Leeds

["Kevin Winn" <kwinn@chrome.com>]

Listening to the new Leeds today at work (aren't headphones just the 
greatest invention?) and Magic Bus came up.  I was reminded of the first 
time I heard this album and I thought you'd all like to hear it.

It was summer of '76, and I was 15 and really getting into the Who, having 
heard Quad and WBN, and was in the process of "back-buying" the entire 
catalog. My girlfriend and I were in Ashland, Oregon (home of the World 
Famous Shakespearean festival and, at that time, last bastion of the 60's 
north of Berkeley).  I went to the local head-shop/record store and picked 
up Leeds.  On a lark, we took it down to the stereo store a couple blocks 
away ("Coffee, Tea Or Stereo" it was called) where I had recently spent 
every dime I had on a pretty decent system, and asked the guy behind the 
counter (Tim, who had sold me said system) to flop it on his best hi-fi and 
let 'er rip. 

He looked at us with a smile and said "which song?"

Never having heard the record, I cautiously replied "Uhh, how 'bout Magic 
Bus?"

He let a long slow grim creep across his face, and stepped back to the 
displays of unbelievably high-priced equipment in the back.  As he was 
cueing the record up, he nodded to a pair of speakers the size of the wall 
that cost in the thousands and said "I think you'll like this."

When I heard the little cheer before Keith started in on the "tick, 
tick..." I knew it was gonna be great.  Then Pete started the guitar line 
and I couldn't believe how loud the guy was playing it.  Like I said, it 
was summer and unbearably hot, so the doors were wide open.  By the time 
the boys got to the "I'll buy it" part, everyone in the store was hopping 
around to the song, and people were coming over from the cafe next door to 
see what was going on.  

As the long screech ended after "she goes like thunder" and the band 
exploded, the windows in the store were visibly moving, as were people for 
blocks around.  Even to this day, I have never seen so many people picking 
up on such a spontaneous groove in my life.  Half the city was dancing to 
this incredible version that I'd never heard before, making it all the more 
delightful for me.

After the song crashed to an end, Tim casually walked over to the 
turntable, gingerly placed the album back in its sleeve, handed it to me 
and said "will there be anything else for you today?"

Just thought you guys might enjoy that story.


OK,
KLW
L@L11849