{"id":605948,"date":"2026-05-27T03:49:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/605948\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T03:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:49:15","slug":"the-greatest-bassists-of-all-time-according-to-john-entwistle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/605948\/","title":{"rendered":"The greatest bassists of all time, according to John Entwistle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/p>\n

Credit: Far Out \/ Flickr<\/p>\n

Tue 26 May 2026 11:41, UK <\/p>\n

When discussing his favourite bass players of all time, Mot\u00f6rhead maestro Lemmy Kilmister opined, \u201cI love John Entwistle<\/a> of The Who. Best bass player I ever saw, Entwistle!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was high praise from a man with particular taste. Lemmy went on to add, \u201c[Paul] McCartney\u2019s the second, though. He keeps giving in to the wimp in him, but he\u2019s a great bass player.\u201d Born in Chiswick, London, in 1944, the Who\u2019s pounding four-stringer was a little bolder than that.<\/p>\n

After that backhanded bashing of the famed Beatle, Lemmy continued his praise for Entwistle by adding, \u201cThe best bass player on the face of the earth. He was the best for me, no contest. He was so in command of his instrument. You never saw him flicker. Never a bum note that I ever heard.\u201d <\/p>\n

Beyond this steely command, he also had dazzling flair. As Lemmy adds: \u201cAnd he was so fast, both hands going like hell. The bass solo in \u2018My Generation\u2019<\/a>, you still tie yourself in knots trying to do it now. You can work it out, but it was another thing thinking it up. And that was back in 1964\u201d. In those heady days, Entwistle redefined the bass.<\/p>\n

Lemmy\u2019s lofty adulation is an appraisal that encompasses everything that Entwistle had to offer, and it says a lot that it comes from a figure as thunderous as the hard-to-impress Mot\u00f6rhead leader.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\"John<\/a>Credit: Bent Rej<\/p>\n

You see, The Who bassist had enough rock \u2018n\u2019 roll bravura to enamour a gang of passing Hell\u2019s Angels but enough intricacy and skill to raise the eyebrows of a concert hall composer. The late star was a law unto himself. Even Pete Townshend would happily add that Entwistle was the true lead guitar player in The Who, driving the melodies from the front, somehow, while keeping Keith Moon in line.<\/p>\n

However, he was not without his influences. Over the years, he wasn\u2019t profuse with praise, but he was quick to worship the few heroes of his own. Two of which were the inimitable trailblazers Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke. Speaking to Guitar Player about these two pioneering players in 1989, Entwistle, who died in 2002, said, \u201cThey were virtuosos who took bass in a different direction than I did: not in a rock way, but in a funky, jazzy way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further reading: From The Vault<\/p>\n

Adding: \u201cIf you drew a family tree you have me going up in one direction. Then you have James Jamerson<\/a>, with a branch for Jack Bruce and Carol Kaye. They\u2019re sort of the early funk, real bass players. They lead to Larry Graham, with branches for people like Stanley Clarke and Jaco, which then lead to people like Mark King and Pino Palladino.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, there are also heroes with whom he recognises a kinship. Renowned for his soloing ability, Billy Sheehan of David Lee Roth\u2019s and Mr Big is one of a few players who could give him a run for his money in the rock \u2018n\u2019 roll realm. As he eulogised: \u201cBilly Sheehan is my branch. But the sound isn\u2019t quite there. I know I influenced him because he sent me a fan letter and some tapes back when he was with Talas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flattery will get you places, but the \u2018My Generation\u2019 maestro also recognised his talent, stating: \u201cI\u2019ve met him a few times\u2013he\u2019s a nice chap. But there doesn\u2019t seem to be anyone using the amount of treble and distortion I use. Plus, I always make sure that there\u2019s a clean bass sound that\u2019s the backbone of whatever band I\u2019m in. Then the treble is the part that makes it fun for me.\u201d It is where Entwistle\u2019s expressive \u2018voice\u2019 is.<\/p>\n

However, above all, Entwistle was a master all-rounder of the bass, and this is reflected in the eclectic mix of stars whom he admired. Speaking about Mark King of the new romantic band Level 42, he said, \u201cTo a certain extent, Mark King [impressed me]. They are not really sort of rock bass players, a sort of funky-fusion,\u201d he explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, he is far from alone in identifying King as a talent outside of the typical rock genre, as fellow bassists from the era, like Flea, also took inspiration from the pop star. There was a sense that King could do anything\u2026 sometimes all within a single track.<\/p>\n

And this style was born from King\u2019s musical philosophy. \u201cAs I always say to any aspiring student, just play as much as you can with as many people as you can. You may not always like the songs or the music,\u201d he once said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Adding, \u201cIf you go from playing \u2018The Gay Gordons\u2019 to a swinging little quickstep, to a Stevie Wonder track, to doing \u2018River Deep, Mountain High\u2019, to a Beatles song, to a waltz, half the time you\u2019re thinking \u2018I can\u2019t stand this stuff\u2019, but what\u2019s happening is you\u2019re exponentially broadening your horizons. You become such a well-rounded player.\u201d That\u2019s something Entwistle, with his knack for punky aggression and considered composition, truly admired in anyone.<\/p>\n

This broad range of stars typifies Entwistle\u2019s approach to the instrument. The late Who bassist was always keen to bring an expansive approach to the instrument. He kept his ears open to the world and played the notes that were missing. As he once put it himself: \u201cI ain\u2019t heard anyone play like I do in my band, and I am very happy about that\u201d.<\/p>\n

John Entwistle\u2019s favourite bassists:Jaco PastoriusStanley ClarkeJames JamersonJack BruceCarol KayeLarry GrahamMark KingPino PalladinoBilly Sheehan<\/p>\n

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