170 - The Who - Live at Leeds

[csberry]

I listened to the original six-song version of this album and not the more recent CD reissues that include many more songs from the concert (or all of the songs, depending on version). On the original vinyl pressings, the album was divided with four tracks on side one (of which three are covers) followed by a medley-filled “My Generation” and a rambling version “Magic Bus” on the opposite side.

The first side went by quickly in a flurry of rampaging drums and cranked-up guitar. The listener is exposed to the power of The Who's live sound that rattled the audiences' teeth. You get a bit of between song banter from Roger as he quips about the success of the songs in the charts. When the four songs are over, the silence is too much to take and you either listen to the side again or flip that thing over.

“My Generation,” with its medley of songs and tangential musical themes broke through to me after the quick run-through of songs in the first half. The same could be said about the wandering, but engaging "Magic Bus."

Songs I Knew I Liked: I knew the original versions of several of these songs, but wasn't familiar with the live versions.

Songs I Now Like: “Substitute”

Songs I Don't Want to Ever Hear Again: None