Millhouse Blues band

Millhouse Blues Band are a band that were formed in 1989 out of local Midland based bands and played their variety and style of Blues, Funk and Rock to give a unique sound. Indeed an altogether new take on the blues, that all the members shared a liking for. The song they chose to play were ones of which the band themselves use to say "It as if we are putting music through the mill". What came out the other side was blues with a twist.
The band's success was largely due the charity work that the band did, The Fun Run of 26 gigs in one night that so very nearly got them into the Guinness Book of Records to raise money for Children In Need and the BBC television appearances on Pebble Mill at 1, 5th May 1993 and Children In Need nights in 1990. 1991, 1992 and 1993.
History
This band, are a bunch of musicians from the Midlands area in the UK. It’s the Redditch area of the Midlands to be precise. The hometown of the legendary drummer of the biggest rock band of the 60’s and 70’s, Led Zeppelin, John Henry Bonham. The band was formed at the Millhouse, the home of Chris Bennett and Mick Essex on the 18/6/89. Lenny and Rick had been in a band together previously called ‘Smokehouse Brown’ a blues band that toured the Midlands of England extensively. Rick had also appeared at a gig with a band that Mick Essex was in called ‘Storyteller’ a year or two previously. The band's first gig was for Bromsgrove Carnival promoting the local newspaper. The second gig was charity gig to raise money for transplant patients. Concerts were played regularly from September 1989 and included several performances in Redditch Town Hall. At the end of 1990 the band a short tour of three venues in Swansea in Wales.
In February 1991 the band made a studio recording their first album which was released on cassette and contained 10 tracks from the bands live show. The Express newspaper mentioned the Millhosue Blues Band as one of the "Ten Best Things About Redditch". In Late April guitarist, Chris Bennett, fell ill with liver failure and was hospitalised. The former Smokehouse Brown Guitarist, Nigel Wicks, took over on second guitar.On the 29th September both Rick Lambe and Lenny Moss left the band over continuing frustrations that the band was not moving forward quickly enough.
Millhouse Mk II
Millhouse Blues Band MK II Millhouse reformed becoming a six piece band with Mick Essex coming off Bass and taking the main vocal job. Gerard Workman on drums, Stefan Wegrzyn took over on Bass, Nigel Wicks still on guitar, Chris Bennett comes back into the band on guitar and the band decided to add a keyboard player into the band to complete the sound with Pete Ware (ex- Divine) filling that job. It was a different kind of sounding band with the enhancement of keyboards and in some ways more sophisticated
The band went from strength to strength and made an impromptu appearance on BBC Pebble Mill’s Children In Need Night in November 1991.
December 1991 Chris Bennett comes out of Millhouse to once again be replaced by Rick Lambe.
In 1992 the band continued to up the profile of the gigs and the material playing more contemporary and sophisticated songs losing the Blues purists along the way but gaining a bigger mainstream audience.
they were playing. More sophisticated songs came in to the band taking it in a different direction and losing the blues purists along the way, playing wider styles of music.
In May 1992 they recorded a 4-track DAT recording at The BBC for an event that was to change the band. The event was a BBC open day celebrating 21 years of Pebble Mill at 1. A programme that was tremendously popular in daytime TV. This event took place on the 21st June 1992. It was quiet an intense schedule as the band played 26 times from 10am to 6pm for simulated shows averaging a song every 15 minutes.
In July they were approached to do Pebble Mill at 1, The John Tainton show and some BBC work, which of course they accepted to do.
Millhouse Record a second album called ‘The BBC Radio Sessions’ 14th September that featured the newer sounds of The Millhouse Blues Band. It featured only 6 tracks two songs were written by Rick Lambe and arranged by the band.. Two days later they were doing ‘Dry Runs’ for shows.
