That guy is my hero. I went to see an all-star tribute to the Beatles that featured him, Alan Parsons, Nancy Wilson, Todd Rundgren, and more. All I could do all night was watch Entwistle's hands.

Uh.

FAPFAPFAP.

/got nothin

What? No "Victor Wooten is better" comments?

I've always felt that like Les Claypool, John Entwistle is *gasp* totally overrated. Not that he did't kick ass as a rock bassist, I just don't consider him among the "gods".

To be fair, Geddy Lee is my all time favorite bassist and musical mentor (I'm a bassist of 20+ years), and I don't even put him in the gods category. That category is reserved for Marcus Miller, Jeff Schmidt, Michael Manring, Jaco, Stanly, and Victor.

I will also say that John Entwistle's technique and playing are impeccable on this video.

Years of intense jazz sax and then Entwhistle, Pastorious, Squire, Lee (Geddy), Levin are what make this player one of the better ones in the Chicago area.

/yup that's unbridled self awareness there

Earguy: That guy is my hero. I went to see an all-star tribute to the Beatles that featured him, Alan Parsons, Nancy Wilson, Todd Rundgren, and more. All I could do all night was watch Entwistle's hands.

I saw that too! It was amazing.

Adremelech: I've always felt that like Les Claypool, John Entwistle is *gasp* totally overrated. Not that he did't kick ass as a rock bassist, I just don't consider him among the "gods".

Seconded.

rattly rattly WHACKITY

lol

"It's called a Chapman stick, you buffoon!"

that was called hammering on... not hard... flea is better and so is chris wolstenholme

/done trolling

What I adore about the OX is this:


unlike pretty much all other super "bass Gods"--Entwistle NEVER sacrificed his ballsy low-end tone. His sound is a bit snappy and has a little sparkle on the bright side but is also very meaty sounding. All other bassists go with way too much treble.



btw---any bass players out there seen those new ACOUSTIC vintage bass amp reissues? They look and sound awsome.

I would also love to see the SUNN amps get the same treatment.

Entwistle thundered with the SUNN Coliseum 880s back in the day.

Interesting right-hand technique. Not the usual pluck, more of a tap.

craigdamage:

unlike pretty much all other super "bass Gods"--Entwistle NEVER sacrificed his ballsy low-end tone. His sound is a bit snappy and has a little sparkle on the bright side but is also very meaty sounding. All other bassists go with way too much treble.

I loved Entwistle's sound... ballsy is the word that comes to mind.


Mike Watt is another bassist who has a fantastic live sound... deep and heavy on the low end, but still bright and has a lot of punch...

Adremelech: I've always felt that like Les Claypool, John Entwistle is *gasp* totally overrated.

What?

To be fair, Geddy Lee is my all time favorite bassist and musical mentor

Ah. I see. I'm so sorry.

That category is reserved for Marcus Miller, Jeff Schmidt, Michael Manring, Jaco, Stanly, and Victor.

Thing is, Entwistle was an actual player as well as a damn showoff. Make of that what you will. Jaco too, wanky though he was. The rest, ehhh, wibble widdle yawn, specially f***ing Wooten.

/Music for musicians is boring.
//24 years behind the plank.
///Found that playing flash is as good as wanking, but making people dance is better than sex.

Adremelech: What? No "Victor Wooten is better" comments?

I've always felt that like Les Claypool, John Entwistle is *gasp* totally overrated. Not that he did't kick ass as a rock bassist, I just don't consider him among the "gods".

To be fair, Geddy Lee is my all time favorite bassist and musical mentor (I'm a bassist of 20+ years), and I don't even put him in the gods category. That category is reserved for Marcus Miller, Jeff Schmidt, Michael Manring, Jaco, Stanly, and Victor.

I will also say that John Entwistle's technique and playing are impeccable on this video.

