Author Topic: Remembering John Entwistle: your two cents.... (Read 683 times)

senmen · « **Reply #15 on:** July 18, 2003, 05:51:57 AM »

John,

the main problem for me at the moment is my normal job I have to do. So it is very hard
every morning when I have to leave the house
but in the evening........
My wife is already jealous.... :-)

Oliver

stoney · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2003, 06:17:46 AM »

Hi All,

Thank you all for chiming in. In my post to Rabbit's tribute page,I paraphrased what John had said to me which is: I just don't want people to forget who I am. That's obviously not a problem.

I certainly agree that Who's Next and Quadrophenia are the real WHO landmark albums but let's not forget Tommy. It is truly remarkable to listen to these three ablums and hear the difference in John's style and approach to the instrument. While being the anchor on nearly all of Tommy, John peaked his head through the lead instrument door on Who's next with his riffs on Bargain and Won't Get Fooled Again but he literally kicked down the lead door on Quadrophenia. Face it, how many of you put on Quadrophenia for the first time and were lulled into tranquility by the opening track of ocean sounds, rain, faint background singing and finally Roger starting the song acapella then, like a freight train, John hits his first riff in The Real Me....The first time I heard it I just thought, OH MY LORD WHAT HAVE WE HERE!!!!

To date, my personal LIVE favorite is STILL Live at Leeds (yea, ok, they didn't give John the bass break in Substitute but rarly did in those days) but listening to that incredible free-for-all jam on My Generation truly shows how John could fly by the seat of his pants while keeping the other three members of the WHO in line.

Thank again, I'm glad that John is so fondly remembered.
Stoney

PS: For all you 8-string fans, don't forget to listen to Success Story from The Who By Numbers I'm not sure that Pete played anything on that song.

jet_powers · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2003, 06:57:50 AM »

Stoney,

Entwistle did indeed leave us with an incredible body of work didn't he? Tommy is truly great with its trailblazing concept and inspired writing and playing by all the members of the group.

I do remember the first time I heard The Real Me. It blew me away. A few years later when I was finally with a band with enough talent, I made the band cover that song. We did it for years. It was kind of strange to see a nightclub audience dancing to that tune, but they did it. Nearly twenty years later, there are people that see me at a gig with different cover bands and still call out for me to play it. Odd how things can trickle down isn't it? Today, with my original band, the only cover we do is My Generation.

You're right, Success Story is another fine study in 8-string.....

Live At Leeds is my favorite live album as well, though I must admit Rush's All The World's A Stage' is right up there too. Leeds paints a picture of a band in perhaps the peak of its live power, all members very comfortable with one another and just knowing instinctively where each other is going.

Oliver:
That work stuff does get in the way sometimes, doesn't it? But if it wasn't there, the Spyder wouldn't be there either. If only there were a profitable way to put the two together! Don't forget some flowers for your wife!!!!

John

(Message edited by Jet_powers on July 18, 2003)

stoney · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2003, 08:24:55 AM »

Hey John,
Certainly not to take anything away from G.Lee, he's a fine bassist but...he had two other very cooperative musicians. John, however, had to controll Moon and play bass leads around Pete's chords all while holding down the bottom end.! YIKES.

I happened to catch The Who in London, May 17 1997..a day before Pete's birthday. John did what had to be a 5 minute solo during 5:15. This was the absolute best I've ever heard him play...maybe because it was becase his mom (and Keith's mom) were in the audience. You could have heard a pin drop if there was enough silence between his notes. The audience was totally silent and the sound man kept creeping the volume up. When he finished his solo the crowd was SO LOUD you couldn't hear the band.....at all. Everyone was on their feet. That is no exageration. A most memorable moment.

kipknee · « **Reply #19 on:** July 18, 2003, 10:30:46 AM »

to dnburgess:

I'll jump in here to add my two cents worth.
Albums to get: Live at Leeds, Quadrophenia, Who's Next. (In that order.) Also, there are a number of bootlegs available from the Keith Moon days that are even better for hearing/understanding John's playing. The boots also give you a better indication of how HUGE John's sound was.

tylere · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2003, 04:48:23 AM »

As an alternative, look at the two disk Deluxe Edition Who's Next. It's 2CD set, typically priced ~$22.

