MAGNIFICENT 1970 BROADCAST RECORDING. By 1970, cracks had started to appear in the relationship between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. That said, the album many believe to be the pair’s finest, had just been released. Prior to this, the success of Bookends in 1968 and “The Graduate” soundtrack from the same year had made them one of the biggest musical acts in the world; but the resultant pressure put increased strain on their relationship. In 1969, Garfunkel was invited to appear in Mike Nichols’ adaptation of Catch-22, to be shot in Mexico. The resulting eight-month separation further stirred up animosity between the two, with Simon penning ‘The Only Living Boy In New York’ about his experience. However, upon Garfunkel’s return in November 1969, the duo entered the studio to record what many still consider to be their magnum opus, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Released on 26th January ‘70, the album topped the charts in 10 countries, and, at the time, was the world’s best-selling LP, a feat that would not be beaten until Michael Jackson’s Thriller in 1982. But these sessions took a further toll on Paul and Art, and by the time of the album’s release the two could barely face each other. As a result, despite its massive success, Simon & Garfunkel played only a handful of shows in 1970 to promote the record. One of these was at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam on 2nd May, which was the subject of a live FM broadcast and which is presented here on this new CD. Performing a wide selection of their best-known songs, this show is a rare artefact of this magnificent albeit troubled duo, all at once at the height of their successes and on the cusp of sudden collapse. After their final performance of the year at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in New York on 8th July, the pair embarked on what was intended to be a temporary hiatus. However, despite occasional reunions and the odd recording, Simon & Garfunkel never properly, reformed.