Elvis Costello
The Wiltern
Los Angeles, CA
May 26, 1991
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 182
1644 Edition

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

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

01 Hidden Charms
02 Watch Your Step
03 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
04 Invasion Hit Parade
05 Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head
06 Georgie And Her Rival
07 Suit Of Lights
08 So Like Candy
09 Veronica
10 Hidden Charms
11 All Grown Up
12 The Other Side Of Summer
13 Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4
14 Strange
15 Accidents Will Happen
16 You Bowed Down
17 How To Be Dumb
18 Sweet Pear
19 Bama Lama Lama Loo
20 Playboy To A Man
21 Alison
22 Pump It Up
23 Everybody's Crying Mercy
24 Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)

Known Issues:
-Hidden Charms: joined in progress

The Rude 5
Marc Ribot on lead guitar
Jerry Scheff on bass
Larry Knechtel on keyboards
Pete Thomas on drums

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

Elvis Costello The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA, May 26, 1991

Companion releases continue with this the opening night of a three-show run at the Wiltern at the start of the Come Back In A Million Years tour (I never knew that was the name) in support of Elvis' second Warner Bros. album, Mighty Like A Rose.

We released the third and final night of the Wiltern run on Vol. 107 of the Lost and Found series, which features a similar set, albeit in a different running order. There are a few relative rarities included this night. The first is a cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Strange" played only 40 times in the early '90s.

Several songs from Mighty Like A Rose feature, including the under-played "Invasion Hit Parade,' "Sweet Pear" and "All Grown Up," each performed fewer than 25 times ever. The rest of the set dips into songs from 1989's Spike plus enough classics from EC's Columbia catalog to keep everyone happy.

Costello is backed here by the Rude 5, whose names are noted above, and their playing is absolutely outstanding.

As we've written before, The Wiltern can sound a bit boomy and roomy. I would give this first night recording the nod over the also highly appealing June 3 show, sounding a bit closer and fuller thanks to Mike having better seats and a more cooperative audience around him. Samples provided.

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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.

With spring break on the horizon, we've had to prep releases in advance which means jamming a lot of work through the JEMS team. Thanks to Rob S for this excellent transfer, Professor Goody for the quick turns on pitch check, and to mjk5510 for post-production support and artwork.

Finally, here's 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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