Smash Your Head Against the Wall [Original recording remastered]

John Entwistle | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 8, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B000AA7HHO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273,794 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese limited edition issue of the album classic in a deluxe, miniaturized LP sleeve replica of the original vinyl album artwork. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THUNDERFINGERS LIVES, November 16, 2005

By 

PHILIP S WOLF (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Smash Your Head Against the Wall (Audio CD)

The WHO had it all backwards, the drummer and the bass player were the two lead players. Beyond all the glorious noise these guys made on record and on stage and the production of Kit Lambert, we rarely got to hear how great John Entwistle was as a musician.

By 1970 John had just too many songs stored up and needed another outlet to being on the B side of the Who's latest single. So he began his first solo LP in November. Cy Langston was recruited from the Who's roadcrew for his guitar ability that sounded much like Pete Townshend. The rumor at the time was it WAS Pete working under an allias, but Dave (Cyrano) Langston was a real person. Jerry Shirley from the great group Humble Pie had some time- off and was drafted to sit behind the drumkit, so begins 'Smash'.

"My Size", the opening number sounds like a love song for a anger-mangement class, it's heavy and a great begining with all the power chords in the right places. The Who should have played this in concert as it would have fit well. "Big Chicken" is about the demon alcohol while "What Are We Doing Here", was based on an incident in Canada when again the member's of The Who were hassled for the length of their hair (John was in a suit, and never dressed like stinkin' hippy). The mix on this one is a bit different than on the original release. "What Kind Of People Are They?" has a super horn section supplied by John. "Heaven & Hell" is way close to the version recorded by The Who, and was the show opener for that band in 1970-71.

Side two of the LP started off with the great tune "Ted End", that has a real Beatles type charm to it. This would have fit in on "Abbey Road" quite nicely. On "Your Mine", John gets to play the Devil himself , with lyrics Cousin Kevin would be proud of. "No. 29" is a drum based rocker that has the fastest runs on bass guitar heard on record (up till this point in time). The closer "I Believe In Everything", sounds cheerful untill you check out the lyric sheet and see that John is being sarcastic once again.

Nine bonus tracks are added to this release with Neil Young's, "Cinnamon Girl" given John's, 'Heavy' treatment of production AND it's SLOWER than Neil's version. "It's Hard To Write A Love Song" "The Haunted Can Be Free" and "World Behind My Face" are O.K. tunes, but being demo's you tend to wonder what they could have sounded like given the full band treatment. Who Freaks will be very happy to see these tracks getting an official release. And to my knowledge the bootleggers never got their hands on these ditties either. An early take of "My Size", is included and it's got the bass mixed right up front with the guitars moved more to the background and a different vocal take. This is track one mixed in reverse but still interesting. The last four cuts are demo's of "What kind Of People", "Big Chicken", "No. 29" and "Ted End", with John playing all the parts.

This recording along with "Whistle Rymes" are John Enwistle's finest releases. There are five pages of notes on the making of this masterpiece and all the lyrics are here as well. JOHN LIVES....FIVE STARS

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bassist's Bassist!, June 28, 2002

By 

M. Normand (Lawrence, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Smash Your Head Against the Wall (Audio CD)

This album is a must for any Who/Entwistle fan!
The world has lost a truly amazing bassist who was second to none! I met Mr. Entwistle back in 1987 in a tavern in Los Angeles, where he offered me a seat and a glass of wine from his bottle. I asked him about bass stuff and he was more than pleased to speak with me regarding his playing style, basses, equipment etc. He was truly one of the nicest guys I have ever met! That evening was a truly inspirational highlight of my life as a struggling musician/bassist, that I will never forget! Learning his chops were paramount growing up as a young bassist. As well as all the other countless fans around the world, I am truly saddened by the news of his death. To me, he was one hell of an inspiration as a bassist, as well as one hell of a nice guy! The world has lost a true legend and pioneer of electric-bass. Thanks for your brilliant playing Mr. Entwistle. You will be sorely missed.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Townshend shoulda stepped back and let Entwistle shine!, September 9, 2001

By 

J. Carney "aquickone" (Arkansas, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Smash Your Head Against the Wall (Audio CD)

John Entwistle is perhaps the most underrated and overlooked songwriter in all of rock. To prove this point, get "Smash your head against the wall." as soon as you can. This is a landmark album, a *fantastic* collection of songs from a prodigious musician.

Yes, the songs are "dark" (read: dark humor), bordering on the first smidgens of "goth" rock. But it's just what you should expect and be delighted about from John Entwistle:

"My Size" is one of the great unknown rockers, borne from a play on the riff of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" (which is also featured as the bonus track on this album). It is a really rockin' song, written from a spider's perspective (imagine that!). It has great lyrics: "I'm gonna bring you down to my size, smash your head against the wall!" Good to hear when thinking about your least favorite person...

"External Youth" is a scathing parody of the superficiality that is so prevalent in the "industry" and features both Neil Innes (of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and Rutles/Monty Python fame) and Keith Moon on percussion! "Ted End" is a touching song about a lonely man's quiet death and has a very nice brass interlude provided by Entwistle himself, of course! "Heaven and Hell" appears as well, 'though much slowed down than the version by you-know-Who.

Indeed, when you listen to songs like, "What Kind of People Are They?", "You're Mine" and "What Are We Doing Here?" (and much of the rest of the album), you are going to scratch your head and wonder how and why they were never included in any Who offering. You will think things like, what would have "My Size" sounded like with Keith Moon's frenetic drum work and Townshend's blistering guitar?

Just don't automatically think it would have sounded better. It would have been The Who, but not completely Entwistle. And that would have been a real tragedy.