John Entwistle biography

Synopsis

The Who Forms

Musician, songwriter. Born on October 9, 1944, in Chiswick, England. Nicknamed "The Ox," bass guitarist John Entwistle was a founding member of the legendary rock The Who. Growing up in London, he showed a talent for several instruments, including the piano, trumpet, and bass guitar. Entwistle met musician and future Who bandmate Pete Townshend in high school and they played together in different bands.

In 1961, John Entwistle joined The Detours, a group that also included Roger Daltrey. Later Townshend and drummer Keith Moon came aboard and the group changed its name to the Who in the mid-1960s. The band quickly found chart success in their native England and in the United States with such songs as “My Generation.” Along with such groups as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, the Who became one of the leading forces of the British Invasion in American rock music in the 1960s.

Commercial Success

With a brash, energetic quality all of its own, the Who became hugely popular as a live act. They played some of the leading festivals of the time, including the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock two years later. While the other members of the group were known for stage antics, John Entwistle focused on demonstrating his guitar prowess during performances. Behind the scenes, he was also a talented songwriter, creating some of the band’s songs, such as “Boris the Spider,” “Whiskey Man,” “Cousin Kevin,” and “My Wife.”

While the Who scored with their hit rock opera Tommy (1969), John Entwistle also worked on several solo albums, including Smash Your Head Against the Wall (1971) and Whistle Rymes (1972). Neither these two albums nor his third solo effort, Rigor Mortis Sets In (1973) were able to help him step out of the shadow of the Who.

Loss of Keith Moon

In the late 1970s, the band suffered a great loss when they lost their drummer Keith Moon. Moon died of a drug overdose in 1978. The Who went on a farewell tour in 1982, but reunited in 1989 for another tour. The following year, the rock super group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In the 1990s, John Entwistle scored a minor hit of his own with his solo effort, Too Late the Hero (1996). He also formed his own group for a time, producing such albums as Music from Van-Pires (1997).

Sudden Death

In 2002, John Entwistle, Roger Daltrey, and Pete Townshend were poised to launch another tour as the Who. Unfortunately, Entwistle suffered a heart attack shortly before the tour was to begin. He passed away on June 27th, 2002, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some of the group’s dates were cancelled, but Daltrey and Townshend did the remainder of the tour, playing in honor of their friend.

Married twice, John Entwistle had a son Christopher with first wife Alison Wise. In his memory, the John Entwistle Foundation was established to develop music education programs.

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