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  #251  
Old 5th October 2020, 07:24 PM
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There's a new triple CD compilation album coming out on October 16th

'The Essential Who' - Pre-order available at Amazon UK - £5.99


CD1
01: Anyway, Anywhere, Anyhow
02: I Can’t Explain
03: My Generation
04: The Ox
05: The Goods Gone
06: Much Too Much
07: Circles
08: Whiskey Man
09: Run, Run, Run
10: So Sad About Us
11: I Can See for Miles
12: Armenia City in The Sky
13: Tattoo
14. Call Me Lightning
15: Rael (Pt 1 & 2)
16: I’m Free
17: Amazing Journey
18: Sparks

CD2
01: Pinball Wizard
02: Here For More
03: Baba O'Riley
04: Behind Blue Eyes
05: Getting in Tune
06: Pure And Easy
07: I’m One
08: The Real Me
09: 5:15
10: Long Live Rock
11: However Much I Booze
12: Slip Kid
13: Who Are You
14: Trick of the Light
15: You Better You Bet
16: Eminence Front
17: It’s Not Enough
18: Old Red Wine

CD3
01: Won’t Get Fooled Again live at Shepperton from Kids Are Alright)
02: Amazing Journey/Sparks (Live at Leeds Medley)
03: Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)
04: Summertime Blues (Live at Leeds)
05: Shakin’ All Over (Live at Hull)
06: Naked Eye (Live at per Who’s Next deluxe)
07: Bargain (Live at per Who’s Next deluxe)
08: Pinball Wizard (Live at Woodstock from Kids Are Alright)
09: I’m Free (Live as per Tommy deluxe)
10: Go To The Mirror (Live as per Tommy deluxe)
11: See Me Feel Me (Live at Woodstock from Kids Are Alright)
12: Young Man Blues (Live at the Isle of Wight)
13: Relay (Live at Lyon on deluxe of Endless Wire)

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  #252  
Old 6th October 2020, 02:26 PM
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Released in March 1969 as a single, a full six months before the album, 'Pinball Wizard ' is probably the best known song on 'Tommy' and a contender for the best Who song of all time

Pete has often been called the greatest rhythm guitarist in rock, and there is no better evidence of this than the furious acoustic playing which underpins this song. From the opening minor chords to the upward key change near the end, 'Pinball Wizard' is a rock tour de force, full of ideas, power chords, great lyrics and ensemble playing as tight as anything anywhere. The concept of a deaf, dumb and blind boy becoming a pinball champion might stretch the imagination, but hey - it's just a song!

The idrea of a pinball messiah came from Nik Cohn, one of the UK's top rock journalists in the 60's. Cohn, a friend of both Pete and Kit Lambert, loved pinball and his girlfriend at the time really was a pinball queen. At the time he was writing reviews for the New York Times, and when he heard the demo for the 'Tommy' album, he response was lukewarm towards the project. To counter this, Pete went away and wrote 'a little song about pinball'. The ploy worked, and the finished album gained a rave review from Cohn and The New York Times!


"Ever since I was a young boy,
I've played the silver ball.
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all.
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall...
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball !

He stands like a statue,
Becomes part of the machine.
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean.
He plays by intuition,
The digit counters fall.
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball !

He's a pin ball wizard
There has got to be a twist.
A pin ball wizard,
S'got such a supple wrist.

'How do you think he does it? I don't know!
What makes him so good?'

He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells,
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell.
Always has a replay,
'n' never tilts at all...
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball.

I thought I was
The Bally table king.
But I just handed
My pin ball crown to him.

Even my usual table
He can beat my best.
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest.
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall...
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Sure plays a mean pin ball"


There follows another short vocal link 'There's A Doctor' which leads into another key song from 'Tommy' - 'Go To The Mirror' - where there is a leap forward in the healing process when Tommy discovers that he is able to actually see his own reflection.


"He seems to be completely unreceptive.
The tests I gave him show no sense at all.
His eyes react to light the dials detect it.
He hears but cannot answer to your call.

See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.

There is no chance no untried operation.
All hope lies with him and none with me.
Imagine though the shock from isolation.
When he suddenly can hear and speak and see.

See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.

