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What's so special about John Entwistle?
- Thread starter FunkyYeti
- Start date
I don't know if it was stated elsewhere in this thread but I am pretty sure this was an April fools joke. I really can't think of another reason. I mean I don't get Jimi Hendrix at all but his contribution to guitar is unmistakable and the same logic applies to Entwistle for those who may not be a fan of his.
Even though you can see his intensity at times ... mostly he looked bored and like he was just cruisin' while teaching the world how rock bass should be.
Like in videos where the other are trashing the stage .... he looks like he just waiting for a cup of tea.
Like in videos where the other are trashing the stage .... he looks like he just waiting for a cup of tea.
Oops, you're not only bashing one of the most important bassists in rock history but also a justified questioning of a most stupid thread that has ever been started at TB.
He kept Keith Moon in line and on time, and gave some bottom end to the song, which if you listen to just Townshend, the songs need some meat.
Very gentleman, very british, very John Entwistle "The Quiet One". He just hold back to leave enough for the others and to not miss a tiny lil' bit of the splendor; that's why.
About a year after I started playing, I got it in my head to learn the bass line from " Real Me, and like legions of bassists before me, it Kicked My Ass. If you listen to him live, he never played it the same way twice, pretty much a serial improviser within the frame of the tune. He hit the fundamentals when it was necessary, and the rest of the time he's weaving in and out. Persona-wise, his unflappable calm while surrounded by the epic histrionics and hissy-fit antics of his bandmates was the original cliche' of the Stoic Bassist.
I think that the attitude that he had is why people like him so much...
I totally respect and understand what he did, but it's not my taste...
I totally respect and understand what he did, but it's not my taste...
I'm much more likely to be listening to Bach or Haydn these days, having just "discovered" classical music, but I've listened to and played Rock all my life. I remember sitting in my bedroom when I was 12, trying to play along with Live at Leeds and Quadrophenia on my brother's Jazz Bass. Entwistle was a huge influence on my Bass life.
His sound on all of "Who's Next" is my all-time favorite "P-Bass-with-roundwounds" sound. Fat and compressed, with only a HINT of the "piano strings" thing. Lots of sustain. At some point, I realized that I had been chasing that sound for years, without consciously crediting Entwistle.
To me, some of his later tone is ludicrously bright and clanky... maybe he was losing his hearing. But Townshend said that Entwistle's big contribution was his huge output of overtones... every guitar/bass/drums trio (Cream, Hendrix, U2, Police, Zeppelin, etc.) has had to solve the problem of how to sound full, and that was Entwistle's method.
To me, some of his later tone is ludicrously bright and clanky... maybe he was losing his hearing. But Townshend said that Entwistle's big contribution was his huge output of overtones... every guitar/bass/drums trio (Cream, Hendrix, U2, Police, Zeppelin, etc.) has had to solve the problem of how to sound full, and that was Entwistle's method.
I was never a big fan of the Who myself, just moderately interested as I grew up. But when I listen to some of their live tracks now I find myself saying, "wow, I hear a lot of Geddy, Billy, Steve, Geezer, Dug and every other popular bassist from the last 40 years in his playing". Then it hits me.....I've got it backwards.... I hear HIS playing in all of them!!!! He truly was a pioneer that everyone else incorporated into their own style. He may be one of the most influential ever really. He's just that good. Like I said, I'm not even a Who fan....but I sure respect John's playing no matter who he would have played with.
All IMHO of course
All IMHO of course
Ok. Here's a serious answer.
I'm not a big Who fan or is John on of my main influence, but he is a great innovator. This is that I can see assures him of being one of best:
1. His style. One of the first lead bassists.
2. His attack and tone. More than the usual two finger stroke.
3. Rotosound Roundwounds I believe we're based on his consultation.
4. On You tube, listen to some of his isolated tracks. Very cool.
Sounds like he may just not be your style. That's ok. Case in point, a lot of people really like Geezer Butler, (hmm?) but I don't. Take care and have a great day!
the cat could play! 
you don't have to a fan, per se. but chops are chops!
you don't have to a fan, per se. but chops are chops!
I'm happy that I had the honor to meet him 4 months before he passed. He was really nice with this dry humor. He poked fun at my Jazz bass pickguard that he autographed. Look to the left in my avatar and you can see it hanging on the wall.
I saw him at Toad Place in CT with his side band. It was a shred fest. He was such a monster player!
I saw him at Toad Place in CT with his side band. It was a shred fest. He was such a monster player!
It amazes me that folks cannot separate their own tastes from whether something is 'quality'.
Example: I'm not a fan of Abba. But only a fool would deny that they were very talented, both in composition and performance. Great pop songs, terrific arrangements...
Entwistle was an innovator in both sound and technique. One need not dig the music of The Who to grasp that.
And, Geddy Lee disagrees with the both of you.
as does Billy Sheehan, Steve Harris, Chris Squire...
Keith Moon was good enough to be in The Who, one of the greatest rock bands in history. So, he was actually one of the greatest rock drummers there ever was.
I think what made Entwistle so great was his right (plucking) hand technique.
