The late Mr Entwhistle of The Who once said 'John Deacon, Good bass player, but he should have used a heavier bass'.
He's obviously someone whos opinion should be respected, but what did he mean by that. What difference would it have made to the 'Queen' sound.
Proper informed answers from people who know what they're talking about please.
I think it was meant as a joke for John. The weight of the bass makes no difference to the sound, the additional weight is often made up but heavier hardware on the guitar, such as gold machine heads etc.
A standard fender bass is fairly light, when John upgraded his old natural one and had it re-finished it would have made it heavier, but it would not have effected the sound.
I think this was a private joke between them.
John Entwisthle, who is by the way my bass hero, sorry John, meant according to me that he must had a more space and (bass)input in the songs. Most people do not know how good John Deacon bassplaying was. Wich is a shame because he is a terrific bassplayer but all the time his parts are underestimated and put under layers of voices and guitars. While at the other hand John Entwistle was a big part of the sound of the Who and I belive that John E. meant that John D. should own more spotlight for his contribution and his bassplaying, that why the joke of a heavier bass
I always wondered about that, too. Pete also said that "if he (John) were a foot taller and weighed 20 pounds more he would be a great bass player" - that must be a private joke?
It seems as though the interview with Entwhistle was done at a Queen party along with others, Fish, Samantha Fox etc. most likely during the Magic tour and it seems to be an "inside" joke between the two bassists.
It was a joke. John Entwistle was probably a foot taller & 20 pounds heavier, so th eimplication is that JD would be a better bassist if he was Entwistle.
Penetration_Guru wrote: It was a joke. John Entwistle was probably a foot taller & 20 pounds heavier, so th eimplication is that JD would be a better bassist if he was Entwistle.
Indeed. At least John makes some moves during shows. The famous gay run, the hip hops, spinning on one foot, bass-throwing etc. :-P
That makes Entwistle quite boring...
It was a joke, it had nothing to do with the quality of John's bassplaying. He said it because he thought that John looked puny. With a heavier bass, he would gain more muscles. He said it was an insider's joke.
Penetration_Guru wrote: It was a joke. John Entwistle was probably a foot taller & 20 pounds heavier, so th eimplication is that JD would be a better bassist if he was Entwistle.
Indeed. At least John makes some moves during shows. The famous gay run, the hip hops, spinning on one foot, bass-throwing etc. :-P
That makes Entwistle quite boring...
I disagree. The fact that Entwistle was so stagnant on stage is what made him the perfect fit. You have crazy Keith Moon on the drums, Daltrey swinging his microphone, and Townshend swinging his arm playing those power chords. Someone had to be keeping it cool up there! He was the glue that kept that band together, both visually and musically.
I asked John about this in 1989 and he said it was definately a piss-take. By "heavier" bass, he meant a heavier *sounding* bass - add into that the other bits he commented on and you'll find that John was describing himself - ie that John Deacon should try to be John Entwistle.
And we all know that's just not possible.
Ah, the Ox.
Such bassplaying we'll never see again.
Then again, Deaky certainly had his own style to contribute, but nowhere close to John E.
Somewhere in Heaven, Freddie is forming a supergroup with Jimi Hendrix (guitar), John Entwhistle (bass), John Paul Jones (drums), Janis Joplin (vocals w/Freddie) and John Lennon (piano, vocals, songwriting, backwards messages). And it will be sensational.
Suigi wrote: Ah, the Ox.
Such bassplaying we'll never see again.
Then again, Deaky certainly had his own style to contribute, but nowhere close to John E.
Somewhere in Heaven, Freddie is forming a supergroup with Jimi Hendrix (guitar), John Entwhistle (bass), John Paul Jones (drums), Janis Joplin (vocals w/Freddie) and John Lennon (piano, vocals, songwriting, backwards messages). And it will be sensational.
Somebody had better tell John Paul Jones that:-
A: He plays drums.
B: He's dead !
The shock could kill him (again, apparently)
Unless, Suigi, you meant to say John Bonham !
Penetration_Guru wrote: It was a joke. John Entwistle was probably a foot taller & 20 pounds heavier, so th eimplication is that JD would be a better bassist if he was Entwistle.
Indeed. At least John makes some moves during shows. The famous gay run, the hip hops, spinning on one foot, bass-throwing etc. :-P
That makes Entwistle quite boring...
Except from the wrist to the tips of his fingers...
John Entwistle was one of the LEAST boring people I have ever met. Rather than talk about himself and The Who, he was always willing to be drawn on his love of fishing, his interest in millitaria and also anything that you could possibly collect from toy cars to records. He had an amazing interest in the local music scene in and around the Cotswolds and would happily walk up to a young pub band and ask them if he could play with them on a couple of numbers.
He was a great guy, a great bassist and an even better friend; I miss him.
I think I have read somewhere before that John Entwistle was mistaken for John Deacon before (probably because of the shared first name) - John E is about 20 pounds heavier, and about a foot taller, and played a heavier bass, so when the confused person said to John D "I think you're a great bass player", John E is jokingly meaning that the person must have actually meant that HE was the great bass player - hope this makes sense?!?!