His eyes can hear
his ears can see his lips speak
All the time the needles flick and rock.
No machine can give the kind of stimulation,
Needed to remove his inner block.

Go to the mirror boy!
Go to the mirror boy!

I often wonder what he's feeling.
Has he ever heard a word I've said?
Look at him now in the mirror dreaming
What is happening in his head?

Listening to you I get the music.
Gazing at you I get the heat
Following you I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet!

Right behind you I see the millions
On you I see the glory.
From you I get the opinions
From you I get the story.

What is happening in his head
Ooooh I wish I knew, I wish I knew."
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  #253  
Old 6th October 2020, 06:26 PM
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The Who sell out indeed!

THE WHO To Release Deluxe Edition Of 'Who' Album / Blabbermouth

"On October 30, THE WHO will release a new version of last year's album "Who" featuring an updated version of "Beads On One String" newly remixed by Pete Townshend and acoustic tracks from the band's only live shows of 2020.

The songs on the deluxe version of "Who" were recorded in Kingston on Valentine's Day this year exactly 50 years to the day since THE WHO's seminal show at Leeds which became the infamous live album "Live At Leeds".

The deluxe version of "Who" is preceded by "Beads On One String (Yaggerdang Remix)". Townshend says of this new version of the song: "The 'Beads On One String' remix was an adventure to try to recapture some of the subtleties of my first solo demo. I love the studio version, but this remix by Myles Clarke and myself returns to the original synthesizer demo shared with me by my co-writer Josh Hunsacker. I also play bass rather than the genius Pino Palladino (I've got some nerve) and we removed the real drums and returned to computer drum tracks programmed by my co-producer Myles Clarke. We also restored Roger's vocal track to its first incarnation which is more heartfelt. This is a gentler version of this song, less demanding perhaps, less bullying about our need to cut each other space, each on our own path. Why does it need to be more gentle than the album version? Because it must stand alone in a period when each of us is tempted to blame someone else for our troubles, maybe even God whoever we take her/him/both to be. I'm hoping it sounds less rock, and more modern indie-pop to new listeners."

"Who" 2020 deluxe CD w/ "Live At Kingston":

Disc 1 ("Who")

01. All This Music Must Fade
02. Ball and Chain
03. I Don't Wanna Get Wise
04. Detour
05. Beads On One String
06. Hero Ground Zero
07. Street Song
08. I'll Be Back
09. Break The News
10. Rockin' In Rage
11. She Rocked My World
12. Beads On One String – Yaggerdang Remix

Disc 2 ("Live At Kingston")

01. Intro
02. Substitute (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
03. Squeeze Box (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
04. Tattoo (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
05. The Kids Are Alright (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
06. Break The News (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
07. She Rocked My World (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)
08. Won't Get Fooled Again (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

Last December, "Who" entered the U.K. chart at position No. 3, becoming the band's highest-charting U.K. LP in 38 years.

"Who" is THE WHO's first set of new material since 2006's "Endless Wire", which debuted at No. 9 in November of that year. "
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  #254  
Old 7th October 2020, 02:43 PM
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The short vocal link 'Tommy Can You Hear Me?' is a folksy songalong, with the entire band almost in unison!

'Smash The Mirror' is a brief song from the mothers point of view, highlighted by the ascending 'rise, rise rise' lyrics, and the sound effect of breaking glass


"You don't answer my call
With even a nod or a twitch
But you gaze at your own reflection!
You don't seem to see me
But I think you can see yourself.
How can the mirror affect you?

Can you hear me
Or do I surmise?
That you fear me can you feel my temper
RISE.

Do you hear or fear or
Do I smash the mirror.
Do you hear of fear or
Do I smash the mirror? SMASH!"


Following these short pieces, the first side of the second album closes on a proper song. 'Sensation' was actually written a long time before Pete got the idea for Tommy. It was about a girl he met during the bands Australian tour in 1968. Nevertheless, the lyrics are appropriate, as is the catchy, lightweight melody


"I overwhelm as I approach you
Make your lungs hold breath inside!
Lovers break caresses for me
Love enhanced when I've gone by.

You'll feel me coming,
A new vibration
From afar you'll see me
I'm a sensation.

They worship me and all I touch
Hazy eyed they catch my glance,
Pleasant shudders shake their senses
My warm momentum throws their stance.

