Customer Reviews

Thunderfingers: Best of

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My first introduction to the songs of John Entwistle, like for most, was through his Who songs. Songs like "Boris the Spider", "Whiskey Man", "Silas Stingy" and "My Wife" showed his dark sense of humour, his ability to make the bass the lead instrument, and his ability in not only creating but also playing horn arrangements. These attributes are also evident in the solo offerings showcased here. We also see how much Entwhistle contributed to the Who's assault- even though he stood aside while the others smashed things on stage. I actually don't miss the Who that much when I hear these tracks, because so much of the Who's approach is there. Most of the tracks are quite good, although the quality begins to drop off towards the end. Actually, 12 of the 18 songs (and those 12 are the best ones) come from just two albums, released in 1971 and 1972 respectively. Makes you wonder why his songwriting energy flagged after that initial burst of creativity, and he decided to write strange pastiches of '50s rock songs in '73 and '75, then Entwistle fans had to wait until '81 and '86 for further albums. The highlights here include "What are We Doing Here", in which Entwistle reminds me of Pete Townshend singing a sad accoustic number, "You're Mine" (a rather haunting song), and "Who Cares?", a rollicking celebration of irresponsibility. All in all, if you like what Entwistle brought to the Who, and appreciate his Who songs, you'll probably like this. If you already own his first two solo albums, you have to ask yourself whether it's worth it to get six more songs which aren't as good as the songs from those two albums.

Most of the tracks on "Thunderfingers" by John Entwistle are also on the tan cover "Anthology," but with substantially different mixes. Either one suffices as a pretty good cross-section of Ox's solo work, from the years 1971 through 1982, but a back-to-back comparison will show these mixes are much less compressed sounding; they have a looser, more relaxed feel.

Like "Anthology," the selections here are listed in chronological order, starting with a couple of selections from "Smash Your Head Against The Wall," thru the 1970s LPs "Whistle Rhymes," "Rigor Mortis Sets In," "Mad Dog," and 1982's "Too Late The Hero." Most of these selections are funny, in a somewhat morbid way, as Entwistle had a corner on the black humor market, writing songs about loneliness, death, accidents, injuries, deformities, and so on, but he occasionally pulls out some very "nice" material, songs like "What Are We Doing Here?," "I Believe In Everything," "Apron Strings," and of course, "Too Late The Hero."

This is a good collection of songs offered by one of the most prolific musicians in modern music, and deservedly, one of the most respected.

Entwistle's contributions with The Who always showed a knack for finding the humor in a situation. On this "Best of ," that sense of humor is seen in full bloom. From "My Size," sung from the point of view of a character Who fan's will identify, to "Roller Skate Kate," the ultimate 50's "death" song, Entwistle is having a fine time. The inclusion of Entwistle's take on "My Wife" (from Rigor Mortis Sets In") and "Big Black Cadillac," would have been appreciated by this fan (I would have skipped "Mad Dog") There are a few serious songs to be found here, but finding the funny side of everyday occurrences and then twisting the perspective on them was Entwistle's special talent, and thankfully we had an opportunity to laugh along.

Let me just say this: Entwisle was probably my favorite member of the Who. He was the one you never heard from and passibly slipped under the radar with Townsend jumping all over the stage and Moon going wild on the drums. You'd think Entwistle was the most normal one? Wrong, the OX had some really great twisted material that he would write and as his solo carrer shows(with Townsend and Daltry usually going more pop) he was a rocker at heart. He also had a great black as night sense of humor that, while strange, is extreamly entertaing. His solo material, not being as good as the stuff from the Who, is very good anyway. Especially from his first two: Smash Your Head Against The Wall and Whisle Rymes(which the first 12 tracks here are from). The rest are the best of his not as good albums(The funny Made in Japan is the best of those). Long live the OX.

This CD is great it collects mostly all of John Entwistle (not Entwhistle) and is one of my favorite CDs. The first 13 tracks are great but towards the end the songs [...] loses Entwistles edge. If you like his songs for the Who and like his solo albums, this is the thing for you.

I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE WITH A FRIEND NAMED HEIDER AND WE LISTENED TO URIAH HEEP AND ENTWISTLE. I HAD ALMOST FORGOTTEN THE OLD AIR FORCE FRIEND AND THE TUNES WE SHARED @ LOWRY AIR FORCE BASE DENVER CO. WITH WAVY COLORFUL IMAGES AND FLOORS MADE OUT OF COLORED CLOUDS. HA THOSE WERE THE DAZE OF FUN HAZE:+)) THIS CD IN PARTICULAR COVERS IT ALL IT DESERVES A HIGHER RATING AND CONSIDERATION!