Who bassist dies

John Entwistle, bassist with the Who, died in his sleep yesterday at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He was 57. The cause of death is still under investigation, but it is believed he died of a heart attack. Though he had a heart condition he had seemed in good health and his sudden death has come as a surprise to friends and fans. The Who were in Las Vegas for the launch of their tour tonight. Entwistle was also due to attend a show of his artwork in Grammy's Art of Music Gallery at the Aladdin Desert Passage Shops. Since reforming in 2000 the band has received huge acclaim, so much so the band were planning to return to the studio in October to record their first studio album since the 1983 ‘It’s Hard’. Entwistle, who played his last gig with the band at the Royal Albert Hall in February, was generally considered to be one of the greatest bassists of all time, and was familiar to fans for his sturdy basslines and deadpan performance style, in contrast to the other band members energetic performances, in particular the Keith Moon who was arguably the closest member of the Who to John, until he died 1978. As we went to press there had been no word on whether the forthcoming tour and studio work would go ahead.