Rock drumming doesn’t get more legendary than classic Who.
The late great Keith Moon was a whirlwind percussionist with that band, on powerhouse cuts like “Baba O’Riley” and ambitious albums such as 1973’s “Quadrophrenia.”
Moon’s shoes are impossible to fill.
Even for a master like Faces drummer Kenney Jones, brought into play drums for The Who for a time after Moon died in 1978.
In recent years and tours, Zak Starkey, son of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr and formerly with Brit-pop stars Oasis, has drummed admirably for The Who.
Now, on The Who’s latest single, Huntsville native Carla Azar is behind the kit. The track, titled “I Don’t Wanna Get Wise,” was released Nov. 22.
Who guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend said in a statement that he wrote the song in “a mid Seventies style.” ”I Don’t Wanna Get Wise,” from The Who’s new album “Who” drops Dec. 6, is indeed vintage strength but through winter’s eyes. Townshend’s stirring strum remains intact. His lyrics on the track are anthemic and frontman Roger Daltrey sings them with trademark, shirtless bravado.
Azar’s drums shift seamlessly back and forth between cymbal-and-toms grandeur and snare stomp. Keith Moon would be proud. On her Twitter account online, Azar wrote, “It was surreal to record drums while Pete Townsend’s vocals and guitars were in my headphones.
She also recently featured on Grammy-nominated band Queens of the Stone Age’s new album, “Desert Sessions Vols. 11 & 12.” Azar graduated from Huntsville’s Grissom High School, where she was in the marching band. In recent years, she’s been been known for her standout drumming with vinyl-centric rocker Jack White.
A longtime Los Angeles resent, Azar also leads her own experimental L.A. band, called Autolox. She’s recorded with artists ranging from Bright Eyes and PJ Harvey to guitar hero John Frusciante and former Prince collaborators Wendy and Lisa.
According to the 2009 biography “A Pure Drop: The Life of Jeff Buckley,” Azar was the inspiration between Buckley’s best-known song, “Last Goodbye.” She and that late singer were bandmates early in their careers.
Drummer and Huntsville native Carla Azar. (Courtesy David Swanson)
Musicians appearing on the “Who” album also include Starkey, longtime bassist Pino Palladino, guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother), former keyboardist Benmont Tench (formerly of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers), session drummer Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M., etc.) and classical/folk guitarist Gordon Giltrap.
Peter Blake, known for designing The Beatles ” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” cover art, crafted the “Who” cover. You can preorder the album on vinyl, CD and even cassette at thewho.com. The release includes two unreleased Who songs from the ’60s, as bonus tracks.
A cynic might say these days The Who, formed in 1964 London, should be called The Two. Daltrey and Townshend are the last members standing, since Moon and bassist Entwistle, who died in 2002, have both been gone for a long time now. But The Who remains a force of nature in concert. And “I Don’t Wanna Get Wise,” the strongest of three advance singles from the upcoming album, their first since 2006′s “Endless Wire,” hints the band still has things to say.