Todd Rundgren
Celebrity Theatre
Anaheim, CA
January 20, 1990
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 248
1644 Edition

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

JEMS Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX8 Advanced and Ozone 10 > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

01 Real Man
02 Unloved Children
03 Parallel Lines
04 Can't Stop Running
05 Compassion
06 Secret Society
07 Something To Fall Back On
08 Love Of The Common Man
09 Tiny Demons
10 Clich�
11 Can We Still Be Friends
12 Mated
13 The Waiting Game
14 Love in Action
15 Lost Horizon > What's Goin' On > Mercy Mercy Me > I Want You > Lost Horizon
16 Feel It
17 Rock Love
18 Hawking
19 The Want Of A Nail
20 Hello It's Me
21 Band Introductions
22 I Love My Life

Known Faults: "Feel It" cut and spliced a minute in due to tape change

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.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, Celebrity Theatre, Anaheim, CA, January 20, 1990

Twelve years passed between the first time Mike "The Mike" Millard recorded Todd Rundgren at the Roxy in 1978 (Lost and Found Vol. 234) and this final time at the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim in 1990.

It was something of a comeback tour for Rundgren who released a well-received new album, Nearly Human, in May 1989. He hit the road with an 11-piece band which included The Tubes' Vince Welnick on piano, Bobby Strickland on saxophone and Michael Urbano on drums, plus three background singers.

The 21-song Anaheim set features eight of the album's ten tracks plus a generous dip into his catalog including Utopia classics. The version of "Lost Horizon" features a mini Marvin Gaye medley in the middle.

Back in 2013, Rundgren's own archive series released a San Francisco show recorded two months later in March 1990. The San Fran and Anaheim setlist are identical but this earlier show, just the third US date after a short Japanese tour, has the vibe of a performance coalescing in a good way.

The Celebrity Theatre was a local Venue for the OC-based Millard, but this is the only show he ever recorded there. Despite unfamiliar surroundings, he manages a typically excellent capture. 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.

It's worth noting that Mike was a huge LA Dodgers fan so he surely would have been pleased to see them win the World Series this week.

Thanks to Rob S for the master transfer; Professor Goody for the pitch analysis; and mjk5510 for handling post production and CD 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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