While Geddy Lee is capable of doing things that in my wildest freams I couoldn't even attempt to pull off, I always feelt he was too technical. Entwistle had all the riffs , but for my money it never got better than Duck Dunn or James Jamerson. You don't have to play all the notes, you just have to play all the right notes.

If you don't feel it, don't play it - James Jamerson

God. As a bassist of 23 years, I'm ashamed of this thread....

Crewmannumber6: If you don't feel it, don't play it - James Jamerson

Precisely.

Well, might as well get my ass handed to me early this morning. Not a bassist, but a guitar player. Not good enough to be a "guitarist". Here's my two cents, that of course, were not asked for.

Entwistle never came across as "wanking" to me, because his style is part of the controlled chaos that was a lot of the Who's sound. His flash always fit the song. A lot of the wank-type players mentioned here seem to build the song from the bass up, and not in a good way. It's fun to listen to for a while, though.

Rickenbacker: Entwistle never came across as "wanking" to me, because his style is part of the controlled chaos that was a lot of the Who's sound. His flash always fit the song. A lot of the wank-type players mentioned here seem to build the song from the bass up, and not in a good way. It's fun to listen to for a
while, though.

Yeah, he kind of played off of Moon's chaotic style, as well. When a band like Rush plays something flahsy, it sounds like musical wanking, but when the Who did it I never got that impression.

Crewmannumber6:

If you don't feel it, don't play it - James Jamerson

Couldn't agree more. Good quote!

Rob Derhak

That's all

Enjoy your day

Rickenbacker: Entwistle never came across as "wanking" to me, because his style is part of the controlled chaos that was a lot of the Who's sound.

Not to mention, he had to try to keep time with Keith Moon - who while a good drummer, couldn't keep time for shiat.

And to another post, who said Flea was better? Flea's a great bass player and I believe very underrated, but better than Entwhistle? Are you farking kidding me?

It's only on fark that I see "Meg White is a better drummer than Neil Peart" and now this.

Farkomatic: Rickenbacker: Entwistle never came across as "wanking" to me, because his style is part of the controlled chaos that was a lot of the Who's sound.

Not to mention, he had to try to keep time with Keith Moon - who while a good drummer, couldn't keep time for shiat.

And to another post, who said Flea was better? Flea's a great bass player and I believe very underrated, but better than Entwhistle? Are you farking kidding me?

It's only on fark that I see "Meg White is a better drummer than Neil Peart" and now this.

Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one and most of them stink. FARK has a lot of opinions.

Might be a little random, but my pick for favorite Bassist is Matt Freeman from Rancid/Operation Ivy.

Never seen someone play so fast...wow..

thats it. i quit.

Entwhistle was technically brilliant, and he and Moon made The Who regat, but he is not my favorite. These dudes are my top three:





And my favorite of all time -- the world's most melodic bassist.

For you Entwistle naysayers, give a good listen to "Getting In Tune" from the Who's Next album


/blah
//playing the plank for 30 years
///my lawn, you, off
////onions, belt

Anyone who deems one musician "better" than another is immediately added to my list of morons. It's not a race, boy and girls.

I meant to add--

The only reason Flea is a better player than John Entwistle right now is because he isn't dead.

Crewmannumber6: It's only on fark that I see "Meg White is a better drummer than Neil Peart" and now this.

Well, Meg White IS a better drummer than Neal Peart.

/serious

destitute college kid: Crewmannumber6: It's only on fark that I see "Meg White is a better drummer than Neil Peart" and now this.

Well, Meg White IS a better drummer than Neal Peart.

/serious

Good for him.

I'm just sayin...
when I put my "dream band" together on paper last year, John was on bass. The things I loved about John was, he was the guy who didn't show off at all on stage. You had 3 guys jumping around, each with their own "trick", and his was "I'm just gonna stand here and calmly play the crap outta this bass". I will say however, some of the basses he designed before he died were ugly as hell. His back-up in my dream band was Mike Mills. The work Mills did on the early REM albums is phenominal, and he ain't a half bad back-up singer.

