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THE JOHN ENTWISTLE BAND 
Left For Live Deluxe - The Complete Live Performance 
(Koch) 
US release date: 26 November 2002 
UK release date: Available as import
by Adam Williams 
PopMatters Music Critic

In the days following the tragic and untimely passing
of the Who's John Entwistle, classic rock radio
stations aired numerous tributes to the legendary
bassman and highlighted his career with the Who.
Strangely, virtually no time was dedicated to the
music of the Ox's own group, the John Entwistle Band.
As the JEB was Entwistle's primary creative outlet
between sporadic Who reunion tours and all-star
celebrity gigs, it seems fitting that the group's 1999
Left For Live album has been re-released as a new
deluxe edition, improving upon the original pressing
by including a second disc of JEB concert tracks. The
24 songs were recorded in various venues over the
course of 1998 and 1999 and offer an earful of
Entwistle at his thunderous best. Amply backed by long
time musical collaborator and drummer Steve Luongo,
vocalist/guitarist Godfrey Townsend and keyboardist
Gordon Cotten, Entwistle treats his audiences to some
much loved Who classics and covers, in addition to a
variety of outstanding individual/solo compositions. 

Clocking in at over an hour, disc one begins with the
intro "Bogeyman" segueing quickly into standard JEB
set starter "Horror Rock". The opening blast of these
tracks should serve as a harbinger of things to come,
as the next 11 songs serve up something for every
discerning musical palette. There is the timeless
signature song "The Real Me" where Entwistle's
trademark rumble is accented by Townsend's gritty
vocals. Gone is the song's glossy Quadrophenia studio
polish and cavernous stadium sound, replaced instead
by a remarkably crisp and powerful version only a
small venue with a top flight mixing board could
capture. Present also are the songs "My Size" and
"Love Is a Heart Attack", from Entwistle's earlier
solo efforts; JEB penned selections "Sometimes" and
"Darker Side of Night;" and several of Entwistle's
familiar Who album tunes, "You", "Trick of the Light",
and "Success Story" (which will forever be linked to
the image of the Ox using gold albums for skeet
practice in The Kids Are Alright film). 

Song breaks are punctuated by Entwistle's wry humor,
discernable crowd chatter and clinking of glasses.
This adds to the disc's distinctive live setting feel
as it brings the listener right into the small clubs
that the JEB almost exclusively played in. Disc one's
final three tracks offer listeners an interesting
aural surprise. Track 11 is a rare live version of
"Cousin Kevin" from the rock opera Tommy followed by a
cover of Roger Daltrey's solo hit "Under a Raging
Moon", which features an extended Luongo drum solo
described by Entwistle as being "as long as Winston
100 cigarette". Track 13 is the first of Entwistle's
two most famous songs, a rollicking "Boris the
Spider", (the second being "My Wife", which were both
surprisingly absent from the original Left for Live
release). In addition to confirming the JEB's prowess
as a live act, disc one also makes a noteworthy point.
While Enwistle's bass is obviously the driving force
within the band, it does not overshadow the rest of
the group. Quite the opposite, it compliments the
others' contributions. Interesting in that Entwistle
was constantly battling against Pete Townshend's
guitar and Keith Moon's drum kit throughout the Who's
heyday. 

The second disc opens with "905", Entwistle's amusing
look at the future, and "Had Enough", both from the
Who's Who Are You album. The latter is notable for
Townsend's ragged vocal and Cotton's keyboard
incorporating the perfect amount of angst to stay true
to the original album version. Following are the
somewhat autobiographical "Endless Vacation", and
Entwistle's first written effort with the Who,
"Whiskey Man". Next comes a brief downshift in
momentum, the hauntingly attractive "Too Late the
Hero". While Entwistle's vocals are a bit strained,
(more attributable to his progressive hearing loss
than any obvious voice problems), the song
demonstrates his versatility as a songwriter, and is a
reminder of the distant second place he was often
relegated to behind Pete Townshend in the composition
department. 

The album's energy level is ratcheted back up once
again with two of three covers of Who cover tunes:
Mose Allison's "Young Man Blues" and Johnny Kidd's
"Shakin' All Over". The 15-plus-minutes of disc time
taken up by the pair is as explosive as any quarter
hour of live music ever recorded. Featuring fiery
guitar work, sneering vocals, precision drumming and
keyboards, all accentuated by Entwistle's deafening
bass roar, these versions are as close to the Who's
Live At Leeds or Isle Of Wight as one will find.
Hardcore aficionados will be proud. Equally powerful
renditions of "Heaven And Hell" and Eddie Cochran's
"Summertime Blues" follow, (the latter being the third
cover of the aforementioned three), culminating in "My
Wife", fittingly performed (and noted by Entwistle) on
the last night of the JEB tour. 

On its own, Left For Live Deluxe is an amazingly
strong live recording, and a necessity for every Who
fan's collection. More significantly though, the twin
disc set is an enduring tribute to Entwistle's immense
talent as a musician, and the JEB's formidable live
presence. It leaves a fitting legacy for those who
loved the Ox, and provides an appropriate soundtrack
for the memories cherished by the lucky ones who saw
the JEB up close and personal. As the album's liner
notes poignantly instruct listeners, "When it thunders
 think of John Entwistle." 


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-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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