Strike a Good Pose

“The bass player and I hooked up on Facebook, and I made a joking comment about how I guess we’ll be getting back together,” says singer Mark Copeland of the long-defunct band Sanctuary. “Well, long story short, now all five original members have been practicing for a month, and we’re doing a 30-year reunion show.”

In 1981, says Copeland, “We were lucky to get $100 per gig, when they weren’t trying to pay us in beer. The big place to play was an under-21 club called Straighta Head Sound on El Cajon Boulevard, where we watched Jake E. Lee play before he joined up with Ozzy and Robbin Crosby before he joined Ratt.”

Guitarist Steve Cox recalls, “I hadn’t even [had sex] yet, but I eventually shacked up with a band slut until 1988. From what I remember, if you were cute, struck a good pose, and had blow, you were in.” Cox later played with Psychotic Waltz and Suicide Doors.

Copeland and Cox will be rejoined by bassist Jim Mills (currently with Southbound Jonny), singer-guitarist Frank Kowalski (who plays with Verge of Distortion), and drummer Mike Lewis (of Ironworks). “There will never be another 30-year reunion,” says Copeland, “unless Mike can still play the drums at 83 and the rest of us can rock out in our late 70s.”

The reunited Sanctuary appears March 27 at Fannie’s. “Attendees will see that 50-year-olds can still rock out. We’re taking this show very seriously; we’ve been rehearsing for three and a half months. I love great cigars, but I even stopped smoking in preparation for this gig. I really look forward to lighting up when we come offstage, though.”