#Who originally sang pinball wizard full
#Who originally sang pinball wizard series

So we can balance it out between the States and Britain.

In mid-1969, in an interview with Melody Maker’s Tony Wilson, Townshend declared their intention to record a live set: “We’ll be going over to America more often, but for shorter periods. There was also the desire to capture their live act of the time which, with increased PA wattage and musical invention, had elevated them to a position as the best live act in the world, rivaled only by The Rolling Stones and the emerging Led Zeppelin. Firstly, it would act as an appropriate follow up to Tommy, giving them breathing space to move away from the rock opera, which was rapidly becoming a millstone around their neck.

Pinball Wizard and We’re Not Gonna Take It from that famous live set also appeared on the big selling accompanying soundtrack album.Īt the time, The Who were keen to record a live album for a number of reasons. Their memorable appearance at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York was captured for inclusion in the Woodstock film, which was a box office smash when it opened in the spring of 1970. They played it to vast audiences at the Isle Of Wight festivals in 19 and, of course, Woodstock. The last performance, until their 25th anniversary reunion tour in 1989, was at London’s Roundhouse on 20 December 1970, when they dedicated it to the support act, the then-emerging Elton John.Īlong the way, Tommy became the first work of contemporary popular music to be performed at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House.

#Who originally sang pinball wizard series

They then took the opera on the road, performing it over 160 times in a series of performances across the UK and US. In May, they unveiled Townshend’s rock opera, now titled Tommy, at a launch gig at London’s Ronnie Scott’s on 2 May. The year 1969 was pivotal year for The Who. Live albums such The Rolling Stones’ Got Live If You Want It and The Kinks Live At Kelvin Hall were primitive recordings, often made with one or two microphones slung over the stage and theatre balcony to capture audience ambience, and in the Stones’ case, heavily overdubbed.

#Who originally sang pinball wizard full

Though the art of reproducing a live performance on record was nothing new – the likes of Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis had enjoyed success in their respective fields with live recordings – rock and pop acts had rarely been caught to full effect. In hindsight, Live At Leeds can be viewed as one of the first bona fide rock live albums. This is a reputation they have maintained right up to the modern era – as was demonstrated by their remarkable 12-minute performance at this year’s Super Bowl event. It has gone on to be acclaimed as the greatest live album of all time and, in turn, elevated The Who’s legacy as one of the greatest live bands of all time. Live At Leeds finally captured The Who in all their explosive on-stage glory. Packaged in a fairly anonymous bootleg style sleeve, the music within was anything but. Riding off the back of the astounding success of their Tommy rock opera, this six-track live album firmly established The Who as one of the world’s top rock attractions of the early 70s. Forty years ago this month, The Who released their first live album, Live At Leeds.