John Entwistle on "The Real Me"!!!

[SubEndSorcerer]

I never really listened to the Who very much but I heard this song on the radio in the car today and his tone and choice of notes blew me away! What gear did he use for this song and Quadrophenia? It's so thick and juicy yet really clear and punchy as well. I have to buy this cd soon.

[JimK]

...there's a few bass nuggets on Quadrophenia.
I got the album for Xmas back in '73. Needless to say, "The Real Me" blew me away after "I Am The Sea" faded outta my stereo speakers. BAM, right bewteen the eyes.
I still have the songbook to that album, too. Original sticker still sez $6.95.

[corinpills]

Jealous of your songbook (and your avatar). That's my favorite Who album of all time.

[Justin V]

I found it on vynil in great shape last year. Quadrophenia is probably my favorite album of all time. Every song is just perfect IMO.

[Philbiker]

I believe that may be one of Entwistle's custom Fenderbirds. Someone else has commented on them, apparently he had a luthier make Thunderbird bodies with bolt-on neck sockets for Fender necks. I believe the first album he played his Alembics on was "The Who By Numbers". If you like "The Real Me" (which is awesome) get a load of "Dreaming From The Waist" from "Numbers". It's basically a whole song bass solo.

[cowsgomoo]

there are at least two versions of 'The Real Me'... John Entwistle later remixed several songs from the original album for the film soundtrack, and he re-recorded the bass for 'The Real Me'... the re-recorded bassline is a lot more trebly, ballsy, and for me, sits a bit better phrasing-wise with the vocals than the original album version

it's a great opener to the film... Jimmy riding through London on his Lambretta, shouting 'f**k off!!' to rockers, to the strains of one of The Ox's finest 3 minutes

[Mon Rominee]

That is a really fun song to play. Quite a workout. The intro is so perfect in it's interplay with the drums...perfect.

Quadrophenia is a really great record. Couldn't tell ya what he played but the tone was cool...

Here's a link to his gear page, it might help you out...

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipm...ear-71-74.html

EDIT: “…by ‘Quadrophenia’ and Who By Numbers I was playing Gibson Thunderbirds. "

[P. Aaron]

...Is that the CD version of Quadrophenia is different from my original vinyl pressing. The record has a much more noticeable-up front bass feel, and throughout the CD they tweaked things. It really PO'd me because I just wanted a replacement recording.

Wasn't Entwistle also using Gibson Thunderbirds in that era?

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

]...
Here's a link to his gear page, it might help you out...
http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipm...ear-71-74.html

Man, whatta cool site. Thanks!

[Mon Rominee]

That site was invaluable to me during my charting duties for a Who tribute show I did a while ago.

Man, he had some seriously awesome basslines.

5:15, the seeker, behind blue eyes... real me, Boris...the whole quick one and Leeds version Tommy... fantastic stuff.

I still have all my charts, I can't believe how much I'd forgotten.

[Philbiker]

"Bargain" is a real hoot to play.

[Mon Rominee]

yeah. especially the breakdown....

[KPJ]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

"Bargain" is a real hoot to play.

I LOVE HIS LINE IN THAT SONG!

I especially like his part in the interlude that Townshend sings ("Like one and one don' make two..."), his choice of notes floors me! I've gotta find some guitarists who'll let me play more like the Ox!

[RAM]

Another great recording is the last live one, Live at Royal Albert Hall. You can hear his Buzzard screaming through all else, groovin' and leading away!

He never lost it...until he lost it.

[P. Aaron]

Entwistle is one of those guys that always has something interestng to listen to. I never tire of Who tunes for that reason.

"Odorono" is another tastefully plucked tune.

[Philbiker]

Another great recording is the last live one, Live at Royal Albert Hall. You can hear his Buzzard screaming through all else, groovin' and leading away!

Gotta disagree here. I think Entwistle's tone with the Buzzard is butt-awful. On the Albert Hall disc his tone is absolutely terrible. Even on the 1989 Tommy LD I have he sounds like ass. Way over-effected and mushy. Recorded on the Elton John tribute he sounds good, but not live. The playing is great, but the tone is ass.

[KPJ]

I agree with Phil that Ox's live tone at the end wasn't the greatest, but that was what he was going for. I think there's way too much processing on the high end. I guess he just wanted to use up all the sonic space!

The notes he played were great though.

He had a good sound at the "Roger Daltrey Sings Townshend" show and did a killer solo on an Ovation ABG during "Behind Blue Eyes".

[Philbiker]

I agree with Phil that Ox's live tone at the end wasn't the greatest, but that was what he was going for.

Frankly I don't think that his live tone at the end was anything close to what he was "going for". By that time his hearing was so far gone that we can't even imagine what that godawful mush sounded like to him. I can't bear to even watch that otherwise delightful Royal Albert Hall DVD. Highly recommend "The Kids Are Alright" instead.

[Muzique Fann]

I just picked up the Who dvd from the Isle of Wight! I've never seen this footage before - he's slaying on a P bass. Now I know why Flea wears that skeleton suit on the Chili's Slane dvd. They didn't go on until 2 am and I could swear there's more people there than when Hendrix played. They do Tommy and some other hot stuff, but it was "re-made" by Townshend and they don't show enough of the Ox - typical. There's an extra Townshend interview also - I thought it was crap. They guy's got a bad twist on music. Sorry for the dvd review - the moral of the story is that Entwistle rules.

[KPJ]

+1 on the Isle of Wight DVD!

I have the original version w/o the Townshend interview. A little Townshend goes a long way. I tried to read "Behind Blue Eyes" but had to stop 1/2 way thru...