On this day 1970, the Who released Live at Leeds, the group's ferociously raw set recorded on Valentine's Day three months earlier at the University Refectory, a 2,000 seat auditorium at the University of Leeds in West Yorkshire, UK. The concert was arranged expressly to record a live album that would dispel impressions the Tommy rock opera album created that the group was heading in an art rock direction. The intensely raw and hard rocking set delivered from the stage that night is produced what is widely considered one of the best live albums ever released.
Other Noteworthy Classic Rock Events on May 16th include...
1946 King Crimson's Robert Fripp born.
1946 Foghat drummer Roger Earl born
1947 Nazareth drummer Darrell Sweet born.
1950 Zephyr, James Gang, Deep Purple and Firefall guitarist Jock Bartley born
1951 Jonathan Richman born.
1966 Beach Boys release Pet Sounds.
1966 The Beatles record Taxman and For No One.
1969 John Lennon declared 'inadmissible immigrant' by State Department.
1969 Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane arrested on drug charge in New Orleans hotel.
1969 Pete Townshend jailed for hitting plain clothes cop who went on stage during Who Fillmore East concert to tell audience to evacuate due to a fire next door.
1970 Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane busted on drug charge in Bloomington, Indiana hotel.
1974 Queen cancels US tour when Brian May comes down with hepatitis.
1975 Kinks release A Soap Opera.
1978 Joe Walsh releases But Seriously, Folks.
1980 Paul McCartney releases McCartney II in the UK.
1980 Yes replaces Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman with Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn.
1980 Brian May collapses during a Queen concert and is hospitalized with hepatitis.
1984 Ozzy Osbourne is charged with public intoxication in Dallas.
1986 Elvis Costello marries Caitlan O'Riordan of the Pogues.
1998 Several Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon tour dates get cancelled when Keith Richards breaks ribs in a fall while reaching for a book in his home.
2010 Ronnie James Dio dies of stomach cancer in Houston hospital.
2017 Bon Jovi does surprise performance of Reunion during Fairleigh Dickinson University graduation.
