1970: May 8th – “Let It Be,” The Beatles’ final
studio album, is released. (All of these
tracks, with the exception of George Harrison’s “I Me Mine” and a new lead
guitar solo on the title track were recorded prior to The Beatles recording
their “Abbey Road” LP. George was called
back into the studio to put the finishing touches on these two tracks to ready
the album for release.)
The tapes sat dormant for over a year as, by now, The
Beatles had already broken up. John
Lennon called in Producer Phil Spector to give him a go at the mess that was
left and Paul in particular was completely unhappy and dissatisfied with the results. As was always Spector’s way, the tracks are
layered with sound, lush arrangement and even (to Paul’s horror) a women's choir on a Beatles track. ("The Long And Winding Road")
Many years later McCartney would finally get his way when
Apple Records released “Let It Be … Naked” … reissuing the original tapes as The Beatles
had left them, unadorned by any “enhancing” (other than Billy Preston’s
keyboards.) Paul maintained that THIS is the way these tracks were intended to be heard.
Also on this date, The Doors play a concert at
Detroit’s Cobo Arena where John Sebastian and The Lovin’ Spoonful are invited
to join them on stage for half a dozen songs.
Unfortunately, this causes the show to run past the
enforced midnight curfew as dictated by The American Federation of Musicians …
and The Doors would be banned from ever returning to The Cobo. (A recording of this concert would later be
released in 2000 as “Live In Detroit”)
And, on May 8th, 1970, The New York Knicks
defeat The Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden, four games to three in
the NBA Finals, winning their first NBA Championship
