TWT #250 –

On September 6th, 1978 one of the greatest drummers of all time, Keith Moon, overdosed on pills after really not liking a movie that Paul McCartney made him watch.

On all accounts, Keith was a brilliantly talented musician, a friendly and humorous man…. and horribly addicted to all sorts of drugs and alcohol.

Just watch this guy perform.

Yeah, lots of drugs going on there.

Apparently in 1978 Keith was actually trying to get sober… but didn’t want to do so at a rehab center. So he asked his doctor for a set of pills he could take at home that would help with alcohol withdrawal. This doc, apparently not realizing that Keith had been addicted to drugs and alcohol for years, happily prescribed clomethiazole.

Clomethiazole can be used as a sedative in which to deal with the negative affects of withdrawal… but can also be extremely fatal if too many are taken.

On the day of his death, Keith and his girlfriend, Annette, met up with Paul McCartney and his wife to watch a movie together (The Buddy Holly Story, to be exact).

Kieth hated that movie so much that afterwards he immediately went back to his apartment with Annette and demanded that she make him steak and eggs.

Kieth hated that movie so much that, when Annette refused to make him a meal, he kicked her out and yelled “If you don’t like it, you can fuck off!” (Which, unfortunately, were the last words he ever said to Annette).

Kieth hated that movie so much that, after Annette left, he took 32 clomethiazole pills.

And thus, exactly 41 years ago today, Keith Moon died of an overdose.

RIP Keith.

Sidenote: Keith Moon was 32 years old when he died. Joining the less-popular “32 Club” of famous people who died at that age, including: John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Ricky Wilson of The B-52’s, and Keith Godchaux of The Grateful Dead.

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