10 Forgotten Rock Albums That Need To Be Heard
9. Smash Your Head Against The Wall By John Entwistle
A surprisingly neglected classic by The Who bass-man, full of his characteristic (occasionally dark) humor, Smash Your Head Against The Wall, released in 1971, marked the Ox's debut as a solo artist.
Alongside the big man himself, there is a fascinating line-up of musicians contributing here, including two of England's great eccentrics, Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall (both of the wonderful Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band), Humble Pie drummer, Jerry Shirley and the irrepressible Keith Moon.
This is a distinctly English rock record, with delightful puns (hear the wonderful, Ted End for proof), plenty of introspection (What Are We Doing Here?) and no little whimsy (No 29 Eternal Youth).
Kicking off with the delirious full-on rock of My Size and finishing with a rousing chorus of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Smash Your Head Against The Wall is a non-stop riot of a record, encompassing tales of drunken abandon, the dangers of showbiz vanity and Entwistle's personal views on people who hunt for sport.
Entwistle was a singular artist who lent much to The Who's sound. On this record, he proves himself more than capable of some memorable song-writing in his own right.