Crosby Stills Nash & Young
Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica, CA
April 1, 1990
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 193
2496 Edition

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

JEMS 2021 Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted playback > Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 > Sound Forge Audio Studio 13.0 capture > Adobe Audition > iZotope RX8 > iZotope Ozone 8 > Audacity > TLH > FLAC

01 Rockin' In The Free World
02 Eldorado
03 Someday
04 Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
05 Wasted On The Way
06 Change Partners
07 Blackbird
08 The Lee Shore
09 To The Last Whale...A. Critical Mass B. Wind On The Water
10 Guinnevere
11 Magical Child
12 Almost Cut My Hair
13 For What It's Worth
14 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
15 Human Highway
16 Silver And Gold
17 Wooden Ships
18 Ohio
19 Teach Your Children

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 MICrophone, 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 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.

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

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA, April 1, 1990

We stay in Santa Monica, same day, same venue this week to bring you the headliners of the Dallas Taylor benefit concerts, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

The group reunited to raise money and awareness for organ donation in support of their original drummer Dallas Taylor, who was in need of a kidney transplant. CSNY shared the bill with Chris Hillman's Desert Rose Band (Vols. 176 and 192) and Don Henley (Vol. 177) at the relatively intimate Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Though CSNY had played Young's Bridge School Benefit concert the prior October, a circa 1990 CSNY reunion was still a rare thing indeed. The four members had only performed together a scant seven times since the 1974 tour prior to this show, and many of those gigs were brief appearances like Live Aid. While they would tour significantly in 2000, 2002 and 2006, surprisingly, CSNY played fewer than 250 times ever.

The second Civic benefit show offered a generous 19 song set, albeit made up primarily of songs from Young's solo career, CSN, Buffalo Springfield and a cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird."

Neil opened the show with "Rockin' In The Free World" and what would prove to be the last performance ever of the compelling "Eldorado," on which they were joined by Frank Sampedro. Third up was "Someday," followed by the world premiere of "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)." Later in the set Young added "Human Highway" and "Silver and Gold." On the solo tip, Stills chips in his own "Change Partners." There were three changes the second night, including a rare electric-acoustic performance of "Ohio," plus "Guinnevere" and "Magical Child."

The first night recording from the Civic (Vol. 87) is one of the more distant in the Millard canon, as he clearly didn't have the tickets he wanted but elected to record the special evening anyway. We're happy to report Millard moved considerably closer to the stage and PA on night two resulting in a superior recording with improved closeness, fidelity and dynamics. Samples provided.

###

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.

Big ups this week to Rob S and Jim R, who I had the pleasure of hanging out with last week and who got together today on some important JEMS tape business; Professor Goody, who made sure our pitch was true; and mjk5510, who is always patient with my side of the assembly line, before he adds his invaluable post-production efforts 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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