It seemed to Queen bassist John Beacon that each of his colleagues had been assigned roles, almost as if by fate, and because John was naturally introverted, he thought he matched the’silent bass player’ image well. He also dubbed himself the ‘John Entwistle of Queen,’ as the Who bassist similarly wanted to stay out of the spotlight. After all, not only Beacon but also Entwistle confirmed the ‘quiet’ bassist theory, saying that he needed to step back from the spotlight and become the balancing force to keep the band together because bandmates Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Keith Moon had no intention of keeping it to themselves while jumping three feet into the air. Even after John died two decades ago, Townshend seems to have found a way to keep the band together while doing his beloved circus feats and enhancing his musical abilities. The guitarist even discussed it with Rolling Stone in 2012, when he and Daltrey had returned to the road after many years apart.
Pete was explaining about his stage concerts and how he couldn’t live without performing because everytime someone handed him a guitar, he felt like he’d entered another dimension. The sensation was so enthralling that he became virtually hooked to it, and it also possessed him to perform stage acts he couldn’t normally do. So, when Townshend performed live, he felt like he’d descended into a trans, as his spirit would embody the abilities of a true showman. The guitarist then mentioned how much his playing had progressed, especially after bandmate Entwistle died and Pete needed to replace the musical void John left behind. The bassist was such an important part of the Who that it appeared he would keep an eye on the musical quality of the band’s live sound while his comrades didn’t have to worry about anything, trusting Entwistle to orchestrate them while performing their stage shows. Pete felt that his playing improved as a result of having to fill in for John following his death.
Touring and filling in for John, according to the guitarist: “I only have a few options for live performances now.” Not only because of my hearing, but also because something happens to me on stage, especially when I’m holding an electric guitar and have a wonderful band behind me. The zone I enter differs from the zone Carlos Santana enters. I almost feel like a stupid dancer meets Baryshnikov or any outstanding athlete. I start doing things I shouldn’t be doing, and my guitar occasionally gets too loud – but those are the moments that the audience seems to like the most: when I launch into this massive, demonstrative, physical display accompanied by exceptional guitar playing
I’m a much better player now than I was when I was younger. Perhaps the most significant quantum improvement has occurred since John Entwistle’s death, because he left me the space to fill.” John was certainly an important piece of the Who puzzle, especially when it came to live shows, since he was the link that kept the musical quality consistent across his colleagues’ shows, while they were typically too busy entertaining the audience. Townshend had to replace Entwistle’s shoes after his death, and while he focused on musical quality, the rocker also improved his playing.