Tom Petty
Pacific Amphitheatre
Costa Mesa, CA
November 9, 1991
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 144
Recording Gear: AKG 451E microphones (CK-1 cardioid capsules) > Nakamichi 550 cassette recorder
JEMS 2022 TRANSFER: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Yamaha KX-W592 Cassette Deck > Sony R-500 DAT > Analog Master DAT Clone > Sony DTC-670 DAT > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX9 Advanced and Ozone 9 > Audacity > xACT 2.50 > FLAC
- Kings Highway
- Too Good To Be True
- I Won’t Back Down
- Free Fallin’
- Out In The Cold
- Psychotic Reaction
- Ben’s Boogie
- Don’t Come Around Here No More
- Learning To Fly
- Listen To Her Heart
- Mystery Man
- Here Comes My Girl
- Breakdown
- Into The Great Wide Open
- I’m Tired Joey Boy
- Yer So Bad
- You Got Lucky
- Straight Into Darkness
- Love Is A Long Road
- Refugee
- Runnin’ Down A Dream
- The Waiting
- American Girl
- Built To Last
- Lonely Weekends
- Makin’ Some Noise
Known Faults:
-None
Introduction to the Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Series
Welcome to JEMSí 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 Millardís original master tapes.
Yes, you read that correctly, Mike Millardís 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 weíve 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 Mikeís mental state was troubled he would do something rash WITH HIS LIFEíS WORK. Thereís also a version of the story where Mikeís family dumps the tapes after he dies. Why would they do that?
The truth is Mikeís masters remained in his bedroom for many years after his death in 1994. We know at least a few of Millardís 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 Mikeís work.
The full back story on how Mikeís 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 Millardís 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
Tom Petty, Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA, November 11, 1991
It’s time for another of Mike “The Mike” Millard’s excellent recordings of the late, great Tom Petty.
With the Heartbreakers in tow, Petty hit the Pac Amp in support of Into The Great Wide Open. It was their second visit in as many years, having played there the previous March, another fine recording released as Volume 25 in the Lost and Found series.
The album would be his last for MCA Records and came on the heels of his solo breakthrough Full Moon Fever. Songs from both records dominate this set, which also includes three notable covers and acoustic versions of two Petty classics, “Listen To Her Heart” and “American Girl.”
A review of the Costa Mesa show in the Los Angeles Times reveals there were on-stage elements that Mike’s recording couldn’t capture:
“The show included some visual jokes, played out on a fairy-tale stage set dominated by an immense gnarled tree. At one point a dragon-headed butler sauntered out of the tree to serve Petty a harmonica on a platter, which the singer tooted while Lynch took over the vocals during an exuberant version of the old Count Five garage-rock hit, ìPsychotic Reaction.î Later, during a frenzied, strobe-lit ending to ìDonít Come Around Here No More,î Petty was harried by pursuers wearing oversize Reagan, Nixon and Bush masks. He eventually warded them off with a glowing peace sign the circumference of a truck tire.”
As was often the case in Costa Mesa, Mike is in his sweet spot and his recording is close, full and rich, though as an outdoor venue, the audience is louder than usual. We’ve done our best to mitigate the most annoying elements in post-production.
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 canít thank Rob enough for reconnecting with Jim and putting his trust in our Millard reissue campaign. He kept Mikeís 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 Jimís memories, photos and other background contributions. As many of you have noted, the stories offer an entertaining complement to Mikeís incredible audio documents.
Back pats all around for our valued contributors and allies this Fourth of July weekend including Professor Goody, who helped us set the proper pitch, Rob S, who keeps going deeper into the hobby and handled the DAT transfer of this one 20 or so years after his original copying of Mike’s master cassettes to DAT, and tireless mjk5510, who brought his patent pending audience-taming processes to bear on this recording in addition to his vital post-production and artwork contributions.
Finally, cheers to the late, great Mike the MICrophone. His work never ceases to impress. May he rest in peace.
BK for JEMS
Live Petty 