 At an early show at the Railway Tavern in Harrow , Townshend smashed his guitar after accidentally breaking it . When the audience demanded he do it again , Moon kicked over his drum kit . Subsequent live sets culminated in what the band later described as " auto @-@ destructive art , " in which band members ( particularly Moon and Townshend ) elaborately destroyed their equipment . Moon developed a habit of kicking over his drums , claiming that he did so in exasperation at an audience 's indifference . Townshend later said , " A set of skins is about $ 300 [ then £ 96 ] and after every show he 'd just go bang , bang , bang and then kick the whole thing over . " 
