John Entwistle

He is widely regarded as one of the most influential rock bassists. His playing style was characterised by fast, melodic lead lines and a treble-heavy tone. In a 2011 Rolling Stone readers poll, he was voted the greatest bass guitarist, and in 2020 the magazine ranked him number three in its list of the "50 Greatest Bassists of All Time".

John Alec Entwistle was born on 9 October 1944 at Queen Charlottes Maternity Hospital in Hammersmith, West London, and grew up in Chiswick, Middlesex. He was an only child. His father, Herbert (1915–2003), was a trumpet player, and his mother, Maud (née Lee) (29 November 1922 – 4 March 2011), was a pianist. His parents separated shortly after his birth, and he was largely raised by his mother at his grandparents home in South Acton. Divorce was uncommon in the 1940s, and he became reserved and socially withdrawn.

He began piano lessons at age seven but disliked them. After attending Acton County Grammar School at age 11, he switched to trumpet and later French horn after joining the Middlesex Schools Orchestra. He met Pete Townshend at school, and they formed a trad jazz group called the Confederates, which performed only once before shifting interest towards rock and roll. Entwistle then moved from trumpet to guitar, but soon chose bass guitar due to the instruments lower register and his preference for Duane Eddys sound. He built his own bass guitar at home and later joined Roger Daltrey in a band called the Detours.

After joining the Detours, Entwistle encouraged the inclusion of Pete Townshend, who became the groups guitarist. The band later changed its name several times, eventually becoming the Who, while Entwistle worked as a tax clerk. The group briefly performed under the name the High Numbers in 1964. Entwistle was also briefly a member of a London band called the Initials.

He acquired the nicknames "the Ox" due to his physical resilience and appetite, and "Thunderfingers" due to his fast and powerful bass technique. His stage volume contributed to the Whos reputation as one of the loudest bands of their era. The group used large amplification systems, which influenced other rock acts of the period and contributed to the development of high-volume rock performance.

Entwistle was known for his quiet personality offstage and contrastingly energetic performance style. He used advanced amplification setups and experimented with tone shaping to balance his bass sound against loud stage volumes. He also contributed to the bands visual identity, including being the first to wear a Union Jack waistcoat, a style later associated with Pete Townshend.

Although Pete Townshend became the Whos principal songwriter, Entwistle contributed songs to most of their albums. His compositions included "Boris the Spider", "Whiskey Man", "My Wife", "Heaven and Hell", "Cousin Kevin", "Fiddle About", "Success Story", "Trick of the Light", "The Quiet One" and others. His songwriting often featured dark humour and character-driven narratives.

Entwistle also worked as an arranger and multi-instrumentalist, playing bass guitar, French horn, trumpet, piano and other instruments on recordings. He sometimes arranged horn sections for the bands studio work and live performances. He also compiled the 1974 archive album "Odds and Sods" and designed the cover artwork for "The Who by Numbers" (1975).

He released his first solo studio album, "Smash Your Head Against the Wall" (1971), followed by "Whistle Rymes" (1972), "Rigor Mortis Sets In" (1973), "Mad Dog" (1975), "Too Late the Hero" (1981) and others. His solo work varied in style but often reflected rock and roll influences and included both original songs and covers. His touring activities included solo bands and collaborations with other musicians during periods when the Who were inactive.

In later years, Entwistle continued to perform and record with various projects, including the John Entwistle Band, as well as appearances with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. He also took part in tribute and collaborative performances such as Alan Parsons "A Walk Down Abbey Road" and the Concert for New York City. He remained active with the Who into the early 2000s and performed with them during tours including performances of "Quadrophenia".

Outside music, Entwistle was also a visual artist whose drawings often featured musicians and caricatures. He held exhibitions of his work and combined his artistic output with his musical career.

Entwistle married twice. In 1967 he married his childhood sweetheart, Alison Wise, and they had one son, Christopher. He lived for many years in London before moving to Gloucestershire, where he lived in a large Victorian manor house filled with musical instruments, artefacts and memorabilia.

He died on 27 June 2002 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada, shortly before the start of the Whos planned US tour. He was 57. A post-mortem examination found that he died from a heart attack linked to cocaine use, with pre-existing cardiovascular disease also identified. He had undergone a pre-tour medical examination that indicated high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

His funeral was held in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, and he was cremated, with his ashes buried privately at his former home. Memorial services were later held in London. Following his death, numerous musicians and bands paid tribute to him, and he was replaced on stage by Pino Palladino when the Who resumed touring. His legacy is widely associated with his influence on rock bass guitar technique and sound.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Entwistle

Studio albums

Smash Your Head Against the Wall (1971)

Whistle Rymes (1972)

Rigor Mortis Sets In (1973)

Mad Dog (1975)

Too Late the Hero (1981) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.