John Entwistle was the bass player for the Who, perhaps the most masterful of all rock bassists, as well as a gifted songwriter and backup singer. In contrast to live personas of his manic bandmates, Entwistle invariably remained still on stage, the rhythmic anchor of the anarchy that surrounded him. Born to musical parents in Chiswick, England in 1944, Entwistle was raised largely by his grandparents. As an infant, Entwistle sang Al Jolson standards for his grandfather's friends at local workingman clubs. Although trained in both the piano and the French horn, Entwistle was so drawn toward the sound of the bass guitar that he constructed one for himself by hand. Having joined Roger Daltrey's band, the Detours, Entwistle suggested they bring Pete Townshend on board as a guitarist. To compensate for the lack of a rhythm guitar, Entwistle developed a loud and melodic style, a deeper and more resonant version of a second guitar, to fill out the band's sound.
As a songwriter, Entwistle demonstrated a brand of absurd humor that proved an effective contrast to Townshend's more
serious compositions. In addition to the immortal bass solo on the title track, the 1965 My Generation album features
"The Ox," Entwistle's inspired instrumental collaboration with drummer Keith Moon. As evidenced by this track, Entwistle
and Moon remain, even four decades later, the most combustible rhythm section in rock. Entwistle contributed two songs to
1966's A Quick One (While He's Away), "Whiskey Man" and the classic "Boris The Spider." Entwistle's falsetto vocal on the
title track also stands out. A musician of many talents, Entwistle provided the French horn solo on the 1967 hit, "Pictures of Lily" in
addition to penning the B-side, "Doctor, Doctor." Two more Entwistle compositions appeared on the proto-concept album, The Who Sell Out,
"Medac" and "Silas Stingy." During the sessions for the rock opera, Tommy, Entwistle stepped in and contributed the powerful
"Cousin Kevin" and "Fiddle About". By the time the Who played Woodstock in 1969, the band was opening live performances with Entwistle's
"Heaven and Hell."
In 1971 Entwistle released his first solo album, Smash Your Head Against The Wall. The brilliant Who's Next, released that same year, featured the Entwistle classic "My Wife." Over the next four years, Entwistle would release three further solo albums: Whistle Rhymes. Rigor Mortis Sets In, and Mad Dog. In 1975 Entwistle put together a new band, dubbed The Ox after his own nickname, and embarked on a tour of America. After contributing three songs to 1978's Who Are You ("905," "Trick of the Light," and "Had Enough"), Entwistle produced the musical soundtracks for the feature films, Quadrophenia and The Kids Are Alright. In 1981, Entwistle released his fifth solo album, Too Late The Hero.
After performing with Townshend, Daltrey, and Ringo Starr's All-Star Band in the early 1990's, Entwistle released a new solo album entitled The Rock in 1996. Soon afterwards, he formed the John Entwistle Band and embarked on the "Left For Dead" tour. The group released Left for Live in 1999. In June 2002, as the Who prepared to tour North America, Entwistle passed away at the age of 57 in Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel. His bass playing remains the stand of rock excellence.