different. Raised in a small farming community near Denver, Colorado, Bart felt his calling very early.
Perhaps it was the peaceful air of his hometown, or the fact that he was raised close to the earth; but
somehow he was able to concentrate on the music that he heard in rhythm. Naturally, when it came
time for him to choose an instrument in elementary school, he chose the drums, and never looked back.
Robley was very lucky to have good teachers and mentors who taught him to forego the flash and
concentrate on the rudiments first. And that is what he did. Bart dug deeply and worked on his craft,
through both elementary and high school. When he felt strong enough to branch out, he had the strong
basis on which to build the flair that has become his own thundering style.
didn't keep him from backing some of the more talented bands and joining them in club gigs and tours. This was the beginning of a
long history of studio work and myriad bands which would keep Bart busy
up to the present day.
Through his many projects, Bart learned the nuances of rock, country,
jazz, fusion and most
particularly hard rock and heavy metal. As his thirst for musical adventures
grew, so did his need
for larger projects. So he bid goodbye to his small town life and, in
1989, relocated to Southern
California. Bart networked the L.A. music scene, replete with a host of
metal, punk and
industrial bands. But fate smiled on him when he met with another out-of-towner,
guitarist Steve Cenker. This formed the basis for an original band named
War Crime, and together with local bassist A.J. Schad, the trio burst
forth on the L.A. scene, slinging fiery metal at a thirsty crowd. In its
long and storied history, War Crime released two albums on Black Wall
Records, became an
underground hit in Southern California and garnered huge support in European airplay and sales. Endless touring ensued, testing even the limits of these hardened rock warriors. By 1998, the band had seen the departure of A.J. Schad, and though he was temporarily replaced, Cenker and Robley decided to lay their metal beast to its final rest. Robley remained friends with Cenker, as the two pursued separate career paths, relaying their musical stories and woes to one another along the way. Bart returned to studio work and live performances as a 'hired gun' in many diverse projects from country to hard rock. It was one of these situations that led to Bart being hired full time by Southern Rock mainstays The Sam Morrison Band.
