The Who - Live at Leeds: Super Deluxe Edition
by Dan MacIntosh
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If you watched with horror as The Who performed miserably at a recent Super Bowl, this experience may have soured your feelings toward the band. And that's a shame because The Who is truly one of the greatest rock bands of all time. However, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, wandering a big, bright stage like the two old men they most certainly are, was (and is) not The Who. But this 1970 concert CD is the band in its prime.
One merely has to listen to John Entwistle's bass part during the group's cover of "Shakin' All Over" to get a taste of just what four amazing musicians � including original drummer Keith Moon � could accomplish on a stage. Taking in this English act's live playing is a lot like listening to a skilled jazz combo. Entwistle and Moon were more than just a rhythm section; while they were keeping the beat, they were also improvising all over the place. Busy bass players and drummers can oftentimes be annoying. Yet in The Who's case, it's simply a thrill to hear what these two do. Townshend is arguably the best rhythm guitar player in rock, and Daltrey knows how to place a vocal scream with purpose. Just for fun, listen to this CD and focus on only one player at a time. If you take this little aural tour, you'll likely be amazed.
There are plenty of The Who compilations out there. But if you only purchased Who's Next and this Live at Leeds release, you wouldn't need a whole lot more to get a good career overview. This set includes plenty of tracks from Tommy, including "The Acid Queen" and "Pinball Wizard". There are also early hits, like "Magic Bus" and "Substitute". All are played with raw enthusiasm, unlike the way much The Who material is approached like mere historical documents these days.
The fact that quite a few tracks are represented twice might be a little much for many. Also, 15:58 minutes of the "My Generation" medley is just a tad too generous. But because "My Generation" includes some of the best rock bass fills you'll ever hear, it's nevertheless worth a listen.
Listening to Live at Leeds is akin to drinking something sweet and tasty, after swallowing the Super Bowl performance's bitter pill. This is a disc to pick up, enjoy, and pass on. Play it for the younger generation, which may not know what it feels like to experience The Who in all its glory. Long live (this) rock!
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