Grateful Dead
Coliseum
Los Angeles, CA
June 1, 1991

Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 68
2496 Edition

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

Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Nakamichi CR-7A (azimuth adjustment; Dolby On) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture > iZotope RX8 > iZotope Ozone 8 > Audacity > TLH > FLAC

01 Shakedown Street
02 Walkin’ Blues
03 Bertha >
04 Greatest Story Ever Told
05 Candyman
06 Queen Jane Approximately
07 Deal
08 Picasso Moon
09 Foolish Heart
10 Playing In The Band >
11 Uncle John’s Band
12 Drums >
13 Space >
14 I Need A Miracle >
15 Black Peter >
16 Throwing Stones >
17 Not Fade Away
18 One More Saturday Night

Known Issues:
-Drums: splice

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

Grateful Dead, Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA, June 1, 1981

The ultimate taper meets the ultimate tapers’ band. Yes, Mike Millard did record the Grateful Dead, though to be fair he was more as an appreciator than a fan. In fact, as Rob notes below, he was really doing a favor by recording the show.

In classic Millard fashion, he eschewed the tapers’ section in favor of recording from his sweet spot, which in this case was the third row of the massive LA Coliseum, site of two Olympic Games.

The Coliseum ’91 performance is not particularly beloved in Deadhead circles, in part because of the heavy presence of the LAPD, who did not adopt the kind of “live and let live” attitude fans were used to in the Bay Area. Bad vibes indeed. As for the show itself, the first set earns praise, opening with a lively “Shakedown Street” and always-welcome turns of “Bertha,” “Candyman” and Bob Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately.”

However, the second set is characterized as being on “auto-pilot,” losing the urgency and energy of Act 1. Despite that assessment, the audience surrounding Mike is lively and loud, adding more crowd noise to his recording than usual. Perhaps due to wind, there is also some instability in the stereo image compared to most Millard masters. Mike’s pull is still very good, though there are better captures of this show from tapers’ section recordings as well as a soundboard source. Samples provided.

As a result, this is a rare case where Mike’s master isn’t the best recording of a show, yet Mike The Mike doing The Dead feels like an important chapter in his taping history and therefore worth sharing.

Here’s what Rob S recalled about seeing the Dead at the LA Coliseum 1991:

I met Mike at his home in Fullerton and he drove us to the Coliseum to see the Grateful Dead. In 1991, the Dead were riding higher than ever (in popularity at least), and the ticketless hordes that followed them made venues like the cavernous Coliseum the only place left the Dead could play in So Cal, at least in the summer. Although not a Deadhead, Mike was kind enough to tape the band twice at my urging, as well as a Jerry Garcia Band show in 1989.

For this show, he was able to get us seats in the center of the third row, perfect for recording. I had mail order tickets as well, so we had a taper ticket to get the gear in. We arrived during Johnny Clegg & Savuka’s set and did not record any of it. Mike had no issues taping FOH, save for the rather boisterous crowd around him. Even the gentleman who vomited a couple seats away was kind enough to do this during the intermission break, so there was no disaster-cleanup noise during the sets. It was a good day.

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JEMS is proud to join with Rob, Jim R, Barry G, Ed F and 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.

Mike’s master cassettes took a little extra finessing this week. Thanks to Professor Goody for his mastering and pitch-adjustment help. As always, mjk5510 is there to take projects over the finish line even when they are late.

Finally, cheers to the late, great Mike the MICrophone. His work never ceases to impress. May he rest in peace.

BK for JEMS