Originally published by L.S. Media. November 22nd 2010.
There are some live albums that stand the test of time and capture the band or artist at their very best, one such album is The Who’s Live at Leeds. Originally recorded in the bands heyday of 1970, the album is a snap shot of one of the finest rock bands to come out of Britain, punchy, insightful to the point of brilliance, the album has constantly been adorned with being one of the defining moments of Rock history.
The album has now finally been given the makeover it screamed to have right from the start of the C.D reissues. For some, the bands 2001 deluxe addition to the fold was a step in the right direction with the whole of the Leeds set finally down on the medium. What was missing though and has been rectified with the 40th anniversary release is a rare insight into the “other” gig that was to have made up the original record.
The four C.D set now comprises the night at Leeds University and now the much talked about night at Hull.
What has not changed in the 40 years since the original recording is the power and energy that bassist John Entwhistle, vocalist Roger Daltrey, madcap drummer extraordinaire Keith Moon and guitarist Pete Townsend created when playing tracks such as I Can’t Explain, Happy Jack and the teenage anthem of the time My Generation.
Disc two is the whole of the Rock Opera Tommy, which for anybody who has the C.D or vinyl album is often quoted as one of the defining moments in music history, the live set enhances the memory of what was so good about hearing those tunes all those years ago.
Live at Leeds may have been reissued several times now but it still sounds fresh and exciting to hear one of the seminal bands of the time giving one of their finest ever performances. It does however lead to the question of what to do with the 1995 and 2001 releases, the only answer I can give is when you hear your neighbour playing anything produced by Simon Cowell, give them your spare copy and tell them this is what music is meant to sound like, raw, intelligent and just a bit awesome.
Ian D. Hall