THE WHO - LIVE AT LEEDS (DELUXE EDITION 2CD)

The Who. 1970. Live on stage. Rock 'n' roll was never better. Now, more than 30 years after its original release, The Who's Live at Leeds returns in a special Deluxe Edition that includes for the first time their entire February 14, 1970 concert at Leeds University. This two-CD set expands the original six-selection album and the 1995 double-CD remaster to finally include all of the band's triumphant, almost one-hour long performance of songs from Tommy, which had debuted in 1969.

The original Live at Leeds was designed to showcase the loud, raunchy, in-yer-face rock band of 'Maximum R&B' billing that The Who had been before rock operas. Thus the 1970 album included only the explosive, hard rockin' 'Young Man Blues,' 'Substitute,' 'Summertime Blues,' 'Shakin' All Over,' 'My Generation' and 'Magic Bus.' With a cover meant to imitate that of a bootleg, the album's sound quality was equally gritty. Nevertheless, Live at Leeds hit #4 on the U.S. charts following its spring release.

The mid-'90s reissue improved the audio and doubled the length of the original LP with additional material from the same riveting performance, including renditions of 'Happy Jack' (their first U.S. Top 40 hit), 'I Can't Explain' (The Who's debut single in 1965) and 'I'm A Boy' as well as unexpected items like 'Tattoo' and the R&B standard 'Fortune Teller.' Also added was an out-of-context excerpt from Tommy--the 'Amazing Journey'/'Sparks' medley.

For the digitally remastered Live at Leeds (Deluxe Edition), Disc One features all of the 1995 version's non-Tommy tracks, with Disc Two devoted to the massive, nearly non-stop, 20-section Tommy medley, with 'Amazing Journey'/'Sparks' re-inserted into its proper order. Included in the medley, among other titles, are 'Captain Walker,' 'It's A Boy,' 'The Acid Queen,' 'Pinball Wizard,' 'Tommy Can You Hear Me?,' 'I'm Free' and 'We're Not Gonna Take It.' (In the original concert, the Tommy opus was performed between the micro-opera 'A Quick One, While He's Away' and the '50s rock classic 'Summertime Blues' but has been separated for this Deluxe Edition).

Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon first performed the Tommy song cycle in May 1969 and would last perform it in December 1970 (before subsequent reunion tours were launched beginning in 1989). For many, the early 1970 performance that is now available for the first time on Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition) is the best concert version on record. Indeed, Live at Leeds (Deluxe Edition) is 'a bargain - the best you've ever had!'

Disc: 1      
1. Heaven & Hell 
2. Can't Explain 
3. Fortune Teller 
4. Tattoo 
5. Young Man Blues 
6. Substitute 
7. Happy Jack 
8. I'm A Boy 
9. A Quick One 
10. Summertime Blues 
11. Shakin' All Over 
12. My Generation 
13. Magic Bus 

Disc: 2      
1. Overture 
2. It's A Boy 
3. 1921 
4. Amazing Journey 
5. Sparks 
6. Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker) 
7. Christmas 
8. The Acid Queen 
9. Pinball Wizard 
10. Do You Think It's Alright? 
11. Fiddle About 
12. Tommy Can You Hear Me? 
13. There's A Doctor 
14. Go To The Mirror 
15. Smash The Mirror 
16. Miracle Cure 
17. Sally Simpson 
18. I'm Free 
19. Tommy's Holiday Camp 
20. We're Not Gonna Take It