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Dan Epstein's avatar

Beautiful, man. I read an interview with him a while back where he talked about playing with Pete; apparently he went into the sessions staunchly resolved to NOT pull out any Moon-isms — though since they were for a couple of tracks that wound up on the dreary White City, I kind of wish he'd have livened things up by doing so!

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Elize Tribble Russell's avatar

Great tribute to Clem

(whom I didn’t know personally but will miss). Especially like that you two were both inspired by Moonie, whom I consider “family.” (Friend of my late husband’s.) Thanks.

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Sean Johnson's avatar

Thank you for the kind words and maybe there's a Moonie story to be shared from you? ;)

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Elize Tribble Russell's avatar

Ken was frankly worried that filming Tommy might be

a mad effort of

drug-fuelled chaos.

He needn’t have

worried. They were

good as gold. “Keith

(Moon) was a sweetheart, with

that boyish, beaming

face, who came every

day to the set to

give quiet support and

sat in the corner

reading Stanislavsky,

‘An Actor Prepares.’”

On weekends off

Moonie could do what

he liked. Ken went to

his 3rd floor hotel room to talk over the next bit of script. From the

garden below the

maintenance man shouted up: Mr Moon!

I’ve come to get your

TV to repair it! Coming

right up! Keith replied

cheerfully (you knew this was coming): “Don’t bother, mate! I’ll send it down!” He picked up the TV set &

sent it soaring out the open window. No one was hurt, as it happened. Moonie

beamed his engaged, innocent smile and

said, “Where were we,

Ken?” Ken adored him.

“A born entertainer

tuned to a higher

frequency. He had

great suggestions.”

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Sean Johnson's avatar

Love this. Thank you.

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Jim Ruland's avatar

Thank you for this. I've interviewed a lot of punk drummers who credit Clem for their self-taught style.

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Sean Johnson's avatar

Haha yea that needed some help, didn't it? Great story. I'd love to read that.

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