Disc 1: Who's Next + Many alternate takes and songs that didn't make the cut
Disc 2: A complete 70 minute live show.

slugbass · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2003, 06:11:40 AM »

Another must will be The Kids Are Alright DVD. The DVD is supposed to be released on 09.30.03. The Ox's Alembic is featured prominently in 2 songs...Baba O'Reily & Won't Get Fooled Again. WGFA was shot with 6 cameras, and I guess on the upcoming DVD, you'll be able to isolate any one of them. A Pete Cam, a Moon Cam, an Ox Cam etc. I also understand that you can isolate The Ox's bass line during WGFA on the alternate audio stream. The VHS version of The Kids Are Alright is badly butchered, with scenes and even parts of somgs missing. The DVD version is supposed to be fully restored & remastered. This is one DVD release I'm REALLY looking forward to.

adriaan · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2003, 01:17:38 AM »

For some reason those two songs, Baba O'Reily and Won't Get Fooled Again, are also what I remember from The Who live on German television, Rockpalast, sometime in the early 80s. They had an impressive laser show sweeping through the venue, and there were of course the great sights and sounds of Entwistle's Exploiter. Can't remember much about the rest of the show ...

senmen · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2003, 02:41:35 AM »

Hi Adriaan,
yes you are right. I have this particular Rockpalast show from 1981 on video tape
and this concert is really great.
Great shots of John playing his Spyder and
especially great on The Quiet One.

Many greetings
Oliver

jet_powers · « **Reply #24 on:** July 23, 2003, 06:17:24 AM »

Oliver,

Any chance you could convert your Rockpalast and Masterclass videos to a format for US use? All expenses paid of course....

John

bucky · « **Reply #25 on:** July 23, 2003, 07:36:29 AM »

Hi Guys:

I only saw John once - in 1967 - when The Who opened up for Hermans Hermits (of all people!) Needless to say the Hermits didn't even want to come out and play after Pete, John, Keith and Roger had reduced the stage to smoldering pieces of broken gear(-; It was a mind-bending experience for 17 year-old to witness. They all blew me away but Johns playing particularly did. I was just a young kid really but I remember thinking at the time Johns really the Lead Guitarist in this band. . he AND Keith of course They really re-invented the white British R&B formula. . truly groundbreaking in their approach. And of course the songwriting was unparalled. Later that evening while we were waiting for the Ferry in downtown Seattle who should show up but a disheveled and boisterous Who! Pete even had his Union Jack jacket slung over his shoulder. Someone had obviously told them where they could find some decent fish and chips after the gig! We were far too shy to converse with these godz but it was notable how well behaved and polite they were to everybody. Only a handful of us knew who they were as I recall - they'd just released Pictures of Lily I think. Or maybe it was I Can See For Miles. . and weren't yet the household name they'd become. I remember Keith was looning around the dock there and John was just looking on bemused. I seem to recall too that Pete and Roger were arguing about something. . what a surpise(-;

Those were the days. .

Jeff

senmen · « **Reply #26 on:** July 24, 2003, 05:38:18 AM »

Hi Guys,
remember this first post of Stoney regarding Rabbits homepage?
Well, I visited the homepage shortly thereafter and ordered the John Entwistle tribute CD by Rabbit. Funds go to the teenage cancer foundation.
Well, the CD came in yesterday. Personalized and with signature of Rabbit. Wow!
I sent him a mail yesterday to express my thanks for this and I also sent him a scan of me with my Spyder bass.
So this morning I got a mail back from Rabbit asking me if it would be possible to put on my scan onto his homepage.
Guys, soon you will see me and my Spyder on the homepage of the keyboard player of the Who......
Life is crazy isn?t it?

Many greetings
Oliver

(Message edited by senmen on July 24, 2003)

stoney · « **Reply #27 on:** July 25, 2003, 05:09:37 AM »

Hi Oliver,
Glad you got Rabbit's CD. Personally, I've been lazy and haven't sent him my order yet. I WILL do it next week. Rabbit is really good about returning emails. He's a terrific guy, very down to earth and very funny. Let us know how you like the CD. I'll check out Rabbit's page for your scan. I haven't had much luck viewing the comments about JAE. Guess my computer isn't up to date.

Stoney

senmen · « **Reply #28 on:** July 25, 2003, 05:19:06 AM »

Hi Stoney,
I like his CD very much. It is very melancholic and especially when hearing the first song you get immediate contact to John....
I think my scan is not uploaded on his homepage yet as his webmaster is doing this when he has time.

Many greetings
Oliver