E70: The Who Live at Leeds + KRLA Beat + Ron Sexsmith audio
Content warning: This episode contains discussion of assault (1:02:28–1:05:20) that some listeners may find distressing. In the 70th episode of our podcast, RBP's Zooming triumvirate talk about the Who's Live at Leeds — "the greatest live album ever made," in many people's H.O. — as it reaches its half-century. Referencing Geoffrey Cannon's unabridged Guardian review from May 1970, Mark & Barney relive memories of seeing the Who live and — with Jasper — explore what made the band such a uniquely powerful live unit. The two other giants of '60s British pop feature in free pieces by KRLA Beat's Nikki "Eden" Wine, who attempts to explain Beatlemania in 1965 and hangs around a Rolling Stones session in Hollywood in 1966. Mark puts "the Beat" ("America's Pop Music NEWSpaper") into historical context and describes how some of its key female contributors wound up on RBP. A passionate fan of Ron Sexsmith's for 25 years, Barney intros his own 2011 audio interview with the self-effacing Canadian. There are clips of Ron talking about Interscope signing him at the ripe old age of 31; about his and others' songwriting; and about his painful envy of Neil Diamond's onstage confidence. Finally, Mark & Jasper chew over highlights among the week's new library pieces, including interviews with Chicken Shack (1969), Manitas de Plata (1971) and Creation's Alan McGee (1997); a report on the Jacksons' overblown Victory tour of 1984; a review of Childish Gambino's first London gig (2012); and a 2017 report on allegations of sexual abuse against "queer punk" duo PWR BTTM… The Rock's Backpages podcast is proud to be part of the Pantheon podcast network. Pieces discussed: The Who: Live at Leeds, Live at Leeds (Super Deluxe!), Paul Entwistle, Beatlemania, Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Ron Sexsmith audio, Doris Day, Chicken Shack, Manitas de Plata, The Jacksons' Victory tour, Metallica, Belly, Alan McGee, Felt, Humphrey Lyttelton joins Radiohead, Donny Hathaway, Childish Gambino and PWR BTTM.