• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

John Entwistle!

is that the live at the royal albert hall video? i get what youre saying, it sounds like he turned the distortion all the way up and the volume down to the point of almost making you sick. but that was not John, it was someone else who mixed it. if you hear John during the Whos 1989 tour John sounded incredible. he used that same sound with his solo bands and in 1996/1997 he used both sounds
 
No single player has had more influence on what I do with an electric bass than the E man. He could play great supportive bass and take off whenever called for. He had the technique to execute whatever he chose to do, and more than any other player of his time brought the bass sonically to the forefront with fresh strings and full range amplification.

Anyone who plays rock bass owes him a lot, whether they know it or not. :cool:
 
when I started playing, John Entwistle was the first of my big bass heroes... like the original poster I was fanatical about his playing in an enthusiastic & teenage way, and pretty much considered him the ultimate bass player, and that if I could play as good as him i'd die happy, etc

these days I don't consider him (or anyone else) the ultimate bass player, but still appreciate his playing and his massive influence, both personally and on rock bass in general

I think he still has a lot to teach rock players in terms of tone, aggression, dynamics and was a superb example of creatively finding a unique place within a cluttered arrangement... after all this is the guy who had to play alongside an extremely LOUD guitarist, and a drummer as haphazard, loud, unconventional & space-filling as the genius Keith Moon... it'd be amazing if John hadn't come up with something unique as he did, given the style of drumming he had to work with

it's interesting, because not only did playing with The Who influence John to come up with his own unique style and sound (roundwound strings and a clanky sound completely revolutionary & unique in the mid 60's), ultimately The Who also confined his playing to a fairly narrow spectrum.... John's playing was either loud, busy, aggressive and grindy or it was VERY loud, busy, aggressive and grindy... subtlety was not part of the equation

although there have been many rock bass players who've come after him and built on what he did, and are more polished, versatile & technically better, no-one raised the bar further than him and all rock & metal bass players owe him a lot...

in terms of how musicians change the sound & style of the genre they operate in, he's the equivalent of Jamerson, Jaco & McCartney
 
Anyone who plays rock bass owes him a lot, whether they know it or not. :cool:
Even to this day once in a while I find myself playing certain phrasings or with certain techniques which I directly attribute to the OX.

I also think he was someone who's influence on the sound of rock music as a whole is now & probably will always be never really popularly understood or realized. Which honestly pisses me off a bit, but I'm always glad to bend whoever's ear who'll listen to me on the subject. Plus I'm more than glad and honored to do my part to help keep his memory alive through my playing.

One last thing I'd also like to mention is that I always thought and admired that probaly as a result of his stoic-ness on stage, he always seemed to me to bring an air of dignity to the instrument which I've also tried to uphold.
 
No single player has had more influence on what I do with an electric bass than the E man. He could play great supportive bass and take off whenever called for. He had the technique to execute whatever he chose to do, and more than any other player of his time brought the bass sonically to the forefront with fresh strings and full range amplification.

Anyone who plays rock bass owes him a lot, whether they know it or not. :cool:

John has been probably my favorite bassist since i started playing about a year ago and still amazes me every time i hear him
 
when I started playing, John Entwistle was the first of my big bass heroes... like the original poster I was fanatical about his playing in an enthusiastic & teenage way, and pretty much considered him the ultimate bass player, and that if I could play as good as him i'd die happy, etc

these days I don't consider him (or anyone else) the ultimate bass player, but still appreciate his playing and his massive influence, both personally and on rock bass in general

I think he still has a lot to teach rock players in terms of tone, aggression, dynamics and was a superb example of creatively finding a unique place within a cluttered arrangement... after all this is the guy who had to play alongside an extremely LOUD guitarist, and a drummer as haphazard, loud, unconventional & space-filling as the genius Keith Moon... it'd be amazing if John hadn't come up with something unique as he did, given the style of drumming he had to work with

it's interesting, because not only did playing with The Who influence John to come up with his own unique style and sound (roundwound strings and a clanky sound completely revolutionary & unique in the mid 60's), ultimately The Who also confined his playing to a fairly narrow spectrum.... John's playing was either loud, busy, aggressive and grindy or it was VERY loud, busy, aggressive and grindy... subtlety was not part of the equation

although there have been many rock bass players who've come after him and built on what he did, and are more polished, versatile & technically better, no-one raised the bar further than him and all rock & metal bass players owe him a lot...

in terms of how musicians change the sound & style of the genre they operate in, he's the equivalent of Jamerson, Jaco & McCartney

no doubt he and Keith Moon were always at odds with what they were told to do and that is why both of them worked so well i think
 
"in terms of how musicians change the sound & style of the genre they operate in, he's the equivalent of Jamerson, Jaco & McCartney"

...and with the added bonus of AMAZINGLY LOUD VOLUME!! :)

the volume part was always my favorite part about John and his music. you never heard about someone not hearing the Who at a show. and we should all strive to achieve that with our shows
 
John is my #1 influence,I use three fingers on my right hand and `The Real Me` has been a staple in my repertoire since I started playing 27 years ago.This band around I am bass/ lead singer,but I`ve been playing it for so long,I can now sing and play it at the same time.
Saw him with The Who three times in one week at Madison Square Garden,once in Phila. Spectrum and once at Shea Stadium,N.Y.
He was `The Best`!
 
you are a chosen one! those must have been in 1989, right? i have a recording of Twist And Shout(yes, the beatles version) from Shea Stadium. John sang on that one live, but unfortuanately, Johns voice died long before he did
 
you are a chosen one! those must have been in 1989, right? i have a recording of Twist And Shout(yes, the beatles version) from Shea Stadium. John sang on that one live, but unfortuanately, Johns voice died long before he did
No They were 1979 at MSG.In Sept.The one night Pete cut his hand and went to the hospital,so John did the longest BASS SOLO I ever saw,YeaH!!!!Then Roger joined in with Harmonica and Kenny on Drums.
Then in `82 I saw them at Shea with The Clash and at the end for the finale,Pete wouldn`t end the song he just kept strumming and banging the guitar on the ground so John just unplugged his bass and threw it up in the air and let it crash on the Stage!
I miss him:(
 
Entwistle was a natural bass genius and huge influence on my playing. Also, he was a very kind and good human being. His greatest downfall was the drugs though, unfortunately he knew no moderation.

He and Keith were THE rock and roll rhythm section! The synergy and intuitive interplay between them was amazing and unique.

His early death was tragic although in a way, it sort of began after Keith checked out. Watch the wonderful video "An Ox's Tale" to get a real sense of his life and playing. Very sad indeed though (if not outright painful) to watch/hear him near the end. For a bit of that, watch his bass "instruction" video (I forget the name of it) that was produced near the end. His tone is completely over the top treble and distortion...the whole thing is a mess and self-indulgent. I honestly wish I had never seen it.

Not to end on a negative note....I was fortunate enough to see him with The Who in Atlanta a few of years before he left us. Stood just maybe 20 feet away from him. Amazing player and an experience I'll never forget. The rock band in heaven has one hell of a bass player!!
 
No They were 1979 at MSG.In Sept.The one night Pete cut his hand and went to the hospital,so John did the longest BASS SOLO I ever saw,YeaH!!!!Then Roger joined in with Harmonica and Kenny on Drums.
Then in `82 I saw them at Shea with The Clash and at the end for the finale,Pete wouldn`t end the song he just kept strumming and banging the guitar on the ground so John just unplugged his bass and threw it up in the air and let it crash on the Stage!
I miss him:(

yeah, i can see Pete doing that. he was drinking heavily then.
i would have loved to see any one of John's bass solos. all the ones ive heard are incredible