Todd Rundgren
The Roxy
West Hollywood, CA
May 20, 1978
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 234

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

JEMS Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Yamaha KX-W592 Cassette Deck > Sony R-500 DAT > Analog Master DAT Clone > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX8 Advanced and Ozone 10 > MBIT+ resample to 16/44.1 > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

01 Real Man
02 Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel
03 Love of the Common Man
04 The Range War
05 Love in Action
06 Never Never Land
07 You Cried Wolf
08 Unchained Melody
09 Book of Love
10 Can We Still Be Friends
11 Bread
12 Don't You Ever Learn?
13 Dust in the Wind
14 The Verb "To Love"
15 A Dream Goes on Forever
16 All The Children Sing (Video Track)
17 I'm So Proud
18 Ooo Baby Baby
19 La-La Means I Love You
20 I Saw the Light
21 Eastern Intrigue
22 Initiation
23 Couldn't I Just Tell You
24 Hello It's Me
25 Just One Victory

Known Faults: None

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.thetradersden.org/forums/...d.php?t=142055.

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.thetradersden.org/forums/...d.php?t=156400

Todd Rundgren, The Roxy, West Hollywood, CA, May 20, 1978

The Lost and Found series' own Roxy residency continues for a third week and adds another illustrious name to the Mike "The Mike" Millard artists-recorded annals with the addition of Todd Rundgren.

Millard was enough of a fan to tape Todd on two occasions, this show as well as another gig in Orange County in 1990. Mike also recorded a live broadcast from Rundgren's 1978 Roxy run that took place three nights later on May 23, a show released in full on the box set All Sides Of The Roxy a few years back. Wolfman Jack famously introduced that gig.

Rundgren performed six (or seven depending on which online source you believe) shows at the Roxy in May 1978, culminating in the radio broadcast. He did a similar stand at the Bottom Line earlier in May as the kickoff to the Back To The Bars tour in support of his eighth solo album, Hermit Of Mink Hollow released the month prior.

The 1978 tour saw Rundgren tap members of The Hello People as part of his backing band and background singers (Bobby Sedita, Larry Taste, Greg Geddes and Norman Smart), plus keyboard player Moogy Klingman, bassist John Seigler and drummer John Willie Wilcox. In addition to the later box set, select performances from The Roxy, Bottom Line and Cleveland's Agora turned up on the Back To The Bars double live album released in December 1978.

Despite touring in support of Hermit Of Mink Hollow, the Roxy setlist only contains three songs from the album and instead features a fine assortment of covers and music going back to Todd's Nazz and Utopia days.

The sound quality of Mike's recording suggests he was probably a little farther away from the stage and PA than other Roxy efforts. While not as close and punchy as some of his best work at the club, this is still a very fine capture and an enthralling listen. Samples provided.

Our source this week is a DAT transfer of Mike's master cassettes made by Rob S in the early 2000s.

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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.

Thank yous this week go to Rob S for his transfer and DAT rip, Professor Goody who made sure our speed and pitch were accurate and mjk5510 who took care of post-production and cover art.

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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