Two weeks later the band performed live on Radio with John Tainton hosting a celebration of 21years of BBC transmission. They were ‘Midland Artists of the Week’ which they featured a track every night from 21st - 25th September 1992. Two days later the band were helping out on the BBC training days for producers in which the band was yet again recorded.
Through this publicity the band were later to be ask to play the Birmingham Press Club dinner dance which was attended by celebrities which took place late October.
The Band Continued to gig hard until the end of the year and the first part of 1993.
The Pebble Mill Show, which was, recorded a couple of days before it went out to the public made its début appearance on TV screens 5th May 1993
Acoustic Millhouse
Millhouse Acoustic Featured: Lenny Moss, Chris Bennett and Rick Lambe. Rick Lambe was at the time working in Hospital radio and was asked by another DJ if I could do an acoustic 'Unplugged' session for the listeners. So I put together a little 4 - track recording session for Hospital Radio only that featured 5 songs. Chris Bennett had not long bought a Resonator guitar and was keen to record with it...he got his chance. It was talked about to go out a gig this but never really got off the ground.
July of this year the band were increasingly anxious and eager to record self-written songs. Pete Ware was offering his co-run studio to do this as songs were already written, but it was increasingly difficult to pin a week's worth of studio time down so no date was ever really was fixed. Frustrations set in and the band was in limbo once again.
Millhouse Mk III
So in August 1993 the band splits up as a six piece to reform as a 4 piece featuring Mick Essex, Gerard Workman, Stefan Wegrzyn and Rick Lambe. Millhouse Mk III. As the band were down to one guitarist the material became of a rock nature losing a little of the sophistication the band had had. This gigged for a short while (4 Months in total) but splitting up in November 1993.
Millhouse Mk IV
Soon after this Millhouse Mk IV is formed featuring Lenny Moss, Chris Bennett, Stefan Wegrzyn, Gerard Workman and Rick Lambe. That made its début appearance 14th November 1993. It was a low-key gigging situation for this line up as Lenny and Rick were involved with another band called "The Official Receivers".
Another four months later sees this line up collapse after a gig on March 10th 1994.
Millhouse II again
Millhouse II reform for a few gigs and go down really well and so by popular demand the band starts to gig again, these were really enjoyable gigs. One gig was for the BBC producer’s day at Pebble Mill and another live Radio session was also planned. It was for the Birmingham Discovery day. The Sujarta Barrett Show BBC Radio WM recorded in Victoria Square Birmingham On the 7th August 1994. Which was a very relaxed session.
The Last gig that Millhouse Blues Band ever played as any of the line up’s was 11th August at the Golden Cross Redditch that was recorded by Pete Ware. It reflects what the band were about and also featured a self penned song called "Love Worked" that appeared on the 'Live At The BBC' recording.
In July 2010 the band will reform for one reunion performance in Redditch to celebrate its creation 21years ago.
Band Members
*Lenny Moss - Vocals - (1989 til 1991) (1992 for Acoustic Millhouse III, 1993 2009 - present).
*Rick Lambe - Guitar - (1989 til 1991) (1991 til 1994 2009 - present).
*Gerard Workman - Drums ( 1989 - 1994 til 2009 - present).
*Mick Essex - Bass & Vocals -(1989 til 1991 om bass) ( 1991 on Vocals - 1994 - 2009 presents).
*Chris Bennett - Guitar - (1989 - 1991) (1992 til 2009 present).
Former Members
*Stefan Wegrzyn - Bass Guitar - ( 1991 til 1994 2009 til present).
*Nigel Wicks - Guitar (1991 - 1994) (2009 til present).
*Peter Ware - Keyboards (1991 - 1993) (1993 - 1994 2009 til present).
Guest Players
*Chris Shrebniak - Keyboards (1991 on studio album only).
*Dave Shelton - Bass guitar (1992).
*Barry Newey - Bass guitar (1992).
*Chris Dyer - Bass guitar ( 1994).
*Griff' - Drums (1992).
Discography
Main article:
The Millhouse Bluse Band
Live At The BBC

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See Also

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