Beck's Bolero. Who's playing bass - JPJ or Ox?

[ryco]

Fellow Oldsters: Help me settle this in my mind for once and for all.

I've always read it was Entwistle playing on this particular song.
But now I read on Wiki and a YouTube that it's John Paul.

To my ears it sounds like Ox in terms of edgy attack, tone and style.


The story is Moonie and Ox were going to leave The Who because they were tired of Pete and Roger always fighting.

I have heard Entwistle was supposed to play on Beck's two singles "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and "Tally Man", but couldn't attend the sessions, so JPJ was called in as a replacement. The player on these singles does indeed sound like JPJ = warm, round, fat tone and note choice.

JPJ sounds like a studio pro, which he indeed was. Ox sounds like a live, frenzied monster - which he indeed was!
LOVE BOTH!! Not meant to start a "who's better" discussion, because they BOTH were!!

Any links to articles appreciated! Thanx!

[zombywoof5050]

According to the liner notes on my "Truth" CD, Ron Wood is listed as the bass player. The only other person listed as playing any bass on "Truth" is Jeff Beck on the song "Ol' Man River". JPJ only played Hammond organ on one song, "Ol' Man River".

[leegreenman]

i'm pretty sure it's jpj. that's what i always thought but i could be wrong.

[jerry]

Ronny Wood.

[ryco]

Definitely not Woody. Woody had a way looser style (but still love his bass playin', but he sounded like a geetard trying to play bass which is what he was)


The bass does have the signature sound of Entwistles' percussive and "Hey, I got new strings" style. however from 0:43 - 1:01 is a certain giveaway of JPJ's ability to come in behind and off beat - something I really can't recall Entwistle ever doing. It really relieves the "sense of urgency" staccato that the Bolero beat demands and adds a lot of depth to the passage - also because of the note choices in the bolero sections.
The picked treble attack always made me think Ox. But then Ox was never known for laying back on the beat. Playin' with Moonie he HAD to be the beat! har!

[poorbassist15]

JPJ. The Ox couldn't come and JPJ was a sub last minute.

[zombywoof5050]

If JPJ played the bass, why is it not mentioned on the CD liner notes?

[James Simonson]

JPJ

[dougjwray]

It was Carol Kaye.

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

It was Carol Kaye.

Win.

[Meddle]

Wait... there's bass on this track? Let me get youtube up....

Ok on the intro it is a clacky sound. Undermixed imho. During the slide solo it is less trebly, then during the main theme it is more trebly. This is like a precursor to Entwistle's Tommy tone (The Frankenstein bass). I think Ron Wood was rocking a telecaster bass back then, with a pick. Hmmmm. I don't hear JPJ on this though, or atleast it is not consistent with his work on the first Led Zeppelin album.

So possibly a badly mixed Entwistle or Ron Wood imho.

[mcm]

ron wood a killer bass player