The Forum
Inglewood, CA
August 16, 1978
Mike Millard Original Master Tapes via JEMS
2496 Edition
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 26
Recording Gear: AKG 451E Microphones (CK-1 cardioid capsules) > Nakamichi 550 Cassette Recorder
JEMS 2020 Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Nakamichi CR-7A (azimuth adjustment; Dolby On) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture > iZotope RX6 > iZotope Ozone 6 > Audacity > TLH > FLAC
01 Warrior
02 Waiting For An Alibi
03 Still In Love With You
04 Cowboy Song
05 The Boys Are Back In Town
06 Don’t Believe A Word
07 Are You Ready?
08 Me And The Boys
Known Faults:
- Warrior: joined in progress.
Intro 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 MICrophone, best known for his masters of Led Zeppelin done in and around Los Angeles circa 1975-77. For further details on how tapes in this series came to be lost and found again, as well as JEMS' history with Mike Millard, please refer to the notes in Vol. One: http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=500680
Until this year, 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 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 1992.
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.
Here is Rob’s account of how Millard’s master tapes were saved:
After Mike left us, I visited his mom Lia occasionally, usually around the holidays. She’d talk about the grandkids and show me pictures. She had no one to help out around the house so I did some minor improvements like fixing a kitchen shelf that collapsed and another time a gate that hadn’t worked for years.
After a few visits, I explained to Lia how the tapes were metal, up to 25 years old already and would eventually deteriorate. She agreed to let me take the tapes and make copies. We went into Mike’s bedroom and it was exactly like I remembered it when I was there years before. I loaded up every tape I could find and went to work copying them. Oldest first, some requiring “surgery.”
Months later when I was done copying, I compared what I had copied to a list Mike had compiled of his masters and realized there were many shows missing. I returned the tapes and asked Lia if we could see if there were any more somewhere else in the house. We went into a back bedroom and found a bunch of boxes filled with more original master tapes. I loaded them up, thanked Lia and left. This was the last time I would see her. I copied the rest of the tapes and stored the masters in a cool dry place until late last year when Jim R. reached out. We had known each other through Mike. After speaking with Jim and later BK who had tracked him down, I knew their partnership was the “right way” to get this music out to everyone who wanted it. I’m sure Mike would agree.
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Initially, Rob copied a large batch of Millard’s master cassettes to DAT and returned them to the house. The second time around, he was given a large portion of the cassette collection, different from what he had copied to DAT.
The first round of DAT transfers features some of Millard’s most famous recordings of Led Zeppelin, ELP, the Rolling Stones and Jethro Tull. The second traunch of actual cassette masters includes his captures of Yes, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Rush and Pink Floyd.
As exciting as it is to access Millard’s masters of the shows we know and love, there are many new recordings in both batches from artists like Elton John, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Eric Clapton, The Who, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Guns N’ Roses, Linda Ronstadt, David Bowie, the Moody Blues, U2 and more.
Even with an information gap in the mid ‘80s (when Millard was surely taping but there is no tape or written evidence as to what he captured), we have confirmed nearly 300 shows Millard did record. Of those, there are master cassettes for approximately 100 shows, DATs off masters of another 75 and first generation analog copies for 30-35. Collectively, that nearly quadruples the number of extant Millard recordings.
Our original master tapes series began with Pink Floyd, which you can find here:
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667745&hit=1
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667750&hit=1
Thin Lizzy, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, August 16, 1978
Our series rolls on with a crackling short set by Thin Lizzy opening for Kansas at the Fabulous Forum. Mike had the opportunity to see Thin Lizzy open for Queen in 1977, but Millardians may recall the Queen show is also joined slightly in progress, suggesting Jim and Mike arrived late and missed the opening act.
He didn’t make that mistake again in 1978, though we do join the set a minute or so into “Warrior.” Listening to this recording left two strong impressions: One, that Thin Lizzy was an incredibly tight and talented band who probably deserved bigger careers than they had, especially given their knack for catchy singles that still fit their overall musical aesthetic. Second, you can’t beat the sound of a Mike Millard tape of a great rock band at the Forum.
There might be better Millard masters, but in terms of capturing Thin Lizzy how they SHOULD sound, man does this tape do it. The energy is pouring out of them and Mike’s full-fidelity capture soaks it all in. Samples provided.
The band is ostensibly on tour supporting the Live and Dangerous live album, released two months earlier. The live single from that album, “Cowboy Song” is featured. We also get a preview of “Waiting For An Alibi” which would be released on 1979’s Black Rose: A Rock Legend, plus classics like “The Boys Are Back In Town” and “Me And The Boys.” The set may not be long in duration but it packs a punch. Hard to believe the “Dust In The Wind” lads could hold their own in the wake of it.
Like many of Mike’s ‘70s masters, the Thin Lizzy tape was damaged and required surgery to repair. The plastic hubs in ’70s TDK tapes often fail, because the small sliding piece that holds the end of the tape leader to the plastic hub breaks. I’ve spliced leader and installed fresh hubs in new tape shells on about 25 of Mike’s masters so far.
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JEMS is proud to partner with Rob, Jim R and Barry G to release Millard's historic recordings and to help set the record straight about the man himself. Some of you have written and I’m sure others have wondered, “Why didn’t Mike record this show or that show when we know he had recorded that band before?” A good example is Pink Floyd performing The Wall in 1980.
One thing to remember is that tickets to LA venues were controlled like no other market by ticket brokers. The stories Jim tells about the complete lack of tickets available to the public for something like the Wall tour in 1980 are hard to fathom. There were times when Mike and Jim simply couldn’t afford to see a show or attend multiple nights when tickets were exorbitant, especially when Mike wouldn’t settle for anything less than prime taping seats.
We can’t thank Rob enough for reconnecting with Jim and putting his trust in our Millard reissue campaign. He kept these 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 series would not happen without the unflinching support of our post-production supervisor mjk5510. His commitment to this weekly schedule is the only way it would happen.
In these unprecedented times we will continue to put more music in your hands and ears while everyone is bunkered in.
Please stay positive, help your neighbors, help strangers and let’s get to the other side of this intact. Better still, make a donation to a food bank or other key support organization helping out those who are struggling even more than you are to get by.
Lastly, cheers to the late, great Mike the MICrophone. His work never ceases to impress. May he rest in peace.
BK for JEMS
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