You'll feel me coming
A new vibration
From afar you'll see me
I'm a sensation

Soon you'll see me can't you feel me
I'm coming...
Send your troubles dancing I knows the answer
I'm coming...
I'm a sensation.

I leave a trail of rooted people
Mesmerised by just the sight,
The few I touch are now disciples
Love as One I Am the Light..."
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  #255  
Old 9th October 2020, 04:13 PM
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Opening the second side of the second album is another short vocal link 'Miracle Cure'

The subject matter for 'Sally Simpson' may well have been one of the key elements that inspired Pete to produce 'Tommy' in the first place, but it sounds like it belongs to a different album entirely. Missing are the rhythmic structures that crop up so often elsewhere, replaced by a slight melody detailing how young Sally Simpson disobeys her parents, goes to see Tommy in concert, gets caught up in a melee at the front of the stage and is permanently disfigured as a result

This song was inspired by Pete witnessing Jim Morrison's dangerous teasing of The Doors fans when the band followed The Who at a show in New York City in August 1968. The original draft was about a rock and roll star named Danine instead of Tommy, and the car was an Eldorado instead of a Rolls Royce

It was the first song from 'Tommy' that was dropped from the live shows


"Outside the house Mr. Simpson announced
that Sally couldn't go to the meeting.
He went on cleaning his blue Rolls Royce
and she ran inside weeping.
She got to her room and tears splashed the picture
of the new Messiah.
She picked up a book of her fathers life
and threw it on the fire!

She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.

The theme of the sermon was come unto me,
Love will find a way,
So Sally decided to ignore her dad,
and sneak out anyway!
She spent all afternoon getting ready,
and decided she'd try to touch him,
Maybe he'd see that she was free
and talk to her this Sunday.

She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.

She arrived at six and the place was swinging
to gospel music by nine.
Group after group appeared on the stage
and Sally just sat there crying.
She bit her nails looking pretty as a picture
right in the very front row
And then a DJ wearing a blazer with a badge
ran on and said 'here we go!'

The crowd went crazy
As Tommy hit the stage!
Little Sally got lost as the police bossed
The crowd back in a rage!

But soon the atmosphere was cooler
as Tommy gave a lesson.
Sally just had to let him know she loved him
and leapt up on the rostrum!
She ran cross stage to the spotlit figure
and touched him on the face
Tommy whirled around as a uniformed man,
threw her of the stage.

She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.
Her cheek hit a chair and blood trickled down,
mingling with her tears,
Tommy carried on preaching
and his voice filled Sally's ear
She caught his eye she had to try
but couldn't see through the lights
Her face was gashed and the ambulance men
had to carry her out that night.

The crowd went crazy
As Tommy left the stage!
Little Sally was lost for the price of a touch
And a gash across her face! OOoooh.

Sixteen stitches put her right and her Dad said
'don't say I didn't warn yer'.
Sally got married to a rock musician
she met in California
Tommy always talks about the day
the disciples all went wild!
Sally still carries a scar on her cheek
to remind her of his smile.

She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be."


A memorable six chord riff introduces 'I'm Free', one of the best songs on the album. Tommy throws off the shackles of his disability and urges his followers - those attracted to pinball - to follow him

There's a tinkly piano, great acoustic guitar solo and a nice return to the familiar 'Pinball Wizard' riff

Pete:
'I'm Free' came from 'Street Fighting Man.' This has a weird time / shape and when I finally discovered how it went, I thought 'well blimey, it can't be that simple,' but it was and it was a gas and I wanted to do it myself."

"I'M FREE - I'm free,
And freedom tastes of reality,
I'm free - I'm free,
AN' I'm waiting for you to follow me.

If I told you what it takes
to reach the highest high,
You'd laugh and say 'nothing's that simple'
But you've been told many times before
Messiahs pointed to the door
And no one had the guts to leave the temple!

I'm free - I'm free
And freedom tastes of reality
I'm free - I'm free
And I'm waiting for you to follow me.

