John Entwistle: ‘Ox’ remembered as quiet, but powerful force

Kirk Baird

Friday, June 28, 2002 | 10:18 a.m.

Long ago, The Who had it all.

The dynamics of mike-swinging frontman Roger Daltrey. The guitar thrashing of Pete Townshend and his trademark windmill playing style. The wild pounding of late drummer Keith Moon, whose legendary on and off stage antics earned him the nickname "Moon the Loon."

Bassist John Entwistle was the stoic one. He anchored the chaos.

Entwistle died in his sleep Thursday while staying at the Hard Rock Hotel. The band was scheduled to open its North American tour at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. Several months ago The Who wowed the crowd at New York's Madison Square Garden during "The Concert for New York City" with an energized Townshend and Daltrey overshadowing the more-reserved bass player.

But regardless of his demeanor onstage, Entwistle was anything but meek. Known as "Ox," Entwistle lived up to his nickname, said Howard Kramer, associate curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. "He was 6 foot 3 and weighed at least 210 pounds," Kramer said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. "He was a huge man."

However, even Entwistle's size wasn't enough to draw attention away from the other members of the band, who often destroyed their instruments while he quietly look on.

But Entwistle enjoyed his status in the band, even writing a song about it: "Quiet One" from the 1981 album "Face Dances."

"With his personality, there had to be someone like him in The Who," Kramer said. "You need that strong and silent type. You needed someone like him to counteract Moon, Townshend and Daltrey."

Although Townshend was the creative force behind The Who, Entwistle contributed several songs to the band's catalog, most notably "Boris the Spider" and "My Wife."

"On 'The Who by Numbers' he wrote a really great song, 'Success Story,' which he sang," Kramer said. "And a lot of people consider his solo album 'Smash Your Head Against the Wall' one of the best solo records from any Who member."

Dennis Mitchell, half of the morning show, "Dennis and the Warrior" on classic rock station KKLZ 96.3-FM, said Entwistle had a playing style all his own.

"He was one of a breed where in a few notes you knew he was playing," Mitchell said. "It's almost like when you heard the music, the bass was unnatural. But when you saw him play ... what you heard before all came together and made sense.

"There's no question he was one of top three rock bassists ever."

Mitchell recently interviewed Entwistle on his morning show.

"He was very warm and funny," Mitchell said. "This was the sound and picture of a man who was happy, very much looking forward to the tour."

(KKLZ is saying Mitchell's interview with Entwistle might have been his last. Rolling Stone magazine learned of the station's chat with the bassist and contacted the station about getting a copy of the interview.)

Entwistle was born Oct. 9, 1944, in Chiswick, England. It was several years later, while in high school, that he met Townshend. The two formed a Dixieland band with Entwistle playing trumpet and Townshend playing banjo. The two joined Daltrey in a rock outfit called The Detours in 1962 with Moon coming on board months later.

In 1964, after learning of another band named The Detours, the band changed its name to The Who.

Throughout the '60s and into the early '80s, the band crafted some of rock 'n' roll's most popular songs: "Magic Bus," "Pinball Wizard," "Baba O'Riley," "Who Are You" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Along with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, The Who was considered one of the three greatest rock bands in the original British Invasion. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2001.

Since a "farewell tour" in 1982, The Who has reunited for several small tours. During the last several weeks, the band had been rehearsing for its upcoming North American concert dates.

There was even talk about a new album; the band was preparing to play new material during the tour.

With Entwistle's death, though, The Who's future is in doubt.

"I'd be very surprised to see Townshend and Daltrey play together as The Who after this," Kramer said. "(The band) really started with Pete and John."

Tim Bonenfant, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor who teaches rock 'n' roll history, said when it comes to The Who, it is wise never to say never.

"If they can lose somebody like Keith Moon, I feel that at some point, if they want to, they can put the band back together again," Bonenfant said. "It's going to take some to grieve. You don't just lose a brother."

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