Roger Daltrey, the legendary frontman of the Who, recently opened up about the difficult process of working on the biopic of Keith Moon, the band’s late drummer. During an interview with BBC Radio Scotland’s Billy Sloan, Daltrey shared his thoughts on the project, which has been in development for many years. He revealed that the experience of reliving his life with Moon was both painful and joyous.
Keith Moon, the iconic drummer of the Who, tragically passed away in 1978. The idea of a biopic based on his life has been floating around for quite some time, with comedian Mike Myers initially signing on to play Moon back in 2005. However, the project faced numerous delays and setbacks, with reports in early 2022 suggesting that the film would finally begin shooting that summer. Unfortunately, that never came to fruition.
Daltrey and his bandmate Pete Townshend are attached to the biopic as executive producers. In an interview with NME, Daltrey confirmed that he had completed a script for the film and was determined to bring it to the big screen. He mentioned that he was in discussions with a director before starting the script and was eagerly awaiting the director’s response. Daltrey expressed hope that they would be able to start production on the film as soon as possible.
The journey to create the biopic has been a long and challenging one for Daltrey. Several writers had tried and failed to create a script that captured the essence of Moon. Ultimately, Daltrey decided to write the story himself to ensure it was told in a way that truly exposed the full Moon. Finding the right actor to play the late drummer has also proven to be difficult, with Daltrey acknowledging that Myers, who was once an ideal choice, was now too old for the role.
In his recent interview, Daltrey shared that these days, he didn’t often think about Moon and John Entwistle, another late member of the Who. However, working on the biopic has forced him to revisit his memories and experiences with Keith Moon, a process that has been both painful and joyous for the singer.
When asked about the passings of Keith Moon and John Entwistle and whether they were always on his thoughts, Daltrey replied:
“Much these days, no. Obviously, I’ve just finished the Keith Moon film script, and that’s been a painful journey for me; having to kind of relive my life with Keith but not joyously painful. I will have to say that. I was extremely fond of Keith, but there you go.”
About how far away the film is, Daltrey said:
“It’s the film industry… How far away if I only tell you, but it’s really close. Now it’s really close to getting the green light to go. I’ve got to find a really good director. I will. It’s a great script, and I will find a great director.”
It’s evident that the journey to create a Keith Moon biopic has been a long and emotional one for Roger Daltrey. However, his dedication to honoring the memory of his late bandmate is truly admirable. Fans of the Who will undoubtedly be excited to see the final product and relive the incredible story of one of rock’s most iconic drummers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjFWhMRDYak&ab_channel=RaisedOnRadio
