My afternoon with John

[Biggsk@xxxxxxx]

Folks,

Back in the late 1970's I was one of the buyers for the national chain of 
record stores called Peaches.  I transferred out to LA in January, 1977 from 
the store in Atlanta.  Once I got to know the label reps I let the MCA guy 
know how big a Who fan I was and that anything he could help me with would 
ensure statues erected in his honor!

One day in 1978 I got a call from him in my office that he was taking John 
Entwistle shopping at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. and I could come along 
and meet them there.  I got of early and drove up there and me them.  He 
introduced me to John (who I had met in 1971 after the Atlanta show along 
with the rest of the band) and we then spent the next couple hours going over 
records, talking music, etc.  I was interested in what John was buying and 
quite amazed that it included a decent amount of disco records!!!!!  He also 
bought the Music Minus One set for bass guitar (these were records with music 
recorded minus the instrument you played).

We talked about the then punk movement in Britain, the Sex Pistols, etc.   I 
tried to get him to buy the first Nick Lowe LP but he was not interested.

At the checkout counter I asked him if he still, in fact, had any Highnumbers 
45's (which at that phase of my Who collecting I had yet to obtain - I later 
got two of them).  He said he had half a dozen or so.  So I pulled out my 
checkbook, made a check out to John Entwistle and asked him what amount I 
should fill in?  He smiled and said he was hanging on to them (he seemed to 
be the only guy in The Who that colelcted or archived their musical 
heritage).  So I was shot down by the Ox!

It was a great afternoon and one that I will never forget.  I was amazed at 
what he bought, how much variety of music he enjoyed, how pleasant a man he 
was and how unassuming he could be.  Just a very nice guy who did not seem to 
mind me hanging out with him (thanks to the MCA guy that had prepped him it 
seems) as I did not act like a fawning goof while we were together.  Our 
little relationship was simply all about our mutual love for music - which 
most musicians can well relate to.
  
I saw the Who 19 times from 1970 through 1989.  I have seen over 600 bands 
onstage - and I never saw a more amazing bass player than John Entwistle!!!!

Greg Biggs/CVC Collectables
www.cvccollect.com