• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

What's so special about John Entwistle?

#103
What's so special? Why, he's the guy who talked Rotosound into "inventing" roundwound bass strings; making them so popular; and, is the person who's responsible for you buying - and changing - bass strings every time you turn around. And being willing to do it, because "they're what John Entwistle plays..." He's also one of the reasons I much prefer flats....:whistle:
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlvarHanso, TN WOODMAN, thabassmon and 1 other person
#104
I play in a Who tribute band, keyboards.
Our bass guy is good, but no Ox.
I love the music, all of it, so I'm as biased as you'll come by.
The Who is my favorite R&R band of all time, since about the age of 12 I've dreamed of playing this music.
It would not be the same, not nearly, if it was just some guy playing bass. It's not now, even with Pino or somebody else playing bass after he's dead and gone. Pino didn't try to play exactly like Ox. Because only Ox can play like Ox.
The Who would not be The Who without the Ox.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlvarHanso, DrMole, muggsy and 5 others
#106
A few remarks:

1. I didn't realize The Who released so much material in the '60s. I knew "My Generation" came out in '65, but I had the wrongful impression Entwistle arrived on the scene around the same time as Jones, Squire, Geddy, Bruce, etc. But we're talking half a decade before Led Zeppelin formed and a full decade before Rush's Fly by Night.

2. In my experience, listening to the most popular songs from an artist often yields decent results. For instance, D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" and Paul Young's "Where I Lay My Hat (That's My Home) are great examples of Pino's skills. "Come Together" is a great example of McCartney's skills. Note taken.

3. It didn't cross my mind to listen to live performances. I guess my influences, such as Pino and Jamerson, are more studio rats than performers. That's not to stay they're not great live -- Pino is phenomenal. I will keep that in mind from hereon.

4. I will listen to "Live at Leeds."
 
  • Like
Reactions: wintremute, Spectrum, TN WOODMAN and 6 others
#108
FunkyYeti said:
I'm not the biggest rock fan out there, but I can see why people like John Paul Jones, John Deacon, Geezer Butler and the likes.

I can even see why people like Cliff Burton, although I think he's seriously overrated.

But I don't understand why John Entwistle is so highly regarded here on TalkBass and in the media. I listened to The Who's top songs on Spotify and watched a few videos on YouTube. Sure, he has that sort of tapping technique and a few fills on "My Generation," but is that it? I guess he did come before Jones et al., making him a pioneer?

I'm being serious here. I'm not trolling. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
He was the father of the modern rock bass sound and playing. Those basses you mention, owe there sound to him. The round wound strings they use, their rock playing style, loud overdriving sound. Comes from him. All of that stuff you enjoy from rock bass playing, John Entwhistle.

Sure it may not seem like much now but 56 years it was da shizzle and all rock basses owe their snarl to him :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: pisces_bass, bobyoung53, Spectrum and 3 others
#109
I felt Brit bassists kicked a** all over US players. Sure we had James Jamerson, Brian Wilson, Wrecking Crew people etc. but between McCartney, Bruce and Entwistle in the 60s, even Chris Squire in the 70d -- they just brought an instrument that had traditionally in the background and brought it up front. For 1965 that My Generation solo was groundbreaking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53, Briton, Spectrum and 5 others
#111
Holdsg said:
I play in a Who tribute band, keyboards.
Our bass guy is good, but no Ox.
I love the music, all of it, so I'm as biased as you'll come by.
The Who is my favorite R&R band of all time, since about the age of 12 I've dreamed of playing this music.
It would not be the same, not nearly, if it was just some guy playing bass. It's not now, even with Pino or somebody else playing bass after he's dead and gone. Pino didn't try to play exactly like Ox. Because only Ox can play like Ox.
The Who would not be The Who without the Ox.
Click to expand...
Rock music would not be rock music without the Ox :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN and Helix
#113
RDB3 said:
I felt Brit bassists kicked a** all over US players. Sure we had James Jamerson, Brian Wilson, Wrecking Crew people etc. but between McCartney, Bruce and Entwistle in the 60s, even Chris Squire in the 70d -- they just brought an instrument that had traditionally in the background and brought it up front. For 1965 that My Generation solo was groundbreaking.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Actually many of the hard-rock english bass players were already session guys or jazz guys who realized they could make more money playing rock and blues than stuff like Vince Hill...;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53, Spectrum, TN WOODMAN and 1 other person
#115
FunkyYeti said:
I'm not the biggest rock fan out there, but I can see why people like John Paul Jones, John Deacon, Geezer Butler and the likes.

I can even see why people like Cliff Burton, although I think he's seriously overrated.

But I don't understand why John Entwistle is so highly regarded here on TalkBass and in the media. I listened to The Who's top songs on Spotify and watched a few videos on YouTube. Sure, he has that sort of tapping technique and a few fills on "My Generation," but is that it? I guess he did come before Jones et al., making him a pioneer?

I'm being serious here. I'm not trolling. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
You're kidding, right dude?
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, dramatwist, FunkHead and 1 other person
#116
Entwistle was in a unique band situation. A band that had a drummer, guitar player and singer that were all quite terrible at their roles musically but all good at putting on a show. That's why there is excessive volume, laser shows, smashing instruments etc.

Someone had to hold that together musically, he had training so it fell to him really. That why he played so many damn notes, he was covering for the rest of the band.

He needed volume, so more powerful amps. He needed clarity, so sought a way to make that happen, he was all about more treble. He was instrumental in the development of the round wound string.

Am I a fan, no I am not, I hate his twangy sound, it was his bass version of Duan Eddy. But I do appreciate the difficult nature of being in a band of average musicians when you are trying to make a living out of it. I think he overcame his challenges in that band, cemented his place in rock history and have people idolize him.

And to those that think I haven't listened enough.

I heard The Who my whole life. My dad is an extreme fan of late 60's and early 70's music so plays it a lot, always Beatles, the Who, Hendrix, Dylan, Zappa, Led Zeppelin etc. The difference is I don't have nostalgia attached to it, I listen to it all, if it's good it's good, if it's bad it's bad, if it's overrated it's overrated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EddiePlaysBass and DJ Bebop
#117
Jazz Ad said:
It's not just the lead parts. He built very beautiful / challenging / groovy support lines.
This song has all these characteristics together.

Click to expand...


He also knew when to lay out, and when to lay back. A lot of the aggressive players who came after weren't so good at those.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53, Spectrum, Jazz Ad and 3 others
#118
mdogs said:
Part of the problem with Wyman is that, Keef played far more of the bass parts than most people know and as far as I am concerned, Keef is a better bass player.
Click to expand...

Wyman said years ago in a GP interview that the only reason he ended up in the Stones was because he had an amp with four inputs. He seemed at least half serious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Squittolo, Spectrum, Kevin Teed and 5 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back