Donovan / LA Forum 1977 Mike Millard Master Tapes / 1CDR

Donovan / LA Forum 1977 Mike Millard Master Tapes / 1CDR / Uxbridge

The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA 23rd & 24th September 1977

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This week’s release of the Mirrored Master by the JEMS team was a record at the 1977 LA Forum for the first time in a while, but Donovan was very surprised by the artist. The combination of him and Millard is something that doesn’t come to mind, but it must have been recorded “in the meantime” because he was the opening act for the 1977 American tour of Jesus.
At this time, Jesus performed twice at the LA Forum on September 23rd and 24th (the former was the day of the masterpiece “MIKES’S MINT”, and the master release here is also awaited), but Millard Benefited from recording on both days, the Donovan stage is also left with both.

However, on the first day, the opening was cut-in and all songs were recorded, and on the second day only half of the songs were recorded, and as I said at the beginning, Millard recorded it as a warm-up for the recorder. Obvious. However, as an episode that became clear at the time of this release, it seems that the basic mirrored is rarely recorded up to the opening of the concert, and it seems that it is a result of riding such as if it is a single Donovan, it is okay to record it.
However, with regard to quality, the high quality that is unique to them explodes here as well. Even in the undercard, the sound image that is terribly on is exactly the mirrored section. He hardly picks up the surrounding sounds, and the thickness of the whole performance overwhelms the listener. If this is the case, I wonder if it can be put out by pressing.
In addition, Donovan at that time had just released a new album bearing his own name in the summer, and he was playing the rock sound of the music world at that time with the band, so it was even more so with mirrored recording. The compatibility was good.

However, it is still the masterpieces of the 1960s that the audience responds to. “Sunshine Superman” has a hard band arrangement that is conscious of the trends of the time, and it is easy to understand that “Hurdy Gurdy Man”, which was a big hit in the United States, is the most exciting. It’s a stage in front of an audience aiming for basic Jesus, so no matter how much you just released a new album, it’s unavoidable to show a nostalgic excitement.
Even so, from Donovan’s point of view, it would be enough to be able to perform at a large venue such as the LA Forum, and it is wonderful to be playing very happily for both days. He is also a stage at a large venue called the LA Forum, and it is a valuable scene unique to this time that he dares to switch to electric and show off his narration instead of the acoustic guitar that was in line with his image until then.
Above all, the release of Donovan’s live sound source has been cut off for a long time, especially in the 70’s, not in the 1960’s, which can be called his heyday. As a result, Millard not only accidentally captured his stage at a very valuable time, but also captured him in the late 70’s when the existence of the sound source itself was rare and live activities were limited. But it was a very meaningful excavation.
And because it was the undercard, and because the second day was recorded only from the middle, it is easy to hear that the playing time fits perfectly on one CD. Moreover, the exceptional quality that seems to be mirrored is still alive this time. Record the extremely valuable time of Donovan’s live performance with the best sound quality, which will surprise enthusiasts all over the world!

今週のJEMSチームによるミラード・マスターの公開は久しぶりに1977年のLAフォーラムでの記録でしたが、アーティストが非常に意外だったドノヴァン。彼とミラードという組み合わせは思い浮かばないものがありますがそれもそのはず、彼がイエス77年アメリカ・ツアーの前座を務めたことから「ついで」に録音したものでした。
この時のイエスは9月23日と24日にLAフォーラムで都合二回のライブを行いました（前者は名盤「MIKES’S MINT」の日で、こちらのマスター公開も待たれます）が、ミラードがどちらの日も録音した恩恵を受け、ドノヴァンのステージもまた両方が残されています。

ただし初日はオープニングがカットインで一応すべての曲を収録、二日目は半分の演奏曲しか収録されておらず、冒頭にも申しましたようにミラードがレコーダーのウォーミングアップを兼ねて録音したのは明白。もっとも今回の公開に際して明らかになったエピソードとして、基本ミラードはコンサートの前座まで録音することは稀で、一重にドノヴァンなら録ってもいいかな…といった乗りの成果だそう。
ところがクオリティに関しては彼らしいハイクオリティがここでも炸裂。前座でも凄まじくオンな音像は正にミラード節。周囲の音をほとんど拾っておらず、演奏全体の肉厚が迫力たっぷりに聞く者を圧倒する。これならフツーにプレスで出せるレベルかと。
おまけに当時のドノヴァンは自身の名前を冠したニューアルバムを夏に出したばかりであり、彼なりに当時の音楽界を意識した風潮のロックなサウンドをバンドと共に奏でていたので、なおさらミラード録音との相性が良かった。

とはいえオーディエンスが反応を示すのはやはり60年代の名曲群。「Sunshine Superman」は当時の風潮を意識したハードなバンドアレンジが施されていますし、アメリカで大ヒットした「Hurdy Gurdy Man」が一番盛り上がるというのも解りやすい。基本イエスをお目当てにしたオーディエンスを前にしたステージですので、いくらニューアルバムを出したばかりとは言え、懐メロ的な盛り上がりを見せてしまうのは致し方ない。
それでもドノヴァンからすればLAフォーラムのような大会場で演奏できただけでも十分に満足なのでしょう、二日間とも非常に楽しそうに演奏しているのがお見事。彼はLAフォーラムという大会場でのステージでもあり、それまでの彼のイメージに沿ったアコギではなく、敢えてエレキに持ち替えて弾き語りを披露しているのもこの時期ならではの貴重な場面。
何よりドノヴァンのライブ音源のリリースというのは途絶えて久しく、それが彼の全盛期と呼べる60年代でなく、70年代ともなればなおさら。結果としてミラードは非常に貴重な時期の彼のステージを偶然捉えていたというだけでなく、音源の存在自体が希少でライブ活動も限られていた70年代後半の彼を捉えてくれていたという点でも大変に意義のある発掘となったのです。
そして前座であったということや、二日目は途中からしか録音しなかったということもあり、CD一枚にすっぽり収まる演奏時間というのが聞きやすい。なおかつミラードらしい別格のクオリティは今回も健在。世界中のマニアを驚かせるであろう、ドノヴァンのライブにおける極めて貴重な時期の記録を極上音質で！

(61:40)
The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA 23rd September 1977

01. Cosmic Wheel
02. Sunshine Superman
03. Brave New World
04. Lady Of The Stars
05. Hurdy Gurdy Man
06. The Intergalactic Laxative
07. Local Boy Chops Wood
08. The Light
09. Mellow Yellow
10. Atlantis

The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA 24th September 1977

11. The Intergalactic Laxative
12. Local Boy Chops Wood
13. The Light
14. Mellow Yellow
15. Atlantis

Uxbridge 1523

Uxbridge 1523