What kind of mics are these?

That's Billy Preston. He played on most of "Let it Be"...He also did a lot of keys on the Stones "Black and Blue" album. Pretty good resume right there.

"Who have you worked with?"

"The Beatles and The Rolling Stones".

"Sorry, come back when you have more experience".
 
Weird. Today my son was sick off school and at some point he called me to ask when I'd be home and where I was. Right at that moment I was driving through Savile Row {I go through there 3 or 4 times a day} and I said to him "I'm just driving right past the building where the Beatles did their last gig in January 1969". He just laughed.
Every so often I see a guide with a group of tourists outside no.3. Not like Abbey Road though, that's packed all day every day.
The Beatles met Billy Preston before they were big, when he was playing with Little Richard. I've long suspected something went on between Richard and Billy, especially reading between the lines of Richard's no holds barred autobiography. Not for the fainthearted.
As for the rooftop gig, it says alot about the Beatles ability to play still. The White album and 'Let it be' are where the band really were unravelling and the bad temperedness and bitterness that characterizes the sessions for both albums is startling. It was bad enough for Geoff Emerick to quit as their engineer and for George Martin to relinquish much of his role, not to mention both Ringo {during the White album} and George {during Let it be - not long before this gig in fact} quitting the band. Yet despite all the bile and bickering, they put on this performance and annoyed many traders in central London ! Apparently it was freezing. But they played a damn good set.
 
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