Elvis Costello & The Rude 5 / Los Angeles 1991 Mike Millard Master Tapes / 2CDR

Elvis Costello & The Rude 5 / Los Angeles 1991 Mike Millard Master Tapes / 2CDR / Uxbridge
The Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, USA 3rd June 1991

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Recently, the surprise of the sound source has begun to rise again, and the weekly Mirrored Master is released, but this time it is a surprising stage of Elvis Costello in 1991. It is a big surprise that Millard was recording his live in the first place, but at the time of this release, the JEMS team stated that “he also recorded Costello in 1979 and 1989”, and they I can’t wait for the release of.
Speaking of Costello in 1991, the famous record “MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE” was released, and following the success of the previous work “SPIKE”, it was a good time for record sales by contracting with a major Warner in the United States. We have formed a new band, Ludo 5, which is a group of musicians who have shared the ties with the long-time backing band Attractions and participated in the recording of those two albums.
Twice
Following them, the tour named “COME BACK IN A MILLION YEARS” started from the theater class venue in the United States. Even so, the popularity at that time can be seen from the fact that it ended with Madison Square Garden, but it was a ridiculously precious time that Millard recorded it.
The tour naturally features a large number of songs recorded in “MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE”, and while being recorded by the parallel movement of the members of the album, it is said that a large amount will be released from the cover song collection “KOJAK VARIETY” which was not released at that time. It became a bullish composition.
However, it becomes a combination of “a new song at that time” and “a cover song without a vein at that time”. Costello probably started the tour from the theater in the sense of listening to those reactions.
Twice
The reaction of the audience is very easy to understand, and even the songs recorded in “MIGHTY LIKE ~” have a good reaction around “The Other Side Of Summer” released as the leading single, but when this becomes another song, for example, “Invasion Hit Parade” The surroundings calm down at once (even though it’s a good song). In that respect, the songs recorded in “KOJAK VARIETY” had the advantage of being a cover even before the release.
As a result, as the tour progressed, the songs included in “MIGHTY LIKE ~” were reduced from the set list, and this “Invasion Hit Parade” disappeared after only 6 performances. Millard recorded the day when such an extremely valuable repertoire was included.

And for this sound source, although it was annotated that it was a sound image with a sense of distance for a mirrored sound at the time of release, the sound quality was very good, partly because the venue was a theater class. On the contrary, JEMS described it as “rich and expansive sound quality.” Especially Costello’s voice is close.
Although the audience was lively at the beginning of the live performance, it became more mature as the new songs like the one above continued (laughs), so this is easy to hear again.
And in the interval until Angkor, I can’t help but be surprised because it is captured that Millard is talking to someone. Until now, his voice was heard such as a request for dubbing after the performance at The Who “LA FORUM 1973 2ND NIGHT: MIKE MILLARD MASTER TAPES”, and a microphone test at the beginning of Pink Floyd “ULTIMATE MILLARD”. Is it extremely valuable to hear his voice in his later years so clearly?
The 1991 “MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE” tour, which is very popular among enthusiasts, and the accompanying “COME BACK IN A MILLION YEARS” tour, but above all, it’s been a long time since there were no items, so this is a surprising sound source. Moreover, Mike Millard recording!

ここ最近また音源のサプライズ度が上がり始めた毎週恒例ミラード・マスターの公開ですが、正に今回は驚きな1991年のエルヴィス・コステロのステージ。そもそもミラードが彼のライブを録音していたこと自体が大きな驚きですが、今回の公開に際してJEMSチームが「彼は79年と89年にもコステロを録音している」との記述があり、それらの公開も待たれるところ。
そんな今回の音源ですが、91年のコステロと言えば名盤「MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE」をリリース、前作の「SPIKE」の成功に次いでアメリカで大手ワーナーと契約してレコード・セールスの好調な時期。長年のバックバンド、アトラクションズと袂を分かち、それら二枚のアルバムのレコーディングに参加したミュージシャンでまとめた新バンド、ルード5を結成しています。

彼らを従えて「COME BACK IN A MILLION YEARS」と名付けられたツアーはアメリカでシアタークラスの会場からスタート。それでいて最後は何とマディソン・スクエア・ガーデンで締めくくったということからも当時の人気が伺えるのですが、そんな中でミラードが録音してくれたのはとんでもなく貴重な時期。
同ツアーは当然ながら「MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE」収録曲を大量にフィーチャー、さらに同アルバムのメンバーの平行移動で録音されながら、当時はリリースされていなかったカバー曲集「KOJAK VARIETY」からも大量投入という強気の構成となりました。
ところが、それは「当時の新曲」と「当時は脈略のないカバー曲」という組み合わせとなってしまう。コステロとしてはそれらの反応も伺う意味でシアターからツアーをスタートさせたのでしょう。

観客の反応は何とも解りやすく、「MIGHTY LIKE～」収録曲でも先行シングルとしてリリースされた「The Other Side Of Summer」辺りでは好反応なのですが、これが他の曲、例えば「Invasion Hit Parade」になると周りが一気に静まって（イイ曲なのに）しまいます。その点「KOJAK VARIETY」収録曲はリリース前でもカバーという強みがあった。
結果としてツアーが進むにつれて「MIGHTY LIKE～」収録曲はセットリストから削減されてしまい、この「Invasion Hit Parade」に至っては、何とたった6回の演奏で姿を消してしまったという。そんな極めて貴重なレパートリーが含まれた日をミラードが録音してくれていたのです。

そして今回の音源ですが、公開時にミラードにしては少し距離感のある音像…との注釈が付いたものの、なんのなんの、会場がシアタークラスだったことも手伝って非常に良好な音質。それどころかJEMSをして「豊かで広がりのある音質」と評したほど。特にコステロの声は近い。
また観客はライブ開始当初こそ賑やかなものの、先のような新曲が続くとみるみる大人しくなる（笑）のでこれがまた聞きやすい。
そしてアンコールまでの合間ではミラードが誰かと話している様子が捉えられているから驚きを禁じえません。これまでもザ・フー「L.A. FORUM 1973 2ND NIGHT: MIKE MILLARD MASTER TAPES」で終演後にダビングのお願い、ピンク・フロイド「ULTIMATE MILLARD」冒頭でマイクのテストといった具合に彼の肉声が聞かれましたが、晩年の彼の声がここまではっきり聞こえるというのは極めて貴重かと。
マニアの間で非常に人気の高い1991年の「MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE」とそれに伴う「COME BACK IN A MILLION YEARS」ツアーですが、何よりアイテムが出なくなって久しいだけに、これは驚きの音源。しかもマイク・ミラード録音！

Disc 1 (60:06)
1. Accidents Will Happen
2. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
3. Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head
4. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
5. The Other Side Of Summer
6. Suit Of Lights
7. Must You Throw Dirt In My Face
8. Invasion Hit Parade
9. Watch Your Step
10. Temptation
11. So Like Candy / I Want You
12. Veronica

Disc 2 (63:47)
1. All Grown Up
2. Hidden Charms
3. You Bowed Down
4. Everybody’s Crying Mercy
5. Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)
6. Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 4
7. How To Be Dumb
8. Sweet Pear
9. Bama Lama Bama Loo
10. Band Introductions
11. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? (with Nick Lowe)
12. Alison
13. Pump It Up

Elvis Costello – Vocal, Guitar

The Rude 5
Marc Ribot – lead guitar
Jerry Scheff – bass
Larry Knechtel – keyboards
Pete Thomas – drums

Uxbridge 1531