Steve Harris is God. The gallop. It rules.

It's not always the super fast stuff either, The Evil that Men Do, The Longest Day, etc. Amazing.

Innocent Exile's bass intro is one of the best ever.

Meh, and

Zem:
///Found that playing flash is as good as wanking, but making people dance is better than sex.

THIS

All this bass talk, and no mention of Nikki Sixx...


/running and ducking

sfounder: Steve Harris is God

I'll say a little novena at his altar for you when I see him this Saturday.

I agree that after a certain level of playing saying one is better than another is pointless. Entwistle was one of the best. His work on Quadrophenia is some of the best recorded bass tracks I've heard.

I am also glad to see props given to James Jamerson. That is a sad tale. If you never seen the documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" you should. The story of all the Funk Brothers is worth sharing.
Here is an excerpt (new window)

Here is Jamerson backing the Jackson 5. No video of James, but listen:
Darling Dear (new window)

The_Philosopher_King: Here is Jamerson backing the Jackson 5. No video of James, but listen:

That is indeed extraordinary playing. Thanks for sharing it.

The_Philosopher_King: I agree that after a certain level of playing saying one is better than another is pointless. Entwistle was one of the best. His work on Quadrophenia is some of the best recorded bass tracks I've heard.

I am also glad to see props given to James Jamerson. That is a sad tale. If you never seen the documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" you should. The story of all the Funk Brothers is worth sharing.
Here is an excerpt (new window)

Here is Jamerson backing the Jackson 5. No video of James, but listen:
Darling Dear (new window)

I read something about him playing off the 5ths and not using the root note during some of their songs, but I never quite understood it (I know what the fifth is, but I don't really understand composition), can anyone epound?

One of my favourites.

I love Entwistle, and having played bass for over 25 years now, I would identify him as the famous bassist I play most like.

That wasn't by design, but it just is. I've never thought he was a God on the bass though. He's just cool, perfectly suited for The Who and a hell of a player. There isn't a lot of musical theory behind what he plays, which is both good and bad. He's like the self-taught auto-mechanic of the bass. He's very very good, as am I, but there are plenty, tons really, who are better than either of us.

Currently I do have the distinction of being better than Entwistle because I am still breathing. But that's nit-picking.

Adremelech: I will also say that John Entwistle's technique and playing are impeccable on this video.

I prefer this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVl39LBZGMw&feature=related

Zem
/Music for musicians is boring.

Seconded. Wanky (esp. prog rock) bassists and musicians in general are so goddamned stupid.

bassmonkeee: God. As a bassist of 23 years, I'm ashamed of this thread....

you should see the guitar threads.

is this really a 'masterclass' though? hes not doing anything.

Zem:
///Found that playing flash is as good as wanking, but making people dance is better than sex.

That "... is better than sex" cliche is the biggest pile of crap ever. If you think ANYTHING is better than sex, then you're a complete moron. Or a virgin.

d000fus: Zem:
///Found that playing flash is as good as wanking, but making people dance is better than sex.

That "... is better than sex" cliche is the biggest pile of crap ever. If you think ANYTHING is better than sex, then you're a complete moron. Or a virgin.

I've always said snow skiing is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Actually,when you consider what makes a good bassist, I would say two of my favorites are:

Bob Daisley
and
Rex Brown.

Why? because they are fluid, graceful, hold the bottom, and no rythum guitarist needed. Filling up the pocket, and keeping the bootom is what its about, not how many notes you can fit in a stanza.

d000fus 2008-06-12 01:55:08 PM

That "... is better than sex" cliche is the biggest pile of crap ever. If you think ANYTHING is better than sex, then you're a complete moron. Or a virgin.

You sir, have never played a show with jam packed with kids who came to hear YOU and are singing along to YOUR songs that YOU wrote.

/trust me, it's better.

whatshisname: One of my favourites.

I like Levin. I also like Chris Squire, Phil Lesh, Steve Harris, blah blah blah.