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Friday, May 12, 2017

John Entwistle - "Smash Your Head Against The Wall" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1971 (Decca)


The first cut, "My Size" yells out 1971 classic rock.   The chunk-chunk guitar cords and Entwistle's voice sounds like it is recorded in another room, is classic riff-rock.  My favorite parts of a Who album are always the John Entwistle songs.  When Pete gets spiritual, John is more interested in rock n' roll issues like revenge, violence, and in a spiritual mode, how to recover a night of drinking.  "Smash Your Head Against the Wall" is the ultimate solo bass player's solo album who belongs to a major band.   And remember John wrote "Boris the Spider" the best Who song ever. 

"What Are We Doing Here?" is the song for musicians who are on an endless tour.  I imagine John wrote this between groupie and drinking sessions where one gets on a reflective thinking 'woe me" state of mind.  The truth is I'm making light of his lifestyle, but under the humor and rock n' roll behavior is a great songwriter.  To call him and Keith Moon the rhythm section is slight, due that both lead players on their instruments.  As Noel of Oasis fame had commented, if not in exact wording, that The Who is a band that has a lead singer, and a lead guitarist, but also a lead Bass player as well as the lead drummer.  That is an accurate description of The Who. 

Entwistle's first solo album is him playing everything except guitar and drums.  His arrangements are excellent, especially what he does with the horn section.  Not exactly like a soul horn section, but more of a British toot-toot horns, and it's very useful on these set of songs.  "Heaven and Hell" is a magnificent piece of work, and "Ted End" is one of Entwistle's great underrated songs.  Worth the price of this album. 

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