arse, yet it's as if he always redeemed himself by being his jovial, generous way, and of course what he made for our listening enjoyment.
This book is excellently researched. Having been someone that thought they knew much about the legend of Keith Moon, there was much in this book I'd never heard and/or read. It was revealing, and disturbing to see how much Moon actually made his self destruciton a full time job. I sympathize with Kim, Mandy and Annette. It's sad to realize how badly he treated some people, disspelling this idea of such a jolly fellow, always the loon and funmonger. Fletcher does an admirable task of breaking down who this guy was, that I empathize with him, where in reading this, he like I, must have had difficulty coming to grips with that as much we loved Keith, that sadly he was the orchestater of his demise. Yet at the same time I can't help but to feel more than ever for Keith Moon because certainly he needed help that no one seemed able to give him, and was perhaps destined to die before he got old.
God bless you Keith Moon. God bless the Who.