The Millennium -

The Millennium was an American pop-psychedelic studio band assembled by Curt Boettcher. They released their sole album, Begin, in 1968 on Columbia Records. The group continued Boettcher’s harmony-driven orchestral pop approach established in his earlier projects The Ballroom and Sagittarius.

Members: Curt Boettcher (producer, vocals, guitar), Ron Edgar (drums), Doug Rhodes (bass, harpsichord, piano), Michael Fennelly (vocals, guitar), Lee Mallory (vocals, guitar), Sandy Salisbury (vocals, guitar), Joey Stec (vocals, guitar)

Background

The Millennium formed in Los Angeles in 1967 from a core of musicians previously associated with Curt Boettcher’s earlier projects, notably The Ballroom and the studio collective behind Sagittarius. Boettcher (vocals, guitar, keyboards) had developed a reputation as a producer and songwriter following his 1960s folk work with The GoldeBriars at the University of Minnesota alongside drummer Ron Edgar. After The GoldeBriars dissolved, Edgar joined The Music Machine with multi-instrumentalist Doug Rhodes (organ, celeste), who also became a key contributor to The Millennium.

Boettcher produced The Association’s 1966 debut album And Then… Along Comes the Association, which yielded the hits “Along Comes Mary” and “Cherish.” Boettcher and Tandyn Almer co-wrote the former, though only Almer received official credit. Boettcher’s role included vocal demos and arrangements that shaped the final recordings. Doug Rhodes played celeste on “Cherish” and later organ and backing vocals for The Music Machine. After internal conflicts in The Music Machine, Edgar and Rhodes left to collaborate with Boettcher in new ventures.

In 1966, Boettcher assembled The Ballroom, a group including vocalist/guitarist Sandy Salisbury and vocalist Michele O’Malley, producing an album of lush, harmony-rich pop that remained unreleased until decades later. The Ballroom’s recordings feature Boettcher’s production and songwriting alongside contributions from Lee Mallory, a guitarist and songwriter active in the San Francisco and Los Angeles folk scenes. Mallory had recorded solo singles, including a Phil Ochs cover, and worked with Boettcher on early sessions. He also co-wrote several tracks with Boettcher in The Ballroom and later in The Millennium.

The Sagittarius project, co-produced by Boettcher and Gary Usher, overlapped chronologically with The Ballroom and laid the groundwork for The Millennium’s sound. The Sagittarius album Present Tense featured multiple musicians who would later join The Millennium, including Michael Fennelly (vocals, guitar), who also contributed electric sitar and vocals to Sagittarius. Fennelly, originally from New York and raised in New Jersey, had relocated to Los Angeles to join Boettcher’s studio collective by 1967.

Joey Stec (guitar, vocals), another Millennium member, had roots in the Midwest before becoming a solo artist and producer. Sandy Salisbury, born in Philadelphia and raised in Hawaii, had experience as a session musician for acts like The Association and Paul Revere & the Raiders before joining Boettcher’s groups.

The Millennium’s lineup blended these seasoned session players and songwriters with Boettcher’s production vision, aiming to create richly layered, harmony-driven sunshine pop. Columbia Records released their self-titled debut in 1968, though the band dissolved shortly after due to limited commercial success. Members like Rhodes and Edgar continued studio work with other projects, including Bigshot, which involved Boettcher and Gary Usher.

Begin

The Millennium released their debut album, Begin, in July 1968 on Columbia Records.

The album contains eleven originals primarily composed by Joey Stec, Michael Fennelly, and Curt Boettcher, with additional writing from Lee Mallory, Sandy Salisbury, and Doug Rhodes. Stec and Fennelly co-wrote several tracks (“It’s You,” “To Claudia on Thursday,” “I Won’t Always Be the Same”), Boettcher penned or co-wrote multiple songs including “The Know It All” and “Karmic Dream Sequence #1,” and Mallory contributed “Some Sunny Day” and “Sing to Me.” Salisbury contributed one track, “5 A.M.,” while Rhodes co-wrote “Anthem (Begin).”

