Oasis singer Liam Gallagher names the best rock star of all time: “He knew how to party”
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has always been honest about his penchant for living in the fast lane and ensuring that rock ‘n’ roll traditions don’t die. By his own admission, he’s slowed down majorly these days and is surprisingly now a consummate professional who won’t even have a beer before stepping on stage.
The days of Gallagher performing at a show while inebriated are long gone, but that doesn’t mean he’s allowed his rock ‘n’ roll instincts to depart his body. Unlike many other icons of the industry who departed far too soon, Gallagher is still performing at the top of his game, and his voice is sounding significantly stronger than it did 15 years ago.
Nevertheless, only some have been fortunate enough to enter the stage of their career that Gallagher is currently enjoying. Although Liam has mastered the delicate balance of hedonism and professionalism, many have fallen at this hurdle, including the musician he considers the ultimate rock star, Keith Moon.
Moon was a maverick who left a trail of carnage in his wake. There are countless tales of the drummer’s reckless antics, such as the story of his 21st birthday party. At the time, The Who were on tour in the United States, and Moon celebrated the occasion at a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. However, it came to an early conclusion when he infamously drove a Lincoln Continental into the hotel pool, landing his band with a $50,000 bill and a nationwide ban from the hotel chain.
According to Alice Cooper, the stories that the public knows about Moon don’t even scratch the surface of his absurd behaviour. The rock singer once said: “Nobody could compete with Keith Moon. Think of it this way: about 40 per cent of what you’ve heard about me or Iggy or Ozzy is probably true. Everything you’ve ever heard about Keith Moon is true, and you’ve only heard a tenth of it.”
Moon tragically passed away in 1978 following an overdose of prescription drugs, which brought his career to a premature end. Nevertheless, Moon ensured that his name was permanently etched into music history during his short career.
For Liam, Moon is the ultimate rock star. The Oasis singer told Forbes in 2019: “Keith Moon. He knew how to play the drums, and he knew how to party. John Lennon wasn’t much of a party man. He sort of chilled towards the end of the – And I’m sure it will happen, but you won’t catch me making f**king bread at any point.”
However, he’s also acutely aware of the fragility of life and that living like Moon did comes at the risk of dying young, adding, “Listen, man, I’m lucky to still be here, And obviously, Keith Moon’s dead and that, but I think Keith Moon had it. He loved playing them drums, man, and he played them well. But he went out and partied as well.”
This isn’t the only time Gallagher has spoken about admiring Moon’s partying sensibilities. During an interview with The Guardian in 2017, Liam said, when asked to name his dream dinner party guest, “John Lennon, Nigella Lawson, Keith Moon, Steve Coogan, Peter Sellers.”
Furthermore, even without Moon, Gallagher continues to respect The Who hugely. In 2019, he supported the legendary rock group on an extensive tour across North America and was gracious towards them for inviting him. While Moon departed the world many decades ago, his former bandmates have made it their mission to keep his legacy alive. As a result, the legend surrounding the drummer has only intensified.
