The Who Live at Leeds 40 years ago this Valentines Day

2 years ago by Jeff Woods | February 12, 2010 11:39 am

Early this week I gave the Who’s Superbowl halftime show thumbs up and since then I’ve heard some people say that  it was, among other things, uninspired.   Uninspired my ass!   Zak Starkey nailed the drums, Pete appeared to be totally into it, and Roger’s voice was on, not to mention the custom Who light show.   Who’s complaining?  

What’s this? A rock band that can actually play their instruments and really sing.   Does anyone remember what song or songs Janet whats her face sang with Justin what’s his name?   

Peter Townshend says that he originally wanted to play Won’t Get Fooled Again, Baba O’Riley and Who Are You (as I see it, the best part of the CSI TV shows)

He tells Rolling Stone "I thought we’d just do the CSI songs – my pitch was to do three regular-length songs, and fall back on what was very familiar. But Roger Daltrey felt he needed something that gave him more narrative scope, as he described it.

"He and my brother Simon, our touring guitarist, and one of the lieutenants in the crew put together a track. Surprisingly, I thought it worked really well.

"Roger and I have a great relationship these days, so I trusted him to do that job."

Pete says he was never fazed by the notion of how many people might be watching (turns out it was about 106 million).  "When the NFL started to talk to us, one of the things they spoke about was the numbers. I said, ‘I’ve done a solo show in front of 80million people on TV’. The numbers make no difference.

"It’s best if I tell the truth: I felt nothing. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a great big football stadium or a little club somewhere – as soon as I get close to a stage I feel at home, very safe and secure. It feels completely normal."

Granted, one thing Pete says was missing from the game? Cheerleaders.    For the full interview with Townshend, click through to Rolling Stone.com

 

Meanwhile, 40 years ago this weekend, came the recording of the Who album The New York Times would name as ‘the best live rock album ever made’.

Here’s a montage of footage from the Who Live at Leeds University, where they performend two shows, Valentines Day 1970 and the following day.

Enjoy,
Jeff.

 

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add a comment 7 Comments
  • debbie m/over 25yrlistner
    February 12, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    Hi Jeff,
    Sorry I missed that event…hate football but would love to have seen the Who perform…

    As for others comments…Let me see you up there at that age rockin it!!!!Thats my comment to the negatives..
    cheers

    (Reply)
  • Anthony
    February 13, 2010 at 2:12 am

    The original “Live at Leeds” was monsterous, but the subsequent re-issues with Tommy material prove what a master of the guitar Pete Townshend is, live and raw with such incredible versatility! For quality visuals, fans should check out “A Quick One” from the Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus.

    (Reply)
  • Jim J
    February 14, 2010 at 8:42 am

    I though there was only one boob at Superbowl XXXVIII?

    The Who sounded great but it was just a tease. Reminds me what I’m missing until there come and play around here.

    I’m thinking there were lonely cheerleaders at Leeds University on Valentines Day …

    (Reply)
  • laurel
    February 14, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    the show was fantastic….we had the surround sound up full blast on the big screen and we felt like we we almost there, live… anyone that says it was uninspired, had to be watching it on a black and white , small screen mono….too bad for them…

    (Reply)
  • john peters
    February 15, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    The thing i am most disapointed about is john endwhistle od-ing on coke. Once you reach the age of 50 you have to take things easy , dont act like you are 25. He was one of , maybe the best bass player that ever lived and his death is one of the greatest losses ever. I still miss him.

    (Reply)
  • Kelli
    February 16, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Sorry,I diagree with you on the half time preformance…I thought they sounded awful. The stage show was great!

    (Reply)
  • johnny d
    February 17, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    I agree with you. I thought the performance was great; perhaps Daltrey’s ‘warm-up’ tour was a good idea!

    (Reply)

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