Meet Dennis Bradley | Lead Guitarist & Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dennis Bradley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dennis, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Everyone in the band is a lifelong musician, with decades of experience playing live in various other bands before Mimic. Darrin (Lead Vocals) and Dennis (Lead Guitar) met while playing in another band that they were both “hired guns” in – not core members of the group. They decided to leave and start Mimic. Darrin recruited Rob (Bass), who he had played with in another band for years. Dennis found Jim (Drums) on a musician website, BandMix, and Rob had also played in a band with Jim years ago. Dennis also played in a tribute band with our sound engineers, Aaron and Tyler, so they were recruited to run sound and be the “road crew” for the band. The goal of everyone was, and remains, to play classic rock and roll from the 1960s through the 1990s at festivals, concert series, and bars to keep this great music alive. Many of the band’s fans grew up on this music, and Mimic are gaining a following among younger generations who are being exposed to this genre of music as well. Playing these songs as accurate to the originals as possible, while having fun doing it, is our goal.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Although there are other bands in Colorado who play classic rock or include the genre in their performances as a variety band, Mimic take pride in performing our music as close to the original songs as possible, hence our name. We take great pride in rehearsing until we get the songs right and do justice to them. Our fans grew up on this music – it is part of the fabric of their lives. We’ve had couples who attend our shows tell us afterwards that we played “their song,” and it meant so much to them. We’ve also had fans tell us what a rough week they’ve had due to personal tragedies in their lives, and that hearing songs that bring back fond memories from happier times put a smile on their face for the first time in days. That’s why we play this music – it is timeless, and the joy of music transcends the performance – it’s really about connecting with people and sharing our passion for these bands and songs, that we all grew up with. Every member of the band has worked very hard to get where we are today. Darrin has been singing and playing in bands for 3 decades. Dennis served as a military musician in the Marines in the early 1990s before changing his job to a combat related specialty. Rob is a multi-instrumentalist who has played in various types of groups for over 25 years. And Jim began playing professionally at the age of 15 and has played in numerous groups for nearly 5 decades all over the country. Every member of the band is a veteran – Darrin spent time in the Navy, Dennis had a 30-year career in the Marines, Rob was on the Colorado Springs police force for over 10 years, and Jim spent 28 years in uniform between the Navy and Army.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When someone visits Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods or Pike’s Peak are usually the main attractions. But we all think it’s important to see more than just the main tourist spots to truly experience the area. Two of our favorite places to hang out (and perform at) are Palmer Lake Pub, owned by our friends Troy and Chantel Price, and 110 Reserve in Woodland Park, owned by our friend Pam Mikesell. Both spots have great food, very friendly staff who treat everyone like family, and are just great places to relax and enjoy a drink, preferably after a day of hiking or mountain biking (hobbies which many of the guys in the band participate in). Colorado Springs is a paradise for those who love the outdoors – be sure to check out Palmer Park, Ute Valley Park, Cheyenne Canyon, and the Monument, Palmer Lake, and Woodland Park areas for great hiking, camping, mountain biking, and nightlife.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This band is a partnership between four musicians. Unlike some bands, there is no designated leader or boss. Darrin Mlaker is our lead vocalist and also plays keyboards, rhythm guitar, and harmonica. Dennis Bradley is our lead guitarist, and also handles backing vocals. Although he is the band’s manager and handles much of the business end of the group, all members pitch in when it comes to booking gigs and promoting the band on social media. Rob Elsner is our bassist, and he also provides backing vocals, and Jim Baggarly is our drummer.

Website: https://www.MimicRocks.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mimicrocks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MimicRocks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MimicRocks

Image Credits
Erin Kiemele, Sarah Brezniak.