 Moon took lessons from one of the loudest contemporary drummers , Screaming Lord Sutch 's Carlo Little , at ten shillings per lesson . Moon 's early style was influenced by jazz , American surf music and rhythm and blues , exemplified by noted Los Angeles studio drummer Hal Blaine . His favourite musicians were jazz artists , particularly Gene Krupa ( whose flamboyant style he subsequently copied ) . Moon also admired Elvis Presley 's original drummer DJ Fontana , the Shadows ' original drummer Tony Meehan and the Pretty Things ' Viv Prince . He also enjoyed singing , with a particular interest in Motown . Moon idolised the Beach Boys ; Roger Daltrey later said that given the opportunity , Moon would have left to play for the California band even at the peak of the Who 's fame . 
