Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica, CA
November 16, 1979
Mike Millard First Generation Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 116
Recording Gear: AKG 451E Microphones (CK-1 cardioid capsules) > Nakamichi 550 Cassette Recorder
Transfer: Mike Millard First Generation Cassettes > Nakamichi RX-505 (azimuth adjustment; Dolby On) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture > iZotope RX7 > iZotope Ozone 8 > xACT 2.50 > FLAC
01 Intro
02 Dark Ages
03 Home
04 Orion
05 Wond'ring Aloud
06 Dun Ringill
07 Elegy
08 Something's On The Move
09 Aqualung
10 King Henry's Madrigal > Drum Solo
11 Heavy Horses
12 One Brown Mouse
13 No Lullaby + Flute Solo
14 Songs From The Wood
15 Jams O'Donnell's Jigs
16 Thick As A Brick
17 Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll
18 Cross-Eyed Mary
19 Guitar Solo
20 Minstrel In The Gallery
21 Locomotive Breath
22 The Dambusters March
23 Minstrel In The Gallery (Reprise)
Known Faults:
-None
Introduction to the Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Series
Welcome to JEMS’ Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone series presenting recordings made by legendary taper Mike Millard, AKA Mike The Mike, best known for his masters of Led Zeppelin done in and around Los Angeles circa 1975-77. For the complete details on how tapes in this series came to be lost and found again, as well as JEMS' long history with Mike Millard, please refer to the notes in Vol. One: http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=500680.
Until 2020, the Lost and Found series presented fresh transfers of previously unavailable first-generation copies made by Mike himself for friends like Stan Gutoski of JEMS, Jim R, Bill C. and Barry G. These sources were upgrades to circulating copies and in most instances marked the only time verified first generation Millard sources had been directly digitized in the torrent era.
That all changed with the discovery of many of Mike Millard’s original master tapes.
Yes, you read that correctly, Mike Millard’s master cassettes, long rumored to be destroyed or lost, have been found. Not all of them but many, and with them a much more complete picture has emerged of what Millard recorded between his first show in late 1973 and his last in early 1993.
The reason the rediscovery of his master tapes is such a revelation is that we’ve been told for decades they were gone. Internet myths suggest Millard destroyed his master tapes before taking his own life, an imprudent detail likely concocted based on the assumption that because his master tapes never surfaced and Mike’s mental state was troubled he would do something rash WITH HIS LIFE’S WORK. There’s also a version of the story where Mike’s family dumps the tapes after he dies. Why would they do that?
The truth is Mike’s masters remained in his bedroom for many years after his death in 1994. We know at least a few of Millard’s friends and acquaintances contacted his mother Lia inquiring about the tapes at the time to no avail. But in the early 2000s, longtime Millard friend Rob S was the one she knew and trusted enough to preserve Mike’s work.
The full back story on how Mike’s master tapes were saved can be found in the notes for Vol. 18 Pink Floyd, which was the first release in our series transferred from Millard’s original master tapes:
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667745&hit=1
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667750&hit=1
Jethro Tull, Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA, November 16, 1979
The holiday season is upon us and the Mike Millard archive has gifts to deliver, starting with another welcome offering from one of his favorite bands: Jethro Tull.
The still-arena-sized act was performing a special benefit show for UNICEF at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica. Tull was on tour in support of Stormwatch, released in September 1979, several songs from which are featured here. The rest of the set is relatively career spanning and loosely follows the outline of the band's late 1978 live album Bursting Out.
The show was also broadcast locally on KMET and off-air recordings circulate from that transmission. There's an alternate audience tape out there as well, but I'm happy to report Millard's capture is the best of the three. As Jim writes below, he and Mike were seated in their sweet spot and the result is a clear, close and powerful recording that seems to offer superior fidelity and dynamics to the broadcast and out delivers the other audie which sounds distant by comparison. Samples provided.
Mike captured at least one show and usually more on every Tull tour from 1975 to 1980, similar to his coverage of Yes, another Millard favorite, over the same period. This particular recording seems to be under-circulated if not uncirculated to all but Mike's inner circle.
Here's what Jim R recalled about Jethro Tull Santa Monica 1979:
I went with Mike Millard to the Jethro Tull UNICEF Benefit concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on November 16, 1979. The Civic is a small venue with a capacity around 3000. It was a very hot ticket.
The day before this show, Tull finished a three-night stand at the much larger Long Beach Arena. Mike recorded one of those shows, too. The chance to see one of our favorite bands at such a small and desirable venue was an event we couldn't pass up. We scored killer seats in Section C Row 2, two rows behind the pit and elevated a few feet above it. Ideal seats for viewing and for sound.
Tull always puts on a great show and this one did not disappoint. Ian is such a dynamic performer. As for the sound, to quote a friend who heard a preview of Mike's recording, "This one smokes."
By the way, two days after the Tull benefit, Mike and I caught Bob Dylan for a couple shows at this same venue on his infamous gospel tour. Busy week.
That's all I got for this one, I hope you enjoy it as much as Mike and I did.
Cheers to my buddy Mike. RIP.
###
JEMS is proud to partner with Rob, Jim R, Ed F, Barry G and many others to release Millard's historic recordings and to help set the record straight about the man himself.
We can’t thank Rob enough for reconnecting with Jim and putting his trust in our Millard reissue campaign. He kept Mike’s precious tapes under wraps for two decades, but once Rob learned of our methods and stewardship, he agreed to contribute the Millard DATs and cassettes to the program. Our releases would not be nearly as compelling without Jim’s memories, photos and other background contributions. As many of you have noted, the stories offer an entertaining complement to Mike’s incredible audio documents.
Shoutouts this week go to Professor Goody for help on pitch adjustment and to mjk5510 who continues his vital work on JEMS projects despite a busy holiday season. We thank them both for their unwavering support.
Finally, cheers to the late, great Mike the MICrophone. His work never ceases to impress. May he rest in peace.
BK for JEMS
No comments:
Post a Comment