Mark Blevis

The last time I played in a band with Robert Farrell was in 1997.  We did a series of gigs at The Wellington Roadhouse in what was the last incarnation of that band I was a member of before changing priorities pulled me away.  Robert and I had been in bands together for eight years.  Actually, those Roadhouse gigs may have been the last time Robert and I actually played musical instruments together (even though we’ve remained good friends).

I first met Robert in 1989.  I had become good friends with his younger brother, Jamie.  Jamie sang and played saxophone and still does both. After finishing high school, I suggested that we start a band.  Jamie introduced me to Robert and, shortly after, Millennium was formed.  It was a loose outfit, seven members strong: Jamie (vocals and sax), Robert (vocals and guitar), Graham (guitar and vocals), me (bass and vocals), Linda (keyboards), Danielle (vocals) and a revolving door of drummers (Rob, Al, another Al, Jessel and one or two others).

Millennium played songs by the Scorpions, Smithereens, Jethro Tull, ZZ Top, Sting, Van Halen and others, and a few of our own.  We were all over the place musically. When the band wasn’t playing, Robert and I practiced, wrote and recorded music.  When we weren’t working on music, we worked for the same company and hung out.

That seven-piece pop/rock band went through a number of turbulent transitions.  Robert and I remained the core of the band.  Eventually, with a drummer named Eric, we became a tight and energetic three-piece blues/rock band, Thunderbird, with a decent following.  Our music repertoire made more sense: Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, The Arc Angels, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and others, and a few of our tunes.

Lots of stories later…

The Wellington Roadhouse gigs (with Lorenzo on drums) came at a time when I couldn’t keep up with Robert’s ambitions.  Since then, we’ve talked several times over the years about playing in a band together, again.  The reason has always been that we had fun playing music together.

I’ve actually been in a few bands since my last gig with Robert and I’ve enjoyed working on music with other people.  However, there’s a chemistry that I’ve never found in any other combo I’ve been a part of.

After a long break, Robert and I hooked up with yet another drummer — another guy named Mark.  The three of us opened up our first rehearsal, today, with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Cold Shot.  It felt great.

Rehearsals will continue and there’s talk of some gigs.