The Who
Live at Leeds

Rock as many of us know it (starting from the 'violent' sounds of the early Stones like '(I can't get no) Satisfaction') has started to reach middle age (between 50 and 60 years), losing that attention and attraction from the younger generations, in my opinion, under 30 years.

In short... it no longer seems 'contemporary' in its appeal compared to even 20 years ago, and at most 10.

This year, it has been 50 years since 1970, when great figures of the scene like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin passed away.

If this is the case (at least given how little the genre is talked about on TV - except for Rai 5 with documentaries - and the TV channels of the major Italian radio stations), Rock seems to be becoming an Institution, perhaps doomed to become like classical music: of interest to enthusiasts - correct me if I'm wrong.

And yet it's unfair: the music closest to ordinary people has left us a respectable heritage that should not be set aside, especially in a time where there is no longer great variety, as the phase of creating deeply original styles is long over (Britpop was one of the last in this regard).

'Live At Leeds' is the LANDMARK in this sense, the SUBVERSIVE energy of the Who live: the prominently featured drums of Keith Moon, Pete Townshend's magical guitar, and Roger Daltrey's robust voice.

The whole album keeps you glued to listening, with the feeling of never ending. My favorite tracks are: 'I Can't Explain', 'Happy Jack', 'Substitute', 'Tattoo', and 'Summertime Blues' by a not very popularly known Rock and Roll singer, Eddie Cochran.

'Tattoo' has such a perfect music and vocal structure that it cannot fail to engage (the original version on 'The Who Sell Out' from three years earlier is attractive to the ear, but very soft compared to this one).

So 'Live At Leeds' remains one of the few historic live albums to sound fresh and engaging, even after 50 years.

And when the current generations, our parents', and ours, are no more, will the Who and others be treated like Mozart and Beethoven, meaning 'ancient' and 'not current'?