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Thursday, May 17, 2018

You know it . . . .bought this when it came out and played it to DEATH! Vinyl original somewhere still around the house and prolly unplayable now!


On this day in music history: May 16, 1970 - “Live At Leeds”, the first live album by The Who is released. Produced by Kit Lambert and The Who, it is recorded at Leeds University in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, UK on February 14, 1970. Following The Who’s extensive tour in support of the rock opera “Tommy”, they have accumulated over eighty hours of live recordings from the tour. Unwilling to take up the task of listening to and editing the hours and hours of tapes, they are destroyed (to prevent bootlegging). The band decide to start fresh, recording their performances at Leeds University and University Of Hull on February 14 and 15th, 1970. Technical problems with the Hull show recordings lead to them being shelved. The best parts of the Leeds show is compiled for the originally released LP, with the album package designed to look like a bootleg LP. Enthusiastically received upon its release, “Leeds” is not only regarded as one of The Who’s finest moments, but as one of the greatest live albums ever recorded. In 1995, the entire set (minus the “Tommy” performance) is released on CD for the first time, with a further reissue in 2001 when it is issued as a two CD Deluxe Edition also featuring “Tommy” (from the Hull University performance) played live in its entirety. Finally, a four CD set for “Leeds” 40th anniversary is released with both the complete Leeds and Hull shows. “Live At Leeds” peaks at number three on the UK album chart, number four on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 2x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

I prolly should check what I have said about this before but one of the extraordinary things about music and living this long is the release of the remastered double disc version of this and it blew me away AGAIN! Yhten they made a four disc version! We loved this album when it came out and listened to Summertime Blues and Eddie Cochran's original (on 78 - ask your grandparents!) Most especially 'Magic Bus' to paraphrase Tom Wolfe "You were either on it or not " and I was certainly on the bus! but the release of the remaster was an extraordinary experience in that it made me question what on earth had we been listening to all those years ago!? The new version on four discs (sic) is staggering!and of course highly recommended 

Put it on and for pity's sake TURN IT UP!

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