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Entwistle...Help me understand the appeal

#42
In an interview Pete Townsend said it best. Something like "with John in the band we don't need the back up singers, horn section, keys etc". Not a direct quote but opened my eyes to what Entwhilste brought to the table.
 
#44
I'm sorry if this is a bit off topic, but I didn't want to start a new thread to ask this one question, and this seems to be the most active thread about Entwistle as of now.

I've never seen him use a 5 string. Anyone else notice this? I didn't even see ONE in his collection...
 
#46
sigmafloyd said:
Not gonna lie, that tone sounds awful to me. Good playing though
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I agree with you, but I would urge you to keep this in mind: Entwistle's tone was all about context. He was really good at understanding that your tone as a solo instrument may be completely different once the drums and guitars kick in. With Moon's constant wash of cymbals and Townshend's biting tone, most of the grindy high end of Entwistle's bass gets lost in the mix and all you hear are the bass tones. A perfect example is the first track on the Live At Leeds disc, Heaven And Hell:
The Who Live At Leeds: Heaven and Hell - YouTube
Listen to the tone of his bass before the band comes in when he slaps each string, then listen to his tone once the song starts. They sound almost totally different from one another. I find his solo tone to be very bright and distorted, however his bass blends perfectly with the band when they're all playing together.
 
#47
dvlmusic said:
I agree with you, but I would urge you to keep this in mind: Entwistle's tone was all about context. He was really good at understanding that your tone as a solo instrument may be completely different once the drums and guitars kick in. With Moon's constant wash of cymbals and Townshend's biting tone, most of the grindy high end of Entwistle's bass gets lost in the mix and all you hear are the bass tones. A perfect example is the first track on the Live At Leeds disc, Heaven And Hell:
The Who Live At Leeds: Heaven and Hell - YouTube
Listen to the tone of his bass before the band comes in when he slaps each string, then listen to his tone once the song starts. They sound almost totally different from one another. I find his solo tone to be very bright and distorted, however his bass blends perfectly with the band when they're all playing together.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
#48
+1 It sounded perfect in the band.

KO

dvlmusic said:
I agree with you, but I would urge you to keep this in mind: Entwistle's tone was all about context. He was really good at understanding that your tone as a solo instrument may be completely different once the drums and guitars kick in. With Moon's constant wash of cymbals and Townshend's biting tone, most of the grindy high end of Entwistle's bass gets lost in the mix and all you hear are the bass tones. A perfect example is the first track on the Live At Leeds disc, Heaven And Hell:
The Who Live At Leeds: Heaven and Hell - YouTube
Listen to the tone of his bass before the band comes in when he slaps each string, then listen to his tone once the song starts. They sound almost totally different from one another. I find his solo tone to be very bright and distorted, however his bass blends perfectly with the band when they're all playing together.
Click to expand...
 
#49
classic example of what works best in a band setting, as opposed to practicing alone (the so called bedroom/scooped tone)

sometimes what sounds pretty bad solo, is exactly what sounds just right in a band setting.

plus what Entwistle did on bass was just so propulsive and musical, particularly against what Mooney did. Just great rock playing.
 
#52
I've never really given Entwistle much props as an influence of mine, but I would say The Who's "Final Tour" concert from the early/mid-80's (the first thing I ever watched on HBO, actually) played a huge role in my desire to play bass. As a child, that performance taught me that the bass can be a very active instrument, and still play the role of the band's foundation.

So thanks to Entwistle, Geezer, Soussan, Daisley, and Bruce, I learned as much on the upper frets as I did the "money spot". Entwistle gets another nod for the tone factor, though. Whether you like him or not, chances are he greatly influenced your favorite rock bassist..
 
#53
MonkeyBass said:
Notice the OP never came back. I think we've all been trolled.
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Excuse some people for having lives/sleeping :rollno:


And to answer his question, he had mega chops. Chops of steel in fact, and KILLER timing to back it up. Of course bassists of more recent times (John Myung) have him beat in those parts, but seriously. The electric bass as we know it was invented 10 years before he started. if that ain't innovation I don't know what is. And if it weren't him, Chris Squier and Geddy Lee would probably sound a hell of a lot different.
 
#55
Just go look up some of isolated bass tracks then listen to the songs that they were from and listen closely to them, you'll hear them, and also hes got an epic solo at Royal Albert Hall, you may not be looking for his solo stuff directly, but you'll hear his trebliness, oh and the Real Me at Royal Albert Hall is a perfect example!
 
#56
Had a guitarist friend once who worked in music shop where they stocked those Maxima Gold strings that Entwistle used to endorse. This would have been 88-90ish and he blagged some tickets off the Maxima rep for a Who show nearby.

He told me he'd never rated Entwistle, but was going to the show anyway because his girlfriend was a Who fan (guitarists eh? always looking for a short cut to get laid!).

I was somewhat aghast by his statement and we got into a heated debate in which I berated him greatly.

The day after the gig he turned up with a big plate, put his words on it and ate them (metaphorically at least!). He said that at that gig Entwistle had completely changed his view of what bass was about... and actually started playing bass himself!!
 
#59
chanson said:
Listen to Live at Leeds...you'll get it.
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^^^^^^ That. Songs such as Young Man Blues, Heaven and Hell, Shaking All Over really shows you what he can really do.

Or even listen to the isolated bass track of the live version of Won't Get Fooled Again.
The live version of Dreaming From The Waist (featured as a bonus track of the 'By Numbers' album)

Drowned is a great song to hear his bass playing too.
 

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