Welcome to the 223rd insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we uncover the highly secretive world of illicit Rock ‘n Roll bootlegging, explaining how a community of ruthless metalheads stole thousands of priceless shows through false disability and unrivalled passion.
The art of concert bootlegging is a widely criticized act that ripped the music industry in half. Entering the 1970s, enthusiasts of world-dominating musicians like Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Rush, Wings and so on became fascinated with the incredibly lucrative discographies of rockstars worldwide. With unreleased songs, covers and raw performance-based energy available exclusively in person at live venues, many became obsessed with making their own recordings of otherwise undocumented performances.
Birthing what is now known as concert bootlegging, this form of piracy would catch fire in secretive rock ‘n roll communities throughout the later half of the 20th century. Despite a considerably high risk from managers like Peter Grant who beat countless music pirates, the thrill and trade of 1/1 tapes was simply too great to resist for many. Of those, sits legends like Mike Millard who would set an industry standard for some of the most revolutionary bootlegs ever heard.
In his days, technology hadn’t caught up to the needs of archivists, meaning many were forced to get creative. Having recorded over 300 concerts between the years of ‘73-’94, Millard, alongside a close-knit team, developed a strategy in which he’d position his infamous Japanese cassette recorder in a wheelchair, sit on it and mount mics to his hat. Once in the venue, he’d go precisely 8 rows back from center stage and throw pennies at overly loud concert-goers.
Obtaining what is now regarded as the time’s greatest recordings, Millard was strictly against the sale of illicit tapes, customizing each distributed cassette with hidden markings to ensure they weren’t sold. Ironically, his work would come full circle when Led Zeppelin included one of his recordings in their official DVD.
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