b. 23.08.1946
d. 07.09.1978
Nationality: British
Genre: Pop/rock

Keith and The Who were the bridge from cheeky, jaunty pop music to outrageous loud rock. Before Keith most rock drumming consisted of a steady beat punctuated by small regular fills. Keith’s concept was somewhat more unorthodox - a tsunami of washing cymbals and rolling drums, occasionally flooding over the chorus before ebbing back to start all over.

Luckily, his rollercoaster onslaughts complemented guitarist Pete Townshend’s flailing windmill lead-rhythm style. Which was just as well since he probably couldn’t have played in any other band. Despite all this, Keith was wonderfully musical, and surely the most original rock drummer ever to walk the planet.

Essential downloads:

The Who: My Generation; The Kids Are Alright; I Can See For Miles; Young Man Blues; Won’t Get Fooled Again