John Entwistle Solo Work Gets ‘The Ox Box Set’

Share This:

The Who’s John Entwistle has long been considered one of the greatest bass guitarists in rock. And now, his solo output is being celebrated with a new collection, The Ox Box Set. The 6-CD set, comprising his six studio albums plus 29 bonus tracks, arrived May 10, 2024, via Edsel Records/Demon Music Group. It’s available to order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.

From the label’s announcement: As The Who navigated their incendiary path through the sixties, John Entwistle (nicknamed The Ox) showed that he was a talented songwriter as well as being a formidable musician. While no doubt thrilled to be the bass guitarist of such a successful band, Entwistle had voiced his discontent to others within the greater Who family about the lack of outlets for his songs, and this perhaps informed the decision for their label, Track Records, to sanction a recording budget for a solo album. Entwistle had been writing songs and making demos of them at home, and by the end of 1970, he had enough material for an album.

Listen to Entwistle’s solo version of his classic “My Wife”

The Ox Box Set includes Entwistle’s six solo albums: Smash Your Head Against The Wall, Whistle Rymes, Rigor Mortis Sets In, Mad Dog, Too Late The Hero and The Rock, plus the bonus tracks. Click the order links above to see the complete track listing. The recordings feature guest appearances from Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Jimmy McCulloch, and Zak Starkey, among others.

Listen to one of the bonus tracks, Entwistle’s recording of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”

The albums are presented in CD facsimiles of the original gatefold and individual sleeves, and a 28-page booklet contains all the credits and full annotation by Alan Robinson.

Listen to the rollicking “Cell Number 7”