The Ox
December 13, 2008 7:41 AM   Subscribe

Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very, very much for waiting! And now, won't you welcome please the isolated bass of John Entwistle. (Good stuff at 01:22 on second link).
posted by punkfloyd (21 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
Wow. No wonder why he looks so bored.
posted by Flunkie at 8:21 AM on December 13, 2008 [2 favorites]


Entwistle was once asked about his favorite heavy metal bands. He didn't really have any, he explained: "I'm only interested in heavy metal when it's me who's playing it," said Entwistle. "I suppose it's a bit like smelling your own farts."
posted by netbros at 8:22 AM on December 13, 2008


Clearly Entwistle is not responsible for the mysterious Bass Face phenomenon.
posted by katillathehun at 8:24 AM on December 13, 2008


Those were great. If the internet gets any better I don't know what I'm going to do.
posted by marxchivist at 8:33 AM on December 13, 2008 [3 favorites]


Holy cow, did you see the size of that clap board in the second link!
posted by cazoo at 8:34 AM on December 13, 2008


Both those clips are from the stuff the filmed especially for The Kids Are Alright around 1978. I think it is some of the last stuff they did with Moon. They were getting a bit long in the tooth even back then, but I've always love that performance of "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Here's the full band versions of these here and here.

I must have gone to see that movie six times at the theater, I was about 17 at the time. I can still watch it anytime.
posted by marxchivist at 8:40 AM on December 13, 2008


I have always liked the moment (8:08 in the first link) when Entwistle sees Townshend go sliding past. The gaps between their respective stage personas are summed up with that puzzled half-scowl: you can almost hear Entwistle thinking, "Wanker."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:42 AM on December 13, 2008


Marxchivist is right. These tracks are included as bonus material on the DVD reissue of the Kids Are Alright, which I highly recommend. Hearing The Ox on Live at Leeds was what made me want to pick up a bass in the first place. Good, good stuff.
posted by joe lisboa at 8:43 AM on December 13, 2008


something really exciting is happening just out of frame on stage left. whatever it is leaves mr. entwistle utterly unmoved.
posted by klanawa at 9:04 AM on December 13, 2008


Is anyone else getting an overpowering urge to turn the audio track in the first link into a completely different song? Something electro maybe?

Oh, just me then?
posted by Xezlec at 9:23 AM on December 13, 2008


Fascinating, fascinating video. I liked his stuff but now I know!

I'm sure that the reason why Entwhistle looks bored or sometimes a littel grumpy is because he's clearly always thinking about how to get a little extra out of the part. I have to say that I never heard all the grace notes and pitch bends he uses to decorate these simple lines before this.

I have to say however that the bass line to Baba O'Riley is pretty dull on its own. It's the best line for the piece, though!
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:52 AM on December 13, 2008


Hah, I went back to the music I was playing before and it was Terry Riley. Entertaining coincidence!
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:53 AM on December 13, 2008


Good stuff at 01:22 on second link

You can direct-link to a timecode on youtube by adding #t=_m_s.
posted by Rhomboid at 11:04 AM on December 13, 2008 [6 favorites]


I like right around 3:29 when Daltry comes prancing into the frame briefly. Hilarious.
posted by spicynuts at 12:10 PM on December 13, 2008


God, how much pot have I smoked to this song? And yet, even though that's all about, um, a really really long time ago, just hearing the bass-line I can imagine being stoned again.
posted by From Bklyn at 2:29 PM on December 13, 2008


I saw John play at a very small club a few years before his death. He had a singer who did a surprisingly convincing Daltrey, but the obvious highlight was seeing him play bass from just a few feet away.

And as said above, that isolated footage is on the bonus footage of Kids Are Alright. The whole concert (Kilburn 1977) is on DVD along with a more vintage concert. I also just saw most of that show a few weeks ago on cable (although the exact channel escapes me at the minute). Even though the band were not at the top of thier game, it's still well worth seeing. At times Townshend seems downright giddy.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 2:41 PM on December 13, 2008


Entwhistle was amazing.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:11 PM on December 13, 2008


But could he have jammed out on a one string, washtub gas tank bass like this guy from Split Lip Rayfield?
posted by premortem at 9:32 PM on December 13, 2008


cool the Who knew how to do it ... how to top that? give me Sir Paul ,isolated, playing Getting Better or Dont Let me Down. srsly

oh shit here, then


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O7PnvVgQvA
posted by celerystick at 6:23 PM on December 14, 2008


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxb92C7eCfY&watch_response
posted by celerystick at 6:25 PM on December 14, 2008


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilHz5orOQjE&feature=related
(sorry )
posted by celerystick at 6:37 PM on December 14, 2008


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