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Xavier Birtwich's Collection

The Who   08/22/1989

Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, CA
Source Mike Millard first gen via JEMS AUD - xavierbirtwich@hotmail.com - outlook 5GB one drive
Media FLAC   3 discs
Notes Mike Millard first gen via JEMS AUD - xavierbirtwich@hotmail.com - outlook 5GB one drive
Tech Notes The Who
Jack Murphy Stadium
San Diego, CA
August 22, 1989
Mike Millard First-Generation Tapes via JEMS
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 207

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

JEMS 2024 Transfer: Mike Millard First-Generation Cassettes > Nakamichi RX-505 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX > iZotope RX9 Advanced and Ozone 9 > MBIT+ resample to 16/44.1 > Audacity > xACT 2.50 > FLAC

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

Known Faults:
-None

Introduction to the Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Series

Welcome back 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, Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, CA, August 22, 1989

Devoted followers of the Lost and Found series know that Mike "The Mike" Millard did not favor stadium shows. In fact during the golden era, the first ten years of his taping career from 1973 to 1983, he only recorded one stadium gig, The Who at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego in 1982, a tape he grades as "Poor" on his list.

Millard's aversion to stadiums explains why he didn't record Yes, The Who, Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton or Pink Floyd at Anaheim Stadium circa 1976-78.

But when Mike returned to taping in 1988, one of the first shows he recorded was the Amnesty Human Rights Now! Tour which featured among others Bruce Springsteen and Peter Gabriel, two artists that appealed to him enough to try stadium taping again, this time with more success. Mike's Amnesty recordings (found on Vols. 9, 138, 139 and 178) proved he could achieve Mike The Mike level results in a huge outdoor setting.

Fast forward to 1989 and two key Millard artists, The Who and Rolling Stones, were doing stadium tours and having cracked the code at Amnesty a year earlier, Mike was ready.

This Who concert was Mike's first stadium recording of 1989 and unlike his failed '82 effort, he makes a fantastic recording at Jack Murphy Stadium. He also catches an extremely good performance for a tour the late, great Jared Houser (the J in JEMS) affectionately called "The Who on Ice."

The expanded line-up of musicians on stage surely deviated from the classic Who format, but it also opened up the range of possibilities as some of these song selections make clear. The 1989 tour featured the most generous setlist of the band's career with shows stretching close to the three hour mark and on this night topping 30 songs.

The tour centered around Tommy, songs from which make up the first 8 songs of the set. But after that all bets are off as the band for the first time mixes established Who classics with Townshend solo songs like "Rough Boys" and "Let My Love Open the Door." There are also unexpected covers ("I'm a Man") and some fine catalog deep cuts like "Trick Of The Light," "Sister Disco," "Join Together" and "Pictures Of Lily."

All in all this is a thoroughly entertaining listen. Millard is close and the sound quality is excellent and punchy, even coming from a first-generation copy. Samples provided.

###

JEMS is immensely proud to partner with Rob, Jim R, Ed F, Barry G, Jim Ri 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.

Thanks as always to Jim R, Rob S, Jim Ri, Barry Goldstein, Ed F and everyone else who has lent their tapes to us. Thanks to Professor Goody for chiming in on proper tape pitch. As always, mjk5510 gave this its final polish before it rolled off the showroom floor and designed the artwork.

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

BK for JEMS
Trades Allowed Yes
Ratings Sound: AUD
Reference / Generation xavierbirtwich@hotma
Owned by Xavier Birtwich · Last Updated Mar 11, 2026