Chorus:

How can we follow?
How can we follow?"
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  #256  
Old 9th October 2020, 07:17 PM
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9 October 1944 - Happy birthday to The Ox





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  #257  
Old 11th October 2020, 04:13 PM
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'Welcome' is another song written prior to the opera about Pete's growing feeling of spirituality. The gentlest song on the album with Roger at his most melodic, speeds up during the middle section with Roger on harmonica, then returns to its mannered, rather dreamy aura

The song was not performed in the live version.


"Come to my house
Be one of the comfortable people.
Come to this house
We're drinking all night
Never sleeping.

Milkman come in!
And you baker,
Little old lady welcome
And you shoe maker

Come to this house!
Into this house.

Come to this house
Be one of us.
Make this your house
Be one of us.

You can help
To collect some more in
Young and old people
Lets get them all in!

Come to this house!
Into this house.

Ask along that man who's wearing a carnation.
Bring every single person
from Victoria Station,
Go into that hospital
and bring nurses and patients,
Everybody go home and fetch their relations!

Come to this house
Be one of the comfortable people.
Lovely bright home
Drinking all night never sleeping.

We need more room
Build an extension
A colourful palace
Spare no expense now

Come to this house
Be one of us
Come into this house
Be one of us

Come to this house
Into this house

Welcome"


Despite Keith getting a writing credit for the short vocal link 'Tommy's Holiday Camp', the song was actually penned by Pete. In fact, Keith doesn't even perform on it. Nor do any other members of the band apart from Pete, who used his original demo version

Pete:
"As we were leaving IBC Studios one day, I said to Keith and John as they were walking down the stairs, 'I've really got to do something with this whole business of the establishment, the church, or what turns out to be the church at the end of the story. I've got to work out something to give it life, to make it real, to make it palatable, but not something churchy, which would make the whole tone of the album pretentious.' Keith said, 'Well I've been thinking that it would be a good idea to set the whole thing in a Holiday Camp.' I said, 'What a great idea,' and Keith said, 'Well O.K. I'll write that tonight.' I thought, 'God Almighty, if Keith goes off and gets into writing songs about Holiday Camps, I don't know how they'll fit in.' So I said to him, 'Don't worry Keith, I've already written it.' Keith got the credit for it because it was his idea, and also I felt, it turned out just as he himself would have written it"
The album finishes on fine style with the three song medley 'We're Not Gonna Take It' / 'See Me, Feel Me' / 'Listening To You'. The first song is a catchy riff based piece about rejecting fascism, and the second is a circular, looping prayer for unification. With it's churning major chords, the finale to 'Tommy' is among the most simple, yet effective, pieces of music that Pete had ever written. 'See Me, Feel me' is the most obvious hymn to his spiritual leader Meher Baba - or any deity come to that - in the bands catalogue, although there are other examples in songs on 'Who's Next' and 'Quadrophenia'. 'Listening To You' is crystal clear homage, and when it is played live, it seems that The Who are indeed paying a remarkable tribute to the audience they are performing for. In this respect, it couldn't fail to lift the spirits, just as hymns are meant to do. And when the stage and venue lights are turned on, The Who's auditorium becomes a cathedral in which preachers and congregation are united in a mass celebration of rock music. Hell, I have even seen disabled fans waving their crutches in the air during the song, and a few people walking away from their wheelchairs!


"Welcome to the Camp,
I guess you all know why we're here.
My name is Tommy
and I became aware this year

If you want to follow me,
you've got to play pinball.
And put in your earplugs
put on your eyeshades
you know where to put the caulk

Hey you getting drunk, so sorry!
I've got you sussed.
Hey you smoking Mother Nature!
This is a bust!
Hey hung up old Mr. Normal,
Don't try to gain my trust!
'Cause you ain't gonna follow me any of those ways
Although you think you must

We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it

We're not gonna take it
Never did and never will
We're not gonna take it
Gonna break it, gonna shake it,
let's forget it better still

Now you can't hear me,
your ears are truly sealed.
You can't speak either,
your mouth is filled.
You can't see nothing,
and pinball completes the scene.
Here comes Uncle Ernie to guide you to
Your very own machine.

We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it
We're not gonna take it

We're not gonna take it
Never did and never will
Don't want no religion
And as far as we can tell
We ain't gonna take you
Never did and never will
We're not gonna take you
We forsake you
Gonna rape you
Let's forget you better still.

See me.
Feel me.
Touch me.
Heal me.

