Brand X
The Roxy
West Hollywood, CA
September 22, 1979
Late Show
Mike Millard Master Tape via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 210
16/44 Edition

Recording Gear: AKG 451E Microphones (CK-1 cardioid capsules) > Nakamichi 550 Cassette Recorder

JEMS 2023 Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassette > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX8 Advanced and Ozone 10 > MBIT+ resample to 16/44.1 > Audacity > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

01 ...And So To F...
02 Access To Data

Known Faults: First 45 minutes of the show unrecorded; these are the final two songs

Introduction to the Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Series

Welcome back 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

Brand X, The Roxy, West Hollywood, CA, September 22, 1979 Late Show

Another short and sweet week in the Lost and Found series with the fourth and final recording Mike "The Mike" Millard made of Brand X at the Roxy.

The jazz-fusion group featuring Phil Collins played a three-night, six-set residency at the fabled club in 1979. Mike and Jim were there to tape the early and late sets on September 21 and 22. This recording is the 11:30 pm set on the second night, and for reasons Jim can't recall and the cassette doesn't reveal, Millard only captured 32 mins of audio in the form of the last two songs of the set: "And So To F" and "Access To Data."

Our best guess is there was an issue with the first side of tape where perhaps Mike thought he was recording but didn't get anything until he flipped, because he is effectively missing the 45 mins that should have been on the A side.

Frustrating, but given his three other recordings of the run that feature the same material, it's hard to be too upset. Also, the 32 minutes Mike did record are outstanding quality. Samples provided.

Anyone who taped more than a handful of shows in the cassette era knows that sometimes things do go awry and you think you're rolling only to find out you weren't upon playback. Such is life.

###

JEMS is immensely proud to partner with Rob, Jim R, Ed F, Barry G, Jim Ri 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.

As always, thanks to the extended JEMS family, especially Rob S for his transfer, Professor Goody for the pitch advice and mjk5510 for post production and artwork.

Finally, 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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