The Ox

Paul Rees

The definitive no-holds-barred biography of John Entwistle The Who's legendary bass guitarist

It is an unequivocal fact that in terms of rock bands the Beatles the Rolling Stones and the Who represent Year Zero; the beginning of all things ground-breakers all. To that end John Entwistle - the Who's beloved bassist - is also without question one of the most important and influential figures in the annals of rock. He is also among an even more rarefied few by virtue of his being such a fascinating transfixing and gloriously oversized character. However Entwistle has not been the subject of a major biography. Likely this was due to no-one being able to gain close access to the subject himself: the still in many other respects enigmatic Entwistle's enduring legacy has been carefully guarded by his surviving family. With the full co-operation of the Entwistle family The Ox will correct this oversight and in doing so shine a long overdue light on one of the single greatest and most impactful figures in rock history.

Drawing on his own notes for an unfinished autobiography that he started before his death in 2002 (and which will be quoted from extensively) as well as his personal archives and interviews with his family and friends The Ox will give readers a never-before-seen glimpse into the two very distinct poles of John Entwistle. On the one hand he was the rock star incarnate being larger than life self-obsessed to a fault and proudly and almost defiantly so. Extravagant with money he famously shipped two vintage American cars across the Atlantic without having so much as a driver's license built exponentially bigger and grandiose bars into every home he owned and amassed an extraordinary collection of possessions from arachnids armor and weaponry to his patented Cuban-heeled boots. But beneath this fame and flutter he was also a man of simple tastes and traditional opinions. He was a devoted father and family man who loved nothing more than to wake up to a full English breakfast or to have a supper of fish chips and a pint at his local pub.

After his untimely death many of these stories were shuttered away into the memories of his family friends and loved ones but now for the first time The Ox will introduce us to the man behind the myth-the iconic and inimitable John Entwistle.

>