Keith Moon didn't have much of a singing voice, nor did he have much of an inclination to write music. He was a great noisy drummer, and his chaotic playing often made the Who sound unhinged. Based on the band's records, you might assume that Moon's lone solo album, Two Sides of the Moon, was a raucous rocker, but it's not -- it's the epitome of the superstar jam album. Much like a Ringo Starr record, Two Sides of the Moon features an untold number of superstar cameos -- including Ringo, Flo & Eddie, Harry Nilsson, Rick Nelson, Steve Cropper, Joe Walsh, John Sebastian and Dick Dale -- who are all there to jam on oldies and lame, underdeveloped originals. It's overproduced and overblown, and since Moon has a thin, tuneless, nasal voice, he doesn't have the charisma to make the whole affair entertaining. Instead, it's a tedious, colorless listen, with only a little of Moon's absurdist humor and very few strong songs -- if John Lennon's throwaway "Move over Ms. L" is a standout, things aren't in good shape. If these flaws can be overlooked, you'll find a historical artifact that stands as a testament to the wretched hubris that was the '70s for many '60s superstars. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Gary Ladinsky (Engineer), Don Wood (Engineer), Steve Adamick (Guitar), Jay DeWitt White (Vocals), David Birkett (Bass), John Stronach (Director), Augie Johnson (Vocals), Gregory Matta (Vocals), Steve Cropper (Producer), Ringo Starr (Rap), Ollie Mitchell (Horn), Jim Gilstrap (Vocals (Background)), Gerald Garrett (Vocals), Paul Stallworth (Bass), Robert Greenidge (Drums (Steel)), Spencer Davis (Guitar (Acoustic)), Mickey McGee (Drums), Norman Kurban (Keyboards), Ringo Starr (Announcer), Sherlie Matthews (Vocals), Julia Tillman (Choir, Chorus), Ringo Starr (Drums), Blair Aaronson (Synthesizer), Ringo Starr (Vocals), Andy MacPherson (Reissue Producer), Danny Kortchmar (Guitar (Acoustic)), Harry Nilsson (Vocals), Beau Guss (Guitar), Jay DeWitt White (Vocals (Background)), Jon Astley (Executive Producer), John Stronach (Engineer), Jon Astley (Remixing), Lorna Willard (Vocals (Background)), Michael Verdick (Engineer), Mal Evans (Producer), Lee Kiefer (Engineer), James Ed Haymer (Drums), Joe Walsh (Synthesizer), Jesse Ed Davis (Guitar), Dennis Larden (Vocals), Andra Willis (Choir, Chorus), Paul Lenart (Guitar), Andy MacPherson (Remixing), Nickey Barclay (Keyboards), Clydie King (Choir, Chorus), Mark Volman (Vocals (Background)), Al Staehely (Guitar), Skip Edwards (Fender Rhodes), Spencer Davis (Guitar), Jean Millington (Bass), Clydie King (Vocals), Sherlie Matthews (Vocals (Background)), Mark Volman (Vocals), Richard Barnes (Liner Notes), Ron Hicklin (Vocals), Carolyn Willis (Choir, Chorus), Howard Kaylan (Vocals), Miguel Ferrer (Drums), Jim Gilstrap (Choir, Chorus), Robert Failla (Photography), Dick Dale (Guitar), Steve Douglas (Horn), Jim McCrary (Photography), Julia Tillman (Vocals (Background)), John Stronach (Producer), Patti Quatro (Guitar), Kent Duncan (Mastering), Curly Smith (Drums), Gerald Garrett (Choir, Chorus), Gary Kellgren (Engineer), Jesse Ed Davis (Guitar (Electric)), Joe Walsh (Arp), Keith Moon (Drums), Keith Moon (Vocals), Robert Greenidge (Percussion), Danny Kortchmar (Guitar), George Osaki (Design), Steve Cropper (Director), Jimmie Haskell (String Arrangements), Danny Kortchmar (Bass), Cam Davis (Drums), Blair Aaronson (Piano), Jim Keltner (Drums), Mike Condello (Guitar), Skip Taylor (Director), Mal Evans (Horn Arrangements), Norman Kurban (Organ), Keith Moon (Percussion), Bobby Keys (Saxophone), Lorna Willard (Choir, Chorus), David Foster (Keyboards), Klaus Voormann (Bass), Mike Condello (Guitar (Acoustic)), Skip Taylor (Producer), Skip Edwards (Guitar (Steel)), John Sebastian (Guitar), Lorna Willard (Vocals), Nickey Barclay (Piano), Dennis Larden (Vocals (Background)), Ira Hawkins (Vocals), Irma Routen (Choir, Chorus), John "LBJ" Staehely (Guitar), Ira Hawkins (Choir, Chorus), Irma Routen (Vocals), Joe Walsh (Guitar (Electric)), Ringo Starr (Performer), Joe Walsh (Guitar), Ron Grinel (Drums), Carolyn Willis (Vocals), Jim Gilstrap (Vocals), David Foster (Piano), Jimmie Randall (Bass), Jay Ferguson (Piano), Jimmie Haskell (Conductor), Jon Astley (Remastering), Julia Tillman Waters (Vocals), Rainbow Photography (Photography), Clydie King (Vocals (Background)), Ron Hicklin (Choir, Chorus), Al Staehely (Guitar (Acoustic)), Andy MacPherson (Remastering), Rick Nelson (Vocals), Gregory Matta (Choir, Chorus), Mike "Clay" Stone (Engineer), Jay Ferguson (Keyboards), Augie Johnson (Choir, Chorus), Andrea Willis (Vocals)
Moon was inspired to release a solo album after bandmates John Entwistle and Roger Daltrey both released their own albums. With Pete Townshend soon to do his own solo album, Moon decided to make one as well. Moon, a big fan of Beach Boys-style surf rock decided to make a cover album, with help from his good friend Ringo Starr.
The album was widely considered a joke, and received many bad reviews. Moon was not dissuaded by the reviews, and started work on another similar album, which was never finished. Two Sides of the Moon was re-released by Repertoire Records in 1997, including the finished songs that Moon had made for his next album. Two Sides... was again re-released by Castle Music and Sanctuary Records in July, 2006, as a two-disc Deluxe Edition, featuring the original 10 songs plus 41 bonus tracks.
Swedish model Annette Walter-Lax, then Moon's girlfriend, and Peter "Dougal" Butler, Moon's assistant, appeared on the cover of the album.
