The Kinks
Universal Amphitheatre
Los Angeles, CA
August 17, 1979
Mike Millard First-Generation Tape via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 166

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

JEMS 2022 Transfer: Mike Millard First-Generation Cassette > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX9 Advanced and Ozone 9 > MBIT+ resample to 16/44.1 > Audacity > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

01 Sleepwalker > Tired Of Waiting For You
02 Life On The Road
03 Where Have All The Good Times Gone
04 Permanent Waves
05 Misfits
06 Lola
07 Low Budget
08 (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
09 Catch Me Now I'm Falling
10 You Really Got Me

Known Faults: Occasional minor volume fluctuations. Rest of the main set and encores after "You Really Got Me" also missing and presumed unrecorded.

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

The Kinks, Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA, August 17, 1979

This week, the fourth and presumably final appearance of The Kinks in the Lost and Found series, this from 1979's tour in support of Low Budget released a month earlier.

Mike Millard first recorded The Kinks in 1978 (Vol. 46), and as Jim notes below, he and Mike remained fans, making further recordings in 1981 (Vol. 120) and 1983 (Vol. 83), a period that was something of a renaissance for the band as songs from their Arista era became FM rock radio staples.

The Kinks were also a pretty great live band. Judging by this recording, their concerts were also something of a party, which helps explains them playing four nights at Universal Amphitheatre in 1979.

I can't recall another Millard recording with as much close crowd noise, chatter, yelling, hooting, hollering and general rambunctiousness as this one. People are screaming close to the microphones and physically jostling Millard. At one point in "Life on the Road" you can hear someone say to him, "If you don't want to get your tape recorder confiscated you better cut [the] tape."

Suffice it to say he was under considerable duress. Our source tape is a first-generation cassette Mike made and labeled for Ed F. Given the copy is on a 60-min TDK SA and it isn't labeled part one, I'm going to presume this is all of the show Mike captured before bailing on the recording knowing the obnoxious crowd was "ruining" his work.

However, as we've learned, Mike was his own harshest critic. Those of you deeply immersed in the L&F series will likely agree this one has more audience interruptions than any other, but there's still a fine recording in there. Samples provided.

Here's what Jim R recalled about The Kinks at the Universal Amphitheatre 1979:

I went with Mike Millard to The Kinks concert on August 17, 1979. It was at The Universal Amphitheater.

We went with a couple of friends after scoring four great seats, but we had to pick them up on the way to the show. Orange County to Hollywood is a haul, and typical LA traffic caused us to get to the show later than we wanted. Keep in mind Mike also needed set-up time before he could hit Record on the Nak, and he does so just in the nick of time here, but that was the first sign it wasn't going to be an easy night.

We sat fourth row of the Orchestra Pit, on Ray Davies' side of the stage--he was literally ten feet from us. The seats in The Pit are pushed almost all the way forward, with very little aisle space between seats and stage. Needless to say, our friends were blown away, enjoying what was an especially rowdy atmosphere. I don't fully remember Mike giving up on recording, but hearing the tape back rings a bell, and I'm fairly certain that's exactly what happened.

This was our second time seeing The Kinks, the first being the year before where we became instant fans.

Being so close to the stage increased the odds of us getting busted, too. Therefore, I had to stay low key and I only shot one roll of slides, albeit some pretty good ones if I do say so myself. I hope you enjoy the pics, along with Mike's recording.

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.

Again this week we're especially grateful to those who have shared their copies of Mike's otherwise missing recordings, expanding the Lost and Found series significantly. Shoutouts to Ed F, Professor Goody for a rush job on pitch and to mjk5510 for his patience in a busy week, making sure this one got out on time.

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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