The definitive biography of the Who's late-bassist John Entwistle will be published on April 7th. The Ox was written by noted author Paul Rees, best known for his 2014 biography on Robert Plant and his 2017 collaboration with Toto's Steve Lukather, The Gospel According To Luke.
According to the book's official announcement, “For the first time, and with the full co-operation of the Entwistle family, The Ox shines a long overdue light on one of the most important figures in rock history. Drawing on his own notes for an unfinished autobiography, as well as his personal archives and interviews with his family and friends, The Ox gives readers a never-before-seen glimpse into the two very distinct poles of John Entwistle.”
Although John Entwistle has long been referred to as “The Quiet One” in the Who — a tag he used for his own 1981 Face Dances favorite — he explained shortly before his 2002 death that the description was hardly an accurate one: “That was taken from how I’m like onstage — not what I’m like offstage, or what I'm like in a bar. I’ve never really wanted my private side to come out that much. Whenever Keith (Moon) and I got up to something that caused damage, I’d let him take the blame because he wanted to take the blame. He wanted that image and I didn’t. But it still didn’t mean that I didn’t do it.”
