The Who @ LA Memorial Coliseum 1989-08-26

LIMITED TIME / LAST TIME

https://pixeldrain.com/u/3tuRhGe3

This very welcome upgrade turned up a few years ago. I was there!



The Who
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles, CA
August 26, 1989
Mike Millard First Generation Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 122

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

Transfer: Mike Millard First Generation Cassettes > Nakamichi RX-505 (azimuth adjustment) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture 2496 > MBIT+ resample to 1644 > iZotope RX8 > iZotope Ozone 8 > Audacity > TLH > FLAC

01 Overture
02 It's A Boy
03 1921
04 Amazing Journey
05 Sparks
06 The Acid Queen
07 Pinball Wizard
08 We're Not Gonna Take It
09 Eminence Front
10 Let Me Love Open The Door
12 Face The Face
12 I'm A Man
13 I Can't Explain
14 Substitute
15 I Can See For Miles
16 Trick Of The Light
17 Boris The Spider
18 Who Are You
19 Magic Bus
20 Baba O'Riley
21 My Generation
22 A Little Is Enough
23 5:15
24 Love Reign O'er Me
25 Sister Disco
26 Rough Boys
27 Join Together
28 You Better You Bet
29 Behind Blue Eyes
30 Won't Get Fooled Again
31 Hey Joe
32 Dig
33 Twist And Shout

Known Faults:
-None
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: 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 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:

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667745&hit=1
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=667750&hit=1 

The Who, Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA, August 26, 1989

Given how much The Who toured after 1989, it is easy to forget the year marked a long-awaited return and their first sojourn since the so inaccurately named Farewell Tour in 1982. It's also deeply unsettling to recognize that this show took place nearly 33 years ago; 33 years before the 1989 tour was 1956, the year Elvis first appeared on Ed Sullivan.

As the story goes, it was money that brought The Who back, but there is also no denying the band gave fans their money's worth as this 31-song setlist attests to. These were some of the longest shows of The Who's career. The initial premise was a celebration of Tommy 20 years hence and the tour did feature a couple of full or nearly full performances. But most shows went well beyond the 1969 rock opera.

The 1989 tour is a divisive one. With the expanded line-up, new arrangements and Pete Townshend stepping back to feature primarily on acoustic guitar, some derided it as "The Who on Ice." I didn't think of this until today, but the reception to The Who in 1989 is not dissimilar to Dylan on the road in 1978, which also featured an expanded band and arrangements.

But on the other hand, The Who's '89 setlists are nothing to sneeze at ("Trick Of The Light," "I Can See For Miles," "Join Together," a cover of "Hey Joe") and as ambitious as the band would ever get in that regard. Beyond filthy lucre, part of the deal to get Pete back on the road was surely tied to the inclusion of Townshend solo songs. I for one was thrilled to hear the likes of "Let My Love Open The Door," "A Little Is Enough" and "Rough Boys" in a Who set.

Side-barring for a moment into JEMS history, it was The Who's return to the road that motivated the late, great Jared Houser to purchase our first DAT recorder specifically to capture shows on the '89 tour. The Panasonic SV-255 had to be imported from Japan and cost nearly $3000 (which the Internet tells me is about $6745 today). Wrote Jared of purchase, "I recorded these shows on a new Panasonic DAT deck I bought for this tour. With the exception of my car, it was the most expensive thing I had ever bought and it would get hot enough to fry an egg on!" It was a huge investment, but The Who was Jared's No. 1, so it had to be done.

The Who may not have been No. 1 for Mike Millard, but they were right up there with Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Genesis and Yes. Mike the Mike taped The Who a total of ten times in the '70s and '80s, including his very first recording from the Forum in 1973, released as Vol. 100 in our series. Last week I mentioned Mike's aversion to stadium gigs, but by the late '80s, even Coliseum gigs had switched to reserved seating, so Mike was able to get himself into optimal taping position.

Like his Stones '89 shows from the same venue, Millard's Who recording from the Coliseum is excellent given the size and scope of the event. His pull is clear and full bodied, without too much audience interference. Samples provided. This transfer comes from first-generation tapes Mike made for Ed F, with whom he attended these and the aforementioned Stones concerts. They went to a lot of shows together after Mike's 1988 return from a five-year taping sabbatical.

As Who '89 shows go, this is a good one with the expansive setlist noted above, fine playing all around and good spirits. They had a day off before and two days off after this gig, so it's full energy, albeit 1989 energy.

Our pal Jared taped 15 shows on this tour, which made him something of an expert. When we released his recordings on DIME, he wrote the following about The Who in 1989 which I think gets it right:

The Who in 1989. The Who on Ice. The Vegas show. Many things have been said about this tour, most not good. I enjoyed these shows though. It was a celebration of The Who's career played out in stadiums mostly, with a great band that was, for the most part, Townshend's solo support Deep End with John and Roger on board.

The great Simon Phillips on drums, the equally great Kick Horns, Jodie Linscott on percussion. The only weak link in this band was Steve Bolton on guitar and the tour's finest moments came when PT took over on electric. A band not known for adventurous setlists suddenly were all over the place: Tommy, solo material, covers, songs they hadn't played in more than two decades!

The 1989 shows were comprised of two sets, which started out running about 3 hours before being pared down somewhat after about three weeks on the road. Roger was in great voice, John never better on bass and Pete alternated between acoustic and electric guitar, and sometimes really PLAYED the electric guitar!



###

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.

Special thanks this week to Ed F for loaning us his cassettes, Professor Goody for making sure the pitch was accurate, and to mjk5510, JEMS' air-traffic controller and one-man art department.

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

BK for JEMS