Listening to you,
I get the music.
Gazing at you,
I get the heat.
Following you,
I climb the mountains.
I get excitement at your feet.

Right behind you,
I see the millions.
On you,
I see the glory.
From you,
I get opinions.
From you,
I get the story."
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Last edited by Susan Foreman; 11th October 2020 at 05:19 PM.
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  #258  
Old 12th October 2020, 03:57 PM
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In 2003, an expanded deluxe edition of 'Tommy' was released

The first CD was the entire album, while the second CD contained some new song, alternate versions and outtakes

Christmas (outtake 3) is an instrumental outtake from late 1968 or early 1969
Cousin Kevin Model Child is a new song written by Pete. It was originally intended to go between 'Fiddle About' and 'Cousin Kevin when they were next to each other in an early listing for the album. It was ultimately dropped when a change in the song order separated them
Young Man Blues had been a part of the live show since 1964. This studio version was recorded to be shoehorned somewhere into Tommy. It was eventually dropped after all attempts to give it a meaning in the story failed. A cover song, it was originally recorded by Mose Allison in 1957
Tommy Can You Hear Me? (Alternate version) is another instrumental outtake
Trying To Get Through is another outtake from the album
Sally Simpson outtakes is the band having fun while trying to record the song
Miss Simpson ia another 'Sally Simpson' demo, recorded under the songs original title
Welcome (take 2) is another instrumental version
Tommy's Holiday Camp (Band's version) is an instrumental version of the song featuring both John and Keith who were missing on the released album version
We're Not Gonna Take It (Alternate version) is Pete's original demo version
Dogs Part II was nothing to do with 'Tommy'. Instead, it was the 'B'-side to the 'Pinball Wizard' single. This is a power packed instrumental jam led from the front, back and sides by Keith doing what he does best - hitting the drums! Keith, John and Pete all take solos in a frenzied garage-band style rave up. It's probably the nearest thing to a Keith drum solo in the bands entire catalogue. The song is credited to Moon, Towser and Jason - the latter two being dogs belonging to John and Pete who provided backing vocals!
The last five songs on the second disc contain 5:1 mixes of It's a Boy / Amazing Journey / Christmas / Do You Think It's Alright and Pinball Wizard

The Who promoted the album's release with an extensive tour, showcasing a live version of Tommy. This lasted throughout 1969 and 1970 and featured many key gigs including:

Woodstock was held on August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York. The Who were scheduled to appear as the second to last act (before Jefferson Airplane) on Saturday, August 16th. When they actually started playing, however, it was actually around 5:00am on Sunday morning. This meant that the 'See Me, Feel Me' finale of 'Tommy' coincided with the arrival of dawn, and the first rays of daylight hitting the stage

Following 'Pinball Wizard', political activist Abbie Hoffman interrupted the performance and attempted to speak against the jailing of counter-culture poet John Sinclair of the White Panther Party. Pete's response was expected!

Hoffman grabbed a microphone and yelled, 'I think this is a pile of shit while John Sinclair rots in prison ...'. At the time, Pete was adjusting his amplifier between songs. He looked at Hoffman and shouted '**** off! **** off my ****ing stage!' and reportedly hit him with his guitar although Pete later denied attacking Hoffman

Sadly the camera crew were "changing the film", so we only have the audio of this incident and no visuals


The setlist for the Woodstock performance was as follows:
Heaven and Hell / I Can't Explain / It's a Boy / 1921 / Amazing Journey / Sparks / The Hawker / Christmas / The Acid Queen / Pinball Wizard / Do You Think It's Alright? / Fiddle About / There's a Doctor / Go to the Mirror! / Smash the Mirror / I'm Free / Tommy's Holiday Camp / We're Not Gonna Take It / Summertime Blues / Shakin' All Over / My Generation / Naked Eye
A documentary featuing highlights from the festival, including 'We're Not Gonna Take It' / 'See Me, Feel Me' and 'Summertime Blues' are available on DVD...