Begin features Stec on vocals and guitar, Fennelly on lead vocals and guitar, Mallory on vocals and guitar, Salisbury on vocals and guitar, Rhodes on bass and keyboards, and Edgar on drums and percussion. The production layered multiple instruments and overdubs, including session musicians for additional parts. The arrangements use harpsichord, flute, trumpet, oboe, and Asian instruments such as koto. The group’s vocal harmonies reflect complex layering and counterpoint, anchored by Boettcher’s detailed production.

A1. “Prelude” (1:15) – harpsichord and drums create a sparse, rhythmically precise intro with tuba as bass instrument
A2. “To Claudia on Thursday” (3:25) – layered Latin percussion including cuica; warm vocal harmonies; romantic lyrics dedicated to Boettcher’s wife
A3. “I Just Want to Be Your Friend” (2:37) – melancholic mood driven by electric guitar; tape delay effects emphasize vocal phrasing
A4. “5 A.M.” (2:40) – bossa nova rhythm; vocal reverb in the left channel produces a harsh, textural effect
A5. “I’m With You” (2:35) – pedal steel guitar intro; backing vocals add brightness; flute solo provides sharp contrast
A6. “The Island” (3:22) – psychedelic haze with warm vocal layering; lyrical focus on mental freedom; ends with spoken vocals
A7. “Sing to Me” (2:21) – horn section punctuates a subdued arrangement; Boettcher overdubs vocals atop Mallory’s lead

B1. “It’s You” (3:18) – phased drum intro; folk-rock fused with Indian chant elements; lyrics address government secrecy
B2. “Some Sunny Day” (3:24) – pedal steel leads; country-rock influence; Boettcher replaces original lead with overdubbed vocals
B3. “I Won’t Always Be the Same” (2:58) – folk-rock with social commentary; partial vocal overdubs by Boettcher harmonize with lead
B4. “The Know It All” (2:41) – rock orientation with trumpet punctuations; energetic drums and sharp rhythmic shifts
B5. “Karmic Dream Sequence #1” (5:57) – minor-key verses shift to major; extended koto solo with tape feedback; relentless drum pace
B6. “There Is Nothing More to Say” (2:25) – emotive ballad with enveloping vocal textures; co-written by Boettcher, Fennelly, and Mallory
B7. “Anthem (Begin)” (2:40) – sound collage of backward tapes, studio effects, and choral chants ending with “Columbia – C.B.S.” fade-out

Sessions occurred between 1967 and 1968 at Columbia Studios, Los Angeles, with Curt Boettcher and Keith Olsen producing. Engineer Dick Bogert handled the recording amid concurrent sessions for other Columbia artists.

Begin appeared in a gatefold sleeve featuring cover art by artist George Bartell, whose colorful, surrealist imagery evokes late-1960s psychedelia. The inner gatefold contains photos of the band and studio candid shots.

Columbia released “It’s You” as the lead single (b/w “I Just Want To Be Your Friend”) in advance of the album. Despite favorable critical notices, it reached only regional charts and failed to propel the album commercially. The album did not chart in the US or UK, prompting Columbia to cancel further releases and leading to the group’s dissolution.

Later Activity

Despite its lack of commercial success, Begin gained critical reappraisal in later decades. Columbia reissued the album on CD in 1990, including two previously unreleased tracks, “Blight” and “Just About the Same,” initially intended for a follow-up single.

Curt Boettcher’s pioneering production and layered vocal arrangements influenced subsequent sunshine pop and psychedelic acts. Lee Mallory continued performing until his death in 2005, and Michael Fennelly occasionally resurfaced online to discuss the band’s legacy.

Fennelly made two albums with Crabby Appleton and another two as a solo artist.

Rhodes and Edgar continued studio work with other projects, including Bigshot, which involved Boettcher and Gary Usher.

Discography: