John Entwistle - Amazing 'lyrical' player

[Sweeps]

I would suppose it would be no surprise claim to call The Ox a 'melodic' player but at times I feel it goes beyond even that and its like his bass is acting as another set of vocals, almost like a harmony . But it's very strange as it shouldn't really work with the bass being as busy as it is when the vocals are centre stage but it does for some reason. Was just wondering what you guys thought about this.

I think his 'playing with the vocals' style is most evident in live versions of the Who By Numbers 'Dreaming From The Waist' particularly at the 2:03 point here where the lyric is "I'm burning tires with some guy whos hair is turning white". What he plays underneath that is so fast and busy but it fits in so well. Quite simply, I think the guy was a genius and even though people hail him as an amazing rock bassist I think he was much more than that.

 

[RNG1]

One word...Quadrophenia

Changed my life around 37 years ago. Used to play all four sides of that vinyl day after day until I had every note. Essentially learned how to play listening to him and John Paul Jones those first few years. Entwistle was very melodic for the era he was part of and had the perfect context to play that way given Townsend was way more of a rhythmic player than a "traditional" lead guitar player.

 

[Rev J]

Exhibit A:



I believe the 3rd verse is just bass and vocals.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[bobyoung53]

I saw him in two small clubs, one in Worc Ma at The Lucky Dog Saloon and the next night in Providence RI at The call with The John Entwistle band sometime in the early 2000's. I just deleted a whole long rambling post! grrr!!
Anyway, he brought all his stadium stuff into a 100 seat club and blew the breakers 3 or 4 times that night, once in the middle of a fantastic solo. I was surprised at what a light player he was, just brushing the strings while playing triplets. He was flicking picks into the audience and he hit my brother right in the chest with one and it fell into his open folded hands, he said "Look! haha! All the local bass players were there that night standing about ten ft from him and the stage was only about 2 ft high, so you could really watch his technique. One of the standouts was Boris The Spider. Anyway this was only about a year or less from when he passed away and I was proud to have seen him twice in two days in two little clubs, (he said he was out playing because had to pay for his castle). RIP John.

 

[descendent22]

I'm kinda glad I came across this thread. The term I personally use when it comes to a bassist who's bass lines are like a harmony with the vocals is " talking basslines ." With that said there's not to many bassist out there that play like that or even can in that matter. It's very melodic, a lot of movement on the neck and it's like you have to know the notes on your neck almost down to a " T ." One bassist I have noticed that plays this way is Karl Alverez of the descendents. This guy is by Far an amazing bassist and the basslines are like an exact match of every word and the way the words are phrased. I haven't played any of enwhislte stuff which in my years of bass playing I feel I should have, but what better time to start then now. I have however learned many of the descendents/ Karl alverz's stuff and it's work. I have know problems playing/learning it but as far as creating basslines like that, I'm not sure if I have it in me, if it's my style or my nature to create something like that but I know I would like too.

 

[A.K.]

He was a towering pillar of rock bass guitar, but I never found him particularly "lyrical." His entire arsenal was minor pentatonic/blues/mixolydian (I say this analytically, not critically). He was an innovator on his instrument, and a true artist without question. But while I find Chris Squire and Jack Bruce lyrical, I couldn't say the same for Entwistle.
My two cents.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I never found him particularly "lyrical."

Agreed. I wouldn't flinch if someone described Entwistle's playing as "melodic" but "lyrical" seems too much of a stretch to my ear...or to my semantic sense. Great player though, definitely unique and an icon of bass playing.