Keith Moon honoured

Late drummer given blue plaque in central London

08 March 2009 - The infamous drummer from the Who - Keith Moon - has been honoured today with a blue plaque in central London.It was organised by entertainment charity the Heritage Foundation - after English Heritage rejected an application for Moon, who died in 1978, to be given a plaque.

The blue plaque was unveiled at the site of the legendary 60s Marquee Club, by the late drummer's mum and sister, along with band mate Roger Daltrey.

“It's just great to see Keith's family. We go back so far. Keith was always the last one I had to pick up to go to gigs. Keith's mum, she was really all of our mums, because she put up with him. We had to put up with him too, but I mean what a lady - and a lovely family.”

He thinks the recognition for Moon is justified:

“Well done to the fans who have got him a blue plaque, cause some people say 'Well does he deserve one?'

Well just for the fact that he invented a new way of drumming in popular music, I think he deserves it for that.”

English Heritage, who oversee who gets a blue plaque, initially deemed Moon unworthy of the honour. Private organisation, The Heritage Foundation, side-stepped the decision and made a deal with Westminster Council – to Roger's delight.

“Just for the fact that he invented a new way of drumming in popular music, I think he deserves it for that.”Daltrey on Moon

“I'm kind of sad that the Marquee itself has gone, considering what that produced for an enormous part of British history. It’s quite disgraceful that it was ever pulled down. That bit of it, it should have been protected. That place where all those bands played. But it’s great that he's got it here.”Wardour Street was turned into a mini-Mod reunion as fans lined the street with scooters, decorated with union jacks and other 60's iconic band stickers. Roger told 6 Music he thought Who fans had done Keith proud.“It's wonderful to see the scooters. Wonderful to see the scooters. Its not good to smell them,” Daltrey said, laughing. “Look at all the smoke. But its great to see them.”That's the point where Who fans took the opportunity to mob Roger to sign old vinyl records, pictures and other memorabilia that they'd brought.“If there's any place, where else would you put it in London. Because he didn't really have a house in London, he moved from flat to flat. It wouldn't be nice to have it on the place where he died. This is where he lived and he lived at his height. It is brilliant.”Chi Chi Izundu