Awesome Entwistle video
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Bob, ol' Kingy would probably get in my top ten. Lovely bloke too, met him once and he couldn't have been nicer. Just wish he'd go back to Alembic (or Jaydee). I really like Status basses (in fact I'm after another at the moment), but I think he sounded better with the others (although I've got some footage of him playing his old red Status 2000 and that sounds great). Love John's sound on that video clip though. I considered a Buzzard before buying my Alembic, but figured I'd always be able to get one later. Worked out great Alembic-wise as my bass is fabulous. Then of course Warwick took out an injunction that stopped Status making any more..thanks guys!
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
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shinynewtoy
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I probably would have gotten into Entwistle's playing long ago if it weren't for the fact that most Who records, or at least the songs I've heard on the radio, have John practically buried in the mix. "The Real Me" comes to mind as being an exception though, but for the most part, I just can't hear what he's doing.
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jwr2
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jwr2
"Jeff, that is the sign of a good and mature bassist."
I disagree. A good and mature bassist is a bassist who plays what is necessary for the music he or she is playing. More space and fewer notes do not equal good bass playing, just as psychotic 32nd note bass tapping solos do not equal good bass playing.
If you're playing blues or straightforward rock, you probably don't want to be super-busy, though it doesn't mean you can't be. Entwistle could be both sparse AND busy in straightforward rock and it ALWAYS sounded right, it was always appropriate, and that's why he was so awesome. No matter if he was being laid-back or a lead bassist, it always worked.
I disagree. A good and mature bassist is a bassist who plays what is necessary for the music he or she is playing. More space and fewer notes do not equal good bass playing, just as psychotic 32nd note bass tapping solos do not equal good bass playing.
If you're playing blues or straightforward rock, you probably don't want to be super-busy, though it doesn't mean you can't be. Entwistle could be both sparse AND busy in straightforward rock and it ALWAYS sounded right, it was always appropriate, and that's why he was so awesome. No matter if he was being laid-back or a lead bassist, it always worked.
Entwistle was a great rock bassist, but was pretty much limited to rock, there are many more well rounded bass players out there who can play rings around him, he was a good fast bass player in the right band, there is really nothing about him that none of us with fast hands couldn't do if all we had to do all day was play bass and practise. You couldn't pay me enough money to sit there and learn two handed tapping although I know I could learn how to do it if I wanted to. I've gone the other way in my old age, try to play with more soul and make my notes fit right in with whatever I'm doing, play right with the drummer. I used to have blazing hands also and was actually compared to him a lot when I was a kid. I can still play like that and enjoy it actually but there are not a lot of bands that play hard rock like that anymore except cover bands. Real pure hard rock went the way of the dinosaur unfortunately.
Whilst I agree that Entwistle was limited to rock, and there are many more well rounded bass players than him, I think being a true trailblazer is surely more important than being "well rounded", as important as that is. There are very few of the former, and a great many of the latter. How important has John been as a musician and innovator? Also it depends what you're doing; John mainly played either in the Who or performing his own work. He wasn't generally playing different types of music every night. So I don't think it was as important for him.
Quote : - "there is really nothing about him that none of us with fast hands couldn't do if all we had to do all day was play bass and practise"
Hmmm, not sure about that Bob, I think that's doing him a great disservice. There is a small matter of the great melodic bass lines he wrote, which have nothing to do with having "fast hands". I know several bassists who are twice as fast as John but couldn't write a decent bassline to save their life! And as we all know, a great bassline is far more important than fast hands (although it's great if you've got both, like Stanley or Jaco). That's why I personally would rate John far above someone like Billy Sheehan, who although far better technically (and a great guy), has never written a bassline that really grabs me.
BTW, I'm not sure I've ever understood the phrase "playing with more soul". Does this imply more emotion? Better timing? Better note choice? Simpler note choice? Better taste (which is an individual thing and is not quantifiable)? If it's about passion, then I'd agree, that's probably the most important thing you can have in your playing. But one man's great note choice/groove is another man's "yawn...".
I would class QOTSA as a real hard rock band BTW....though they haven't got a bassist like John (they rock all the same!).
Quote : - "there is really nothing about him that none of us with fast hands couldn't do if all we had to do all day was play bass and practise"
Hmmm, not sure about that Bob, I think that's doing him a great disservice. There is a small matter of the great melodic bass lines he wrote, which have nothing to do with having "fast hands". I know several bassists who are twice as fast as John but couldn't write a decent bassline to save their life! And as we all know, a great bassline is far more important than fast hands (although it's great if you've got both, like Stanley or Jaco). That's why I personally would rate John far above someone like Billy Sheehan, who although far better technically (and a great guy), has never written a bassline that really grabs me.
BTW, I'm not sure I've ever understood the phrase "playing with more soul". Does this imply more emotion? Better timing? Better note choice? Simpler note choice? Better taste (which is an individual thing and is not quantifiable)? If it's about passion, then I'd agree, that's probably the most important thing you can have in your playing. But one man's great note choice/groove is another man's "yawn...".
I would class QOTSA as a real hard rock band BTW....though they haven't got a bassist like John (they rock all the same!).
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
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4stringnosing
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Top 10 bassists? I can stay silent no more! 
I go more for melody and tone than raw speed, although combining all 3 puts you near the top of this list! Here goes (I'm betting I'll have a few no one's heard of, although it seems most of these guys plays a Ric!):
1) Chris Squire
2) John Woloschuk (Klaatu)
3) Sir Paul
4) Bruce Foxton (The Jam)
5) Graham Maby (Joe Jackson Band)
6) Mark King (Level 42)
7) Jaco (Not a fan of his music but man could he play!)
Geddy Lee
9) Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve (Streetheart (I love the solo from "Under my Thumb"), Tom Cochrane)
10) John Deacon (Queen)
I go more for melody and tone than raw speed, although combining all 3 puts you near the top of this list! Here goes (I'm betting I'll have a few no one's heard of, although it seems most of these guys plays a Ric!): 1) Chris Squire
2) John Woloschuk (Klaatu)
3) Sir Paul
4) Bruce Foxton (The Jam)
5) Graham Maby (Joe Jackson Band)
6) Mark King (Level 42)
7) Jaco (Not a fan of his music but man could he play!)
Geddy Lee 9) Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve (Streetheart (I love the solo from "Under my Thumb"), Tom Cochrane)
10) John Deacon (Queen)
Dreaming of one day owning a Fender bass is like dreaming of one day driving a Chevrolet Impala.
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iamthebassman
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