The Millennium
Encyclopedia
The Millennium was an American
super group
based in California
, who were conceived by Curt Boettcher
. The group consisted of psychedelic rock
musicians, and they incorporated sunshine pop
harmonies.
The roots of the band lie in several groups. Boettcher had originally worked with drummer Ron Edgar for a brief time in the folk group The GoldeBriars
. Following the dissolution of The GoldeBriars, Edgar joined the group The Music Machine
, which also featured Doug Rhodes
on bass. The Music Machine scored a Top 20 hit
with the song "Talk Talk" before disbanding. Boettcher had also formed a group called The Ballroom, which featured Sandy Salisbury
as a vocalist. Lee Mallory
had worked as a songwriter and solo performer, and Boettcher had produced some of his recordings, including a cover of Phil Ochs
' "That's The Way It's Gonna Be." The group also featured support from session musician
s such as Jerry Scheff
.
The Millennium recorded one album
, Begin in 1968. Before disbanding, the group recorded one follow-up single: "Just About The Same" b/w "Blight," as well as several tracks that were later released on compilation album
s. Boettcher went on to make several attempts at recording solo albums (only one was released during his lifetime, There's An Innocent Face
), as did Salisbury and Joey Stec
. Michael Fennelly
would end up in the early 1970s group Crabby Appleton
, who signed with Elektra Records
and released two albums, scoring a Top 40 hit with the single "Go Back."
Stec founded the record label Sonic Past Music
in the late 1990s, and this label has subsequently released previously unavailable albums from The Millennium, Boettcher, Salisbury, Mallory, and Stec.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
super group
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, who were conceived by Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. His career spanned 1964 to 1983...
. The group consisted of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
musicians, and they incorporated sunshine pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
harmonies.
The roots of the band lie in several groups. Boettcher had originally worked with drummer Ron Edgar for a brief time in the folk group The GoldeBriars
The GoldeBriars
The Goldebriars were an early 1960s folk quartet, which is most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, with Ron Neilson, as lead guitarist and banjo player...
. Following the dissolution of The GoldeBriars, Edgar joined the group The Music Machine
The Music Machine
The Music Machine was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from the late 1960s, headed by singer-songwriter Sean Bonniwell and based in Los Angeles. The band sound was often defined by fuzzy guitars and a Farfisa organ...
, which also featured Doug Rhodes
Doug Rhodes
Doug Rhodes, multi-instrumentalist, performed with 1960s rock bands The Music Machine and The Millennium.Growing up in Garden Grove, California, Rhodes began his music career as a jazz saxophonist at the age of 16, playing with older brother Robbie Rhodes. Eventually, he became the member of a...
on bass. The Music Machine scored a Top 20 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with the song "Talk Talk" before disbanding. Boettcher had also formed a group called The Ballroom, which featured Sandy Salisbury
Graham Salisbury
Graham Salisbury is an American author. He has written many books including Under the Blood Red Sun, his most famous novel. He lives with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon....
as a vocalist. Lee Mallory
Lee Mallory
Lee Mallory was a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was part of such projects as The Millennium and Sagittarius. His most successful single was a cover of the Phil Ochs/Bob Gibson song "That's The Way It's Going To Be". The song, produced by Curt Boettcher, reached #86 on the charts and was a...
had worked as a songwriter and solo performer, and Boettcher had produced some of his recordings, including a cover of Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs
Philip David Ochs was an American protest singer and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice...
' "That's The Way It's Gonna Be." The group also featured support from session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s such as Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
.
The Millennium recorded one album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Begin in 1968. Before disbanding, the group recorded one follow-up single: "Just About The Same" b/w "Blight," as well as several tracks that were later released on compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s. Boettcher went on to make several attempts at recording solo albums (only one was released during his lifetime, There's An Innocent Face
There's an Innocent Face
There's an Innocent Face was the only solo album that Curt Boettcher ever finished during his life. He was assisted throughout the recording by a young multi-instrumentalist named Webb Burrel. He was somewhat enamored by the early Emitt Rhodes solo albums, and wanted to make the album in a similar...
), as did Salisbury and Joey Stec
Joey Stec
Joey Stec is an American songwriter, singer, guitarist, producer and president of Sonic Past Music.- Biography :In 1967, he became a member of progressive rock band The Millennium. In 1969 he joined the The Blues Magoos, and formed the The Dependables...
. Michael Fennelly
Michael Fennelly
Michael Fennelly is an American musician known for his work as a singer and songwriter in the 1960s and 1970s, notably in The Millennium and Crabby Appleton....
would end up in the early 1970s group Crabby Appleton
Crabby Appleton
Crabby Appleton was an American early 1970s band who scored a Top 40 hit with their first single, "Go Back."The group is named after a character from the Tom Terrific cartoon.-History :...
, who signed with Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and released two albums, scoring a Top 40 hit with the single "Go Back."
Stec founded the record label Sonic Past Music
Sonic past music
Sonic Past Music is a record label in Southern California that specializes in releasing previously unpublished music from main-stream artists. Most of the music from the label is from artists from the 1960s and 1970s Sunshine Pop, Psychedelic Pop era....
in the late 1990s, and this label has subsequently released previously unavailable albums from The Millennium, Boettcher, Salisbury, Mallory, and Stec.
Band members
- Curt BoettcherCurt BoettcherCurt Boettcher was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. His career spanned 1964 to 1983...
(Vocals, guitar, producer) - Lee MalloryLee MalloryLee Mallory was a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was part of such projects as The Millennium and Sagittarius. His most successful single was a cover of the Phil Ochs/Bob Gibson song "That's The Way It's Going To Be". The song, produced by Curt Boettcher, reached #86 on the charts and was a...
(Vocals, guitar) - Sandy SalisburyGraham SalisburyGraham Salisbury is an American author. He has written many books including Under the Blood Red Sun, his most famous novel. He lives with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon....
(Vocals, guitar) - Joey StecJoey StecJoey Stec is an American songwriter, singer, guitarist, producer and president of Sonic Past Music.- Biography :In 1967, he became a member of progressive rock band The Millennium. In 1969 he joined the The Blues Magoos, and formed the The Dependables...
(Vocals, guitar) - Michael FennellyMichael FennellyMichael Fennelly is an American musician known for his work as a singer and songwriter in the 1960s and 1970s, notably in The Millennium and Crabby Appleton....
(Vocals, guitar) - Doug RhodesDoug RhodesDoug Rhodes, multi-instrumentalist, performed with 1960s rock bands The Music Machine and The Millennium.Growing up in Garden Grove, California, Rhodes began his music career as a jazz saxophonist at the age of 16, playing with older brother Robbie Rhodes. Eventually, he became the member of a...
(Bass, harpsichord, piano) and - Ron Edgar (Drums, percussion)
Compilation albums
- The Second Millennium (2000, Dreamsville)
- The Millennium Continues (2000, Trattoria)
- Magic Time (2001, Sundazed Records)
- Voices of the Millennium (Sonic Past Music)
- Pieces (Sonic Past Music)
External links
- Sonic Past Music - record label who has reissued music by The Millennium
- Radio show paying tribute to Curt Boettcher