...and the full Who set is available on CD


The Isle Of Wight Festival was held at Wootton, midway between Ryde and Newport, two weeks later, between 29–31 August 1969. The Who appeared on August 30th, again coming on stage in the early hours

The setlist for The Isle Of Wight Festival was:

Heaven and Hell / I Can't Explain / Fortune Teller / Young Man Blues / Tommy: [It's a Boy / 1921 / Amazing Journey / Sparks / Eyesight to the Blind / Christmas / The Acid Queen / Pinball Wizard / Do You Think It's Alright? / Fiddle About / There's a Doctor / Go to the Mirror! / Smash the Mirror / I'm Free / Tommy's Holiday Camp / We're Not Gonna Take It] / Summertime Blues / Shakin' All Over / My Generation / Naked Eye

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  #259  
Old 14th October 2020, 12:11 PM
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Album #5:
Live At Leeds

'Live At Leeds ' was the only live album that the band released during Keith's lifetime

'Live At Leeds' was the best in concert rock album of its era and was (initially) designed to spotlight the other, non-'Tommy' side of The Who - the rough and ready, in-yer-face rock band that they had always been before conceptual artistry side-tracked Pete.

John:
Some people think the band is called Tommy, and the album is called The Who. Live At Leeds put a stop to that
The packaging the album was released in was the total antithesis of that of its predecessor. Where the sleeve for 'Tommy' was extravagant, 'Live At Leeds' was as basic as basic can get. It resembled a bootleg LP of the era, featuring a plain brown cardboard cover with 'The Who Live At Leeds' printed on it in (depending on what release you got) either plain black, blue or red block letters


The original cover opened out, gatefold-style, and had a pocket on either side of the interior, with the record in a paper sleeve on one side and 12 facsimiles of various memorabilia on the other, including a photo of the band from the My Generation photoshoot in March 1965, handwritten lyrics to the 'Listening to You' chorus from Tommy, the typewritten lyrics to 'My Generation, complete with with hand written notes, a receipt for smoke bombs, a rejection letter from EMI, the early black 'Maximum R&B' poster showing Pete windmilling his Rickenbacker and a copy of the Woodstock contract


In addition to those, the actual record label was handwritten and contained a note stating that the 'crackling noises were ok' and that the engineers 'should not correct'


The original 'Live At Leeds', recorded on February 14th, 1970 at the University of Leeds Refectory was released on May 23rd, 1970. The first side contained just four songs - three covers and one single - while the second side contained two lengthy jam sessions

Side 1:
Young Man Blues - Mose Allison's blues song is given a whole new lease of life in this violent stop-start version with Keith leading the assault against Roger's vocals, John contributing his usual bass guitar runs and Pete slashing away at the blues riff until the solo allows him to stretch out. This version is tighter and more assured that usual, not quite as long as they sometimes played it, but highly impressive as a showcase for their wayward streams
Substitute is short, snappy and sharp - very tight although it lacks the punchy solo and false start from the single version
Summertime Blues
Shakin' All Over is a cover of the Johnny Kidd And The Pirates song, originally recorded in 1960. The version by The Who is a typical full-frontal assault, guaranteed to rouse anyone within earshot. Everyone gets a chance to shine, especially Roger who, being a rocker at heart, loved belting out this kind of song

Side 2:
My Generation went through many transformations when it was played live. Sometimes it was played as a slow blues song that would gradually speed up, but this version starts traditionally before meandering after the bass solo into sections from 'Tommy', including a whipped up version of 'See Me, Feel Me', some unsecured blues and R&B howling, and some excellent soloing from Pete, who seems to be playing against his own echo from the back of the hall. The song contains many false endings, with Pete silencing the band before heading off into uncharted waters, apparently finishing the song on several occasions, only to start up again.

This version of 'Generation' is as good as you are likely to hear in which the band could play off each other when they were in the mood. By now, Roger, Pete and John had been playing together on stage for around eight years, and their is no substitute for intuitive playing based on such experience. Listen to Keith's repeated sixth-sense count-ins, all pre-empted by a Pete line that's familiar only to him and John, and - as ever - listen to John working overtime as he zoomsa up and down the longest bass guitar fretboard in rock music! For sheer, undiluted Who at their live best, this track (all 14 minutes of it) takes some beating

Magic Bus is also extended way beyond the single version to almost eight minutes. Again their os a lot of musical improvisation with each member pushing the others further and further

