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The members of the Mullets band start each show with a 鈥渟hot鈥� toast as drummer Russ Flack says, 鈥淗ere we go again.鈥�

That may not seem so significant, except the band has done this 3,000 times before playing live music across the Myrtle Beach area over an amazing 40-year span.

Anyone who has followed the music scene along the Grand Strand since the mid-80s has heard or heard of the Mullets. Next month, the band will celebrate its 40th聽anniversary together, a feat almost unheard of, especially for local or regional bands.

The Mullets consist of rhythm guitarist Bob O鈥機onnor, lead guitarist Terry Amaker, drummer Flack and bassist Tom Smith. All but Smith are original members. His bandmates call him the new kid. He鈥檚 only been in the group for 30 years.

Another original member, singer and sound man Jack Willits, died in 2016.

On some nights, O鈥機onnor鈥檚 son Casey will hop on stage and play a mean harmonica for a few songs.

O鈥機onnor said the band first got together on Valentine鈥檚 Day in 1984.

鈥淲e were just some guys who played and got together for one gig only, the Heart telethon,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have plans to form a band but everything worked between us鈥nd here we are.鈥�

Originally, the Mullets played mostly weekends and some gigs during the week.

鈥淲e all had other jobs and we would just come in and play,鈥� Amaker said. 鈥淲e never even rehearsed. Somebody would bring up a song and we鈥檇 do it on the fly.鈥�

He said playing in the band was a great release from the stress and strain of work during the week.

Now that age is catching up with them, they play usually just a couple of times a month.

Amaker laughed, 鈥淎nd we actually rehearse now so that we can remember the songs.鈥�

Flack chimed in, 鈥淵eah, we have a lot of Prevagen jokes now,鈥� referring to the drug that helps with memory loss.

O鈥機onnor said from the outset, the Mullets had a great, supportive following among music fans along the Grand Strand.

鈥淏ack then, we were one of only a few bands playing rock and roll around here,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had some offers to go full-time but by then, we had family and kids at home. We didn鈥檛 want to leave them to travel the Holiday Inn circuit. Staying a weekend band was the best thing we ever did.鈥�

So how did the band stay together so long when the life span of most groups is usually much shorter?

Every member said it was because they have remained friends over the years. Amaker said the friendship goes beyond the lighted stage.

鈥淲e hang out together even when we鈥檙e not playing,鈥� he said.

O鈥機onnor said he couldn鈥檛 remember one argument among the band members.

鈥淭his is what we all felt a band should be,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 any egos. Everybody can play and our voices blend really well. Nobody tries to outshine the other.鈥�

Over a span of 40 years, there have to be some special memories tucked away.

Smith, who joined the band in 1994, said he can remember the days when bars still had to serve drinks in mini-bottles.

鈥淭he clubs would give us sleeves of tequila mini-bottles and we鈥檇 throw them into the audience,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter a while, we figured that probably wasn鈥檛 a good idea, even though they were plastic.鈥�

O鈥機onnor said one time when playing the Crawfish Festival in 1989, George McCorkle who had been an original member of the Marshall Tucker Band sat in with the band.

He added that one perk of playing at bars is that a lot of times they get free drinks.

鈥淥ver the years, if not for that, we probably would have had a million-dollar bar tab,鈥� O'Connor said.

The Mullets played to a full house earlier this month at the Dead Dog Saloon along the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk.

So how do they keep drawing the crowds year in and year out?

鈥淲e are able to hold the crowd with our music,鈥� Amaker said.

O鈥機onnor said the fan base has remained loyal over the decades 鈥渁nd now we鈥檙e playing to our friends鈥� grandkids.鈥�

One fan, Wayne Mershon, said the Mullets play the music he grew up listening to.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e really great musicians and I love the music they play,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e actually become friends with them over the years.鈥�

All say the best change over the years is that they don鈥檛 have to play so late at night.

Smith and Flack said they remember playing gigs that didn鈥檛 start until 10 or 11 at night and ended around two or three in the morning.

O鈥機onnor said he could remember times when he was getting home as his wife was getting their son ready for school.

鈥淣ow,鈥� he laughed, 鈥渨e play from 6 to 9 [p.m.] and I鈥檓 in bed around the time we used to get started.鈥�

The Mullets may only be playing a couple of times a month, but none are ready to leave the stage for good.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 play as often, but we鈥檙e not ready to quit,鈥� Flack said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the band that refuses to go away.鈥�

The Mullets will be holding a special 40th聽anniversary show at the Dead Dog on Feb. 17. You better get there early to get a good seat. They don鈥檛 like to stay up late.