Scot Halpin

Thomas Scot Halpin (February 3, 1954 – February 9, 2008) was an American artist and musician. In 1973, having initially been a member of the audience at a concert by the Who at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California, he ended up playing drums onstage after the band's drummer Keith Moon passed out mid-show. Halpin's performance won him Rolling Stones "Pick-Up Player of the Year Award" later that year.

Education and career Halpin was born in Muscatine, Iowa, to Elizabeth and Richard Halpin, of Muscatine. He grew up in Muscatine, showing early promise as a visual artist and musician. In the early 1970s, he moved to California, where he met his wife and life-time collaborator Robin Young at City College of San Francisco in 1978. Halpin went on to earn an MA in Interdisciplinary Arts from San Francisco State University.

Halpin became composer in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts, in Sausalito, California, and played with a number of bands. While on the West Coast, Halpin and his wife managed a new wave punk rock night club, The Roosevelt, before moving to Indiana in 1995 to pursue opportunities in the visual arts.

Moon having returned, the show continued with "Magic Bus". The percussion of the song's opening verses consisted only of Moon hitting two wooden blocks against one another. However, at the song's conclusion, Moon passed out again, slumping onto his drums. He was carried off again—this time not to return. Guitarist Pete Townshend later said in an interview that Moon had consumed ketamine pills, together with a large volume of brandy.

The remaining three band members then played a short jam, before going into "See Me, Feel Me", without drums, with vocalist Roger Daltrey adding a tambourine for percussion. The song received a huge response, and Pete Townshend apologized to the crowd and thanked them for putting up with a three-quarter-strength band, saying "I think it should be us applauding you". Townshend then asked the crowd, "Can anybody play the drums?" He repeated the question, adding, "I mean somebody good!"

At this time, Halpin and Danese were at the left edge of the stage, and Danese told the security staff, "He can play!" In truth, Halpin was lacking practice and had not played drums in a year, but Danese attracted the attention of the concert's promoter, Bill Graham.

Graham just looked at me and said, "Can you do it?" And I said, "Yes," straight out. Townshend and Daltrey look around at me and they're as surprised as I am, because Graham put me up there.

In later interviews, Daltrey talked about the evening, saying: "Pete took Keith's passing out on stage in his stride, he kind of expected it might happen one day, but I was bloody angry with Keith for days afterwards. I thought he'd let everyone down." Daltrey also praised Halpin's ability, saying that the "papers missed it. He did a good job". Interviewed by Rolling Stone, Halpin admired the Who's great stamina, saying: "I only played three numbers and I was dead."

Death From 1995 until his death, Halpin resided in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife Robin and son, James. He died on February 9, 2008, of an inoperable non-malignant brain tumor.

On January 27, 2009, the Who posted a tribute and a link on their official website announcing a blog in Halpin's memory. In September 2017, an event to celebrate Halpin's life and work was held in Bloomington.