This profile is based on a humorous biography once posted on the foundation’s site. The jokes and exaggerations of the original are set aside, and only its factual outline is kept.
Early musical life
According to the profile, John Entwistle began piano lessons at the age of six and learned to read music at an early stage. By eleven, he was drawn to the trumpet and to jazz, but he ended up playing the French horn in his school orchestra. As rock and roll took over, he moved to a louder instrument, the bass guitar. The profile also says he played and arranged the brass parts on The Who’s recordings.
The formation of The Who
He met Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey at school, and together they formed the beginnings of the band that first went by the name The Detours. They later found drummer Keith Moon and a manager, and enjoyed a series of hit singles in Britain before turning to the American market.
Landmark albums and films
The profile lists several milestones from the group’s peak:
- Tommy, a rock opera.
- Live at Leeds, a famous concert album.
- Who’s Next and Quadrophenia, both commercial successes.
- Film versions: Tommy, directed by Ken Russell; Quadrophenia, directed by Frank Roddam; and the documentary The Kids Are Alright.
Later years
The group spent less time touring as the years passed, and the profile says that solo albums by band members followed. The death of Keith Moon changed the band’s direction, and a period with replacement drummer Kenny Jones came before the group eventually stopped. The original trio of Townshend, Entwistle and Daltrey later returned for a Quadrophenia tour, and the name The Who was restored. The band also played charity concerts, including one for victims of the September 2001 attacks in New York, and took part in several US tours.
Philanthropy and legacy
Entwistle used his celebrity to raise large sums for good causes with The Who and with his own band. After his unexpected death in 2002, the John Entwistle Foundation was created to continue that work and keep his legacy alive. See also the shorter biography and the mission page.