Tribute to John Entwistle
Seems that the world of rock n' roll has lost another icon as legendary Who bassist John Entwistle died at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on the eve of the start of a highly anticipated U.S. tour. The news is a shock to me as only yesterday I read some interviews related to the tour which was supposed to kick off tomorrow, June 28th in Las Vegas. Obviously that isn't happening and I certainly doubt that the remaining band members, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend, will tour without their original bassist.
I first started listening to The Who in my first couple of years of high school in the early 80s, just as the band was launching their first comeback. They are certainly legendary as their major hits like My Generation and Won't Get Fooled Again blasted out of my cassette radio player in my room. I remember seeing Quadrophenia on videotape and being blown away by the power of songs like 5:15 and Love Rain O'er Me. Yeah, the Mods vs. the Rockers indeed. That film included an early appearance by a very young Sting as a bellboy. And what about Tommy? Another true rock opera by Pete Townshend with it's weird characters and powerful anthem Pinball Wizard. I love the guitar in that song. Layers of acoustic and electric creating an immensely powerful sound.
Although the band was dominated by Townsend's prolific songwriting and guitar along with Daltrey's melodic wailing vocals, John Entwistle laid down a mighty solid baseline even after the loss of original drummer Keith Moon. Check out Who's Next for some fine examples of Entwistle's powerful, pulsing bass work. Who's Next is my favorite album by The Who. I picked up a special remaster CD with a few bonus tracks and it definitely rocks as hard as anything coming out today. And it's got some awesome melodies happening as well. Check out "A Bargain" for a great example of both.
Just a couple of weeks ago my lovely girlfriend Juliet expressed interest in getting tickets to see The Who at Madison Square Garden at the end of July. Even though the show was sold out I thought about picking up some tickets on eBay. I wondered whether the guys could still pull it off in their late fifties. Some concert reviews that I read indicated that the band was still pumping out their classic tunes with great fervor. I just might've got those tickets, but it seems like The Who has been silenced for now. The song is over for now, but the sound still floats thru the air....
Here's to John Entwistle...
