Pete Townshend Tells How He Tried to Get Keith Moon Clean Before He Died

WHO KNEW? –

Nov. 3, 2022 – The Who drummer knew he needed to change his ways if he wanted his life to continue, which made Moon decide to stop drinking alcohol. However, after years of being physically addicted, it wasn’t a straightforward exercise, and he took clomethiazole pills to help with his withdrawals.

Following an argument with his partner Annette Walter-Lax, according to his postmortem, Moon consumed 32 clomethiazole pills mixed with alcohol which caused his death. He was under strict doctors to not take more than three daily pills. As much as Moon wanted to get sober, his addiction tragically won the fight.

Townshend also struggled with addiction and knew first-hand about Moon’s pain. During an interview with People, the guitarist opened up about the various interventions he made before the fatal September evening at Curzon Place in Mayfair that cost Moon his life.

“I tried everything,” Townshend heartbreakingly admitted. “I tried giving him money; I tried starving him of money. I tried sending him into rehab. I tried sending him to a guru weirdo, voodoo doctors.”