Customer Reviews

John Entwistle - An Ox Tale

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are moments in An Ox's Tale that are magical. The Pete Townshend interviews cover a lot of ground. The musical dynamics of the Who are covered, but Townshend shares recollections of John's childhood. A number of John's contemporaries discuss his musical contribution. This alone makes An Ox's Tale worth seeing. Some complaints; the narrative could be stronger as there are subjects brought up, but never examined. There a also a few repetitive montages. Beyond that, it is a warm and touching doc that doesn't hide the causes of John's death, but isn't "tabloid."

For me, the song by John Entwistle played at the end was the most affective. It's an intimate song that stripes away his trademark irony. It summed up the film and it sums up the man.

Being that I am a huge WHO fan and a bass player who was influenced by John Entwistle, I was very eager to get my hands on this DVD and when I did I was not disappointed. A great film that covers the life of the OX, goes into his personal life, his home and his solo projects. Too many who books and films revolve around Pete Townsend and I was happy to finally see something on John Entwistle because he deserved it. Any who fan, bass player or aspiring musician will like this film.

That John Entwistle has been named "bassist of the millennium" should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his music both as a solo performer and as an integral, unmistakable and unequalled musical force with The Who.

John Entwistle, The Ox, as he was affectionately known by his friends and fans alike, was a gifted and original rock and roll bass player who helped to pioneer a style of playing and a sound that has influenced generations of musicians.

An Ox's Tale is a well constructed, very entertaining depiction of The Ox's life as delivered to you by rock and roll greats including Pete Townshend, Roger Glover, Billy Squier and Peter Frampton. The narrative is fantastically supported by previously unseen footage of John in both live performance and interview. For fans of a good story, great bass guitar and solid ground-breaking rock and roll, An Ox's Tale should prove to be both entertaining and illuminating viewing.

An Ox's Tale was to this Who fan, a thoroughly enjoyable depiction of John Entwistle's life, his contribution to rock and roll and his legacy to popular music. This DVD provides a real insight to the life and genius that was the late, great John Entwistle.

This documentary is a worthwhile watch, especially if you are a fan of John Entwistle and/or The Who. There is a great look at John's past, and Townsend's commentaries like the one on Ox's base playing, using his "trumpet fingers" was very revealing.

Missing are almost glossed over bits...like an Entwistle/Daltry feued that I was never aware of. Although one might argue that Entwisle's untimely demise was not done tabloid-like, I felt that the light white wash the film gives it, is a dis-service to the documentary format. Except for a recent intervew where Ox says that he still drinks..."and other things..." raising his eyebrows at the camera do we get a hint of drug use. With Townsend's mention that Entwistle did not look well, and the blanket statment that Ox died of a heart attack, totally leaves out the true fact that the heart failure came via cocaine.

As a documentary this should have put in since it is fact, and I believe it could have been done in a respectful way.

With the areas that it lacks this 3.5 stars could have been a 4.

Having said that, if you are a fan...put this on and enjoy!

I was lucky enough to see The Who twice while growing up. They certainly were a force to be reckoned with. This DVD provides us with a side of John that wasn't accessible to the media at large -- you see him from the point of view of the people who knew him, worked with him, and loved him. The interview footage with Pete is priceless. Notable (for reasons beyond me), is the complete absence of Roger in this biography. If you love The Who, buy it and enjoy it -- you won't regret it.

This documentary on John Entwistle is paced and presented well, exploring his early childhood, how he met up with the other members of The Who, and his subsequent career in and out of that band. There have been many documentaries about The Who, but this once benefits from film footage provided by Chris Stamp, the band's former co-manager. Stamp adds insightful commentary, as do Pete Townshend, Roger Glover, Billy Sheehan, Chris Squire, director Steve Luongo, and other friends, family and associates of the late and lamented Ox. The bassist's death is treated somewhat subtly, but it's made clearer that John's lifestyle undermined his health leading up to his death at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas the morning of The Who's planned tour opening gig there. Bonus sequences include home movies, an interview with Entwistle's son, plus hard-blasting concert footage featuring The John Entwistle Band. The JEB video material features Entwistle playing bass in full throttle mode, a real treat for bass fans.

If you're reading this review, you must be an Entwistle fan. In that case, you need this well presented collection of interviews and biographical info on John Entwistle. There are interviews with Pete Townsend, Allison, Chris, and Queenie Entwistle as well as others who were close to JE, both with the Who as well as the John Entwislte Band. The bonus clip of BORIS THE SPIDER forom a Detroit performance is nearly worth the price of admission by itself.

While you're at it, get THUNDERFINGERS and MASTER CLASS. Get the latter even if you don't play bass. There are insights into Entwistle that even a non-bass player can learn from.

Yes, they glossed over the circumstances of John's death but this DVD does a fantastic job of detailing the life and talent of arguably the best bass guitarist (not merely a bass 'player') to finger a fret board. As a long-time WHO fan and owner of all JE's solo work, I was amazed to learn so much I did not know about his talent. Pete Townshend, as always, finds a unique way to present his views and appreciation for John's work from his unique perspective sharing the stage and countless jams with "Thunderfingers".

The comments of his contemporaries, and those whom he influenced such as Chris Squire of Yes, were enlightening. The most revealing content, however, was provided by The Ox himself through a series of interviews at his home which appear to have occurred not too long before his death.

There is plenty of 'musical footage' as well including the isolated "bass only" video of "Won't Get Fooled Again" from the DVD version of "The Kids are Alright". It's just the right mix of music, commentary on his talent and retrospective on his personality and his life to provide a complete picture of the man. He who stood so still and so quite for so long through so many WHO concerts, letting his fingers do the talking.

If there is one disappointment, and it is not minor, participation by his other living bandmate, Roger Daltrey, would have been sorely welcomed. (It will no longer be "too bloody loud" Rog. I'm certain you will miss that).

This is very good stuff with excellent narration by Peter Frampton. No self-respecting WHO fan or aspiring bass guitarist should be without this DVD in their collection.

It's good that one of rock's gladiator's is given a musical tribute. There is not enough visual testamony to the creators from those prolific decades, starting in 60's. It is sad that so many artists, burnt out in their prime like Morrison, Joplin, Hendrix and yet, it's even perhaps more sad, that we lose a performer who had more time, to get straight and "get it right." Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and many others indeed, swore off hard drink and hard drugs after youthful exploratory misadventures and still perform as they get on in years. The lesson here should be, strive to fight toxic lifestyles. A little rust is better than self distruction.
Old man time, can be kind. Four strings down.

The Townshend interviews are outstanding. He is relaxed and funny and doesn't need to make any grand statements or generalizations. Frampton's narration is a bit stiff, you can tell he is reading words he isn't really comfortable with. The Doors' Ray Manzarek, however, is a complete idiot here. He tries to look wide-eyed but is actually wizened, and is spouting off cliches like a history whale.