Smash Your Head Against the Wall is the debut solo studio album by the English rock musician John Entwistle, best known as the bassist of the rock band the Who. It was released in May 1971 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US.
Background
The album was the first solo album by any member of the Who, born out of Entwistle's frustrations within the band—namely, not having as many of his songs featured on their albums as he would have liked. Entwistle self-produced the album, recording it at Trident Studios in Soho, London, over two weeks. A young Roy Thomas Baker (later famous for producing Queen) engineered the album—his first engineering work. The same studio piano used by Entwistle during these sessions was later used by Freddie Mercury on "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Music and Style
The album's genres are described as hard rock and psychedelic rock. Musically, it carries a strong Who flavor, with prominent guitar work, lumbering drums, and Entwistle's signature basslines. The subject matter is notably darker than much of the Who's output, dealing with themes of death, resentment, and frustration. The album features a guest appearance by Who drummer Keith Moon on the track "No. 29 (External Youth)."
Packaging
The macabre cover artwork, conceived by Entwistle and photographer Graham Hughes, depicts Entwistle's face wearing a death mask transposed against an X-ray of the lungs of a terminal heart patient. The gatefold cover features the X-ray of a pregnancy test, maintaining a "life vs. death" theme. The back cover shows one of Entwistle's Irish Wolfhounds lying down with a human skull.
Track Listing
Side One
- "My Size" – 3:43
- "Pick Me Up (Big Chicken)" – 3:43
- "What Are We Doing Here?" – 3:49
- "What Kind of People Are They?" – 2:44
- "Heaven and Hell" – 4:50
Side Two
- "Ted End" – 2:33
- "You're Mine" – 4:39
- "No. 29 (Eternal Youth)" – 5:25
- "I Believe in Everything" – 3:07
Reception and Legacy
The album peaked at No. 126 on the US Billboard 200 but failed to chart in the UK. Critic Robert Christgau gave it a B, describing Entwistle as "an important source of the fucked-up Calvinism that has always added that peculiar note of constraint to the Who." AllMusic critic Cub Koda wrote that "compared to this, Townshend's grimmest Who material sounds like a romp in the park. Potent stuff."
The album has been reissued multiple times, including a 1996 remaster with bonus tracks, a 2005 deluxe edition with extensive demos and rarities, and a 2024 reissue as part of a CD boxed set of Entwistle's solo albums.
