Yes
The Forum
Inglewood, CA
May 15, 1991
Mike Millard Master Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 189
2496 Edition

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

JEMS 2023 Transfer: Mike Millard Master Cassettes > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX9 Advanced and Ozone 9 > > Audacity > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

01 Firebird Suite
02 Yours Is No Disgrace
03 Rhythm Of Love
04 Shock To The System
05 Heart Of The Sunrise
06 The Clap >
07 Mood For A Day
08 Make It Easy
09 Owner Of A Lonely Heart
10 And You And I
11 Drum Solos
12 Hold On
13 I've Seen All Good People
14 Tony Kaye Solo
15 Changes
16 Solly's Beard
17 Long Distance Runaround
18 Whitefish
19 Amazing Grace
20 Lift Me Up
21 Rick Wakeman Solo
22 Awaken
23 Roundabout

Known Faults:
-Mood For A Day: splice

Jon Anderson – lead vocals
Bill Bruford – electric and acoustic drums, percussion
Steve Howe – acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals
Tony Kaye – Hammond organ, synthesizers
Trevor Rabin – electric guitars, lead and backing vocals
Chris Squire – bass guitar, pedals, backing vocals
Rick Wakeman – electric piano, synthesizers, keytar
Alan White – acoustic drums, percussion

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: [Link]

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:

[Link]
[Link]

Yes, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, May 15, 1991

Any follower of the Lost and Found series know Mike "The Mike" Millard's favorite artists: Led Zeppelin, The Who, Genesis and The Rolling Stones among them. But if measured by tours recorded, Yes tops the list. Mike taped seven different Yes tours between 1974 and 1991, plus Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe in 1989. We've covered six of those tours already (plus ABWH) in the Lost and Found series and now we finally reach 1991.

The ever-changing line-ups of Yes are well known and the Union tour blends old and new, with the '70s core (Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White) joined by 90215 stalwarts Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye. Together, the 8-piece Yes tour the world for nearly year playing 84 shows on the Union tour.

The setlist balanced MTV-era material from the 90215, Big Generator and Union albums with Yes classics, from the opening "Yours Is No Disgrace" to the perennial closer "Roundabout." One particular highlight from the Union tour is the 20-minute long version of "Awaken" from 1977's "Close To The Edge."

Mike was sitting in the Loge seats for this one, four rows up in Section 9, not his normal sweet spot. Happily, the results don't suffer and Millard makes another fantastic tape of a Yes performance like so many others that preceded it. Samples provided. Mike would go onto tape Yes one more time, three months later in Costa Mesa, which will be featured later in the series.

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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.

Cheers go out this week to Rob S for the transfer; Professor Goody who guided us on pitch; and mjk5510 who handled post production and artwork. Your support means the world to me.

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

BK for JEMS