An often told anecdote is about the Who's appearance on the Smothers Brothers show in the late 1960s. Unbeknowst to ANYONE, Keith loaded his bass drum with gunpowder before the show, but he didn't know how much to use, and ended up putting WAY too much in... Then at the end of their performance as Pete was smashing his Rickenbacker in front of Keith's kit, he tipped over the drum, setting off the gunpowder, and causing a huge explosion. John and Roger ducked to one side of the stage, and Pete was blown off the other side, his hair singed and standing up on end, and his hearing damaged permanently. A piece of cymbal sliced into Keith's arm, and Bette Davis, who was another guest on the show, fainted backstage into Mickey Rooney's arms. How's THAT for making a big impression?
The picture at the bottom of the page was taken just after Keith had the tooth he is pointing to glued back into his head. He lost it by diving into a swimming pool (that had no water in it) in a drunken haze.
Last Updated on January 1, 2000 by Brooke