Most people think of him as the quiet one. While the other members of the group break into an unrehearsed ballet of movement, he stands firm like an ox, as he’s been nicknamed.

It’s always been that way for John Entwistle, bass guitarist with the Who.

“It’s part of the act now,” admitted Entwistle at his West London home. “I don’t think I would want it any other way because it would detract from my playing.

“Ever since we started with the present line-up in 1963 I have always stood still while the rest of the band moved about.”

More talkative

Off stage he does not hog the limelight either.

Again it started in the early years. I couldn’t be bothered to talk to people because I didn’t have anything to say and I left the talking to the others.”

“He’s more talkative now (“I’ve got something to say”), but he’s still the anchor man for the aggressive Who.

The group, which introduced the stage violence (breaking instruments) that was copied by many others, needed Entwistle’s calm presence and audiences have come to expect it.

“My lack of movement is part of the act now,” said Entwistle. “I move from the wrist downwards. People don’t expect any more. If we were all on the go we would look like a bunch of lunatics with no artistic instinct.”

But true to the saying silent waters run deep, there is more to Entwistle than meets the eyes.

First solo

This month sees the release of Entwistle’s first solo album, Smash Your Head Against The Wall. On it Entwistle plays all the brass (there’s plenty of it) and has written and produced all the material.

The album has been on his mind for two years but he didn’t get down to it in earnest until last year.

“I’ve always written songs for the Who, but I could never accumulate enough songs for an album. I wasn’t that much into writing and I didn’t make the time to write anything.”

When Entwistle started he wrote about two songs a year.

DEPTHS…

DISC GOSSIP By ALAN JONES

He has always been a distinctive writer and a collection of his songs (“Boris the Spider,” “Whiskey Man” and “Silas Stingy” are among them) were released earlier this year.

On the double album, Tommy, which Pete Townshend takes most of the credit for and which really established the Who as an international band, Entwistle wrote “Fiddle About” and “Cousin Kevin.”

Now he writes on average about three songs every two weeks working on a piano at his home.

Music family

“At one time I composed my songs on the bass,” said Entwistle. “It’s much harder that way, but I’m out of practice. Since I have started using the piano again I’m more prolific.”

Entwistle comes from a musical family. His father played trumpet and passed on his love for brass instruments to him.

“My father taught me the basics of valve instruments. I carried on learning to play after I left school and went working in a taxation office. I can now play any sort of brass instrument except a slide trombone, but I got round that by playing a valve trombone.”

Entwistle taught himself to master the bass guitar in his teens when he wanted to join a pop group.

Recalled Entwistle: “I tried to play lead guitar but I couldn’t. It sounds rather awful but my fingertips were too big for the fretboard. I thought I would be better on bass which has only four strings.”

Plenty of ideas

Entwistle has plenty of musical ideas buzzing inside his head. “I want to get away from electric guitars and use more brass and blocks of the same instrument. But it does not interfere dealing with the ship.

Entwistle also will be playing his own album recordings.

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