On This Day: Remembering John Entwistle, Born October 9, 1944

John Entwistle was born in Chiswick, west London, on October 9, 1944. On the 82nd anniversary of his birth, The Who’s original bassist deserves a listen that puts the low end at the centre of the picture.

The bass could lead, too

The Who’s official biography describes Entwistle’s approach as a lead style of bass, working around Pete Townshend’s more rhythm-focused guitar playing. That division matters: two players can occupy very different musical roles even when one instrument is traditionally labelled the accompaniment.

“My Generation,” with its prominent bass solo, is an obvious starting point. But the broader lesson for a band is about arrangement. Listen for where bass and guitar create room for each other, rather than assuming that both need to play the same shape with different numbers of strings.

Remember the songwriter as well

Entwistle also contributed songs including “Boris the Spider” and “My Wife.” His place in The Who was bigger than a spectacular technique or a nickname. The writing is another reason to follow his contribution across the catalogue.

Entwistle died on June 27, 2002. This is a remembrance of his birth anniversary, and an invitation to hear how much a bassist can change the identity of a rock band.

Want to dig deeper into the guitar side of that partnership? Read our Pete Townshend guitars and gear guide.

Historical photograph: John Entwistle at Winterland, San Francisco, March 28, 1976, by Bill Abbott, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Proportionally resized and placed on a matte background; the original photograph is retained in full. The adapted image is shared under the same license.