In 1995, an extended version of 'Live At Leeds' was released which included the entire non-'Tommy' portion of the set, plus a very short 'Tommy' medley. This release included some songs that, although were regularly played live, had not been recorded by the band:
  • Heaven and Hell was one of the best songs that John contributed to the band's live set. It's a harsh warning about the perils of mortal misbehaviour which rocked along as much as anything that Pete was writing at the time. 'Heaven And Hell' was frequently used to open the set during the late 60's when 'Tommy' got a full airing, and it allows Pete plenty of opportunity to stretch out the solo
  • I Can't Explain
  • Fortune Teller was a staple of The Who's live act between 1968 and 1970. Opening as a medium-paced R&B lurcher, The Who slip into a higher gear halfway through, turning the song into a full-throated rocker. A fine example of 'Maximum R&B' indeed! The song was originally recorded by Benny Spellman in 1962
  • Tattoo
  • Young Man Blues
  • Substitute
  • Happy Jack
  • I'm a Boy
  • A Quick One, While He's Away
  • Amazing Journey / Sparks
  • Summertime Blues
  • Shakin' All Over
  • My Generation
  • Magic Bus

In 2001, the deluxe version of 'Live At Leeds' was released. This featured the entire show over two discs:

Disc 1:
  • Heaven and Hell
  • Can't Explain
  • Fortune Teller
  • Tattoo
  • Young Man Blues
  • Substitute
  • Happy Jack
  • I'm a Boy
  • A Quick One, While He's Away
  • Summertime Blues
  • Shakin' All Over
  • My Generation
  • Magic Bus

Disc two: Tommy
  • Overture
  • It's a Boy
  • 1921
  • Amazing Journey
  • Sparks
  • Eyesight to the Blind
  • Christmas
  • The Acid Queen
  • Pinball Wizard
  • Do You Think It's Alright?
  • Fiddle About
  • Tommy Can You Hear Me?
  • There's a Doctor
  • Go to the Mirror!
  • Smash The Mirror
  • Miracle Cure
  • Sally Simpson
  • I'm Free
  • Tommy's Holiday Camp
  • We're Not Gonna Take It

For the record, the deluxe edition makes a slight change to the running order of the concert. At the actual show, the 'Tommy' part of the set came immediately after 'A Quick One While He's Away'
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Old 21st October 2020, 11:45 AM
Susan Foreman's Avatar
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Childhood home of Billy Idol - Orpington
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Although The Who would never claim to be a heavy metal band, 'The Seeker', with its 'heavy' repeated guitar riff and rather lumbering rhythm track, comes close. But its introspective yearning and evidently heart-felt lyrics are anything but.

The song describes Pete's desperate search for a meaning to his life, whether it be through his peers, with the references to Bob Dylan and The Beatles, or through psychedelic drugs and LSD, and the mention of Timothy Leary.

It was actually inspired by an American friend of Pete named Tom Wright, with whom he shared a flat in the early 60's and whose record collection he inherited when Wright was busted for drugs and deported back to the States


"I've looked under chairs
I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key
To fifty million fables

chorus:
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn't help me either

chorus

People tend to hate me
'Cause I never smile
As I ransack their homes
They want to shake my hand

Focusing on nowhere
Investigating miles
I'm a seeker
I'm a really desperate man

I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I learned how to raise my voice in anger
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why

I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at other
And we don't know what to do

chorus"


The 'B'-side to the single was Roger's second writing credit for the band. 'Here For More' is a fairly lightweight country and western-style song without the Who's normal attack...which probably means that Keith was absent from the recording session!

Despite it's authentic country licks and laptop steel guitar, The Who were never in danger of becoming the next Eagles!


"You can pack up your bags and go looking,
For all things that need to be done,
Or you can spend all your life not thinking,
Never ending what you begun.

You take a step in the right direction,
But the man knocks us down on the floor,
And although he may think we are broken,
We'll get up and take two steps more.

It's your life to do what you want to,
By the way you push yourself out to the fore,
And whatever you think of the reason,
You bet your life you're here for more.

It's your life to do what you want to,
By the way you push yourself out to the fore,
And whatever you think of the reason,
You bet your life you're here for more.

You may think that you're pretty good people,
And you run at an even score,
But whatever you think you are here for,
You bet your life you're here for more."
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