10 Questions with ... 33Miles

NAME:33Miles TITLE:Band WEB:www.33Milesonline.com

Line-up:
Jason Barton
Collin Stoddard
Chris Lockwood

Label:
INO Records

Discography:
One Life (2008)
33Miles (2007)

1) Can you introduce the band using musical history and personality traits?

Collin on Jason: Jason grew up in the small town of Gilbert, LA and went to Louisiana Tech to study singing. He sang his way to Nashville, where he now lives with his wife and two boys, and is currently working on being the most dedicated flosser in all of Tennessee.

Collin on Chris: Chris is well known in his hometown of Mobile for his ability to play guitar, sing unbelievably high notes and make people laugh. During the 10 years he took to finish his degree at University of Mobile, he toured with numerous groups such as Vision and Truth. He still lives in Mobile with his wife and baby girl.

Jason on Chris: Chris has been playing guitar for over 20 years and is a Starbucks freak. He can hit most notes that girls can sing.

Jason on Collin: Collin has been playing piano since he was a wee lad. He is a dog lover, mountain man and the baby of the group.

Chris on Jason: Jason is a pop star at heart. He loves Pop music in general. You can see that he's ready to break out and dance at any point during any of our concerts. He's holding it in but it's going to happen sooner or later.

Chris on Collin: Collin is a Country music lover that is a closet Classical music lover. Nothing like mixing together a little Garth and Bach.

Chris on Chris: Chris grew up on rock 'n' roll, obsesses over Jazz studies, but secretly dreams of traveling back in time to live out his career as the lead singer/guitarist of an '80s hair band.

2) Give us a brief recap from your perspective of your journey to INO and record No. 2.

Jason: The briefest recap I can give is FAST! SUPER FAST. We are coming up on our three-year anniversary of being 33Miles. To have a second CD out in that amount of time without having known these guys my whole life is rather unexplainable. Only God can do something like that!

Collin: I can't believe how far we've come and the opportunities we've had, with the band only existing for three years. It seems like I met Jason and Chris, blinked a few times and now find myself with an awesome record label, two records in stores and a full tour schedule. The Lord has blessed this journey and taught me to not doubt the plans he has for me. Even though I didn't know exactly what he had in store for me, his plan has completely exceeded my expectations. "The Lord is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Eph. 3:20).

Chris: It's pretty amazing. This group is a living testimony to God's providence. We have literally watched God unfold his will right in front of us. In the beginning we were pretty clueless and really didn't realize what we had just stepped into. I still feel that way. Every moment is new to me. I'm blown away by what God has done and continues to do. It's scary because I realize that this has been his doing and that we (including our families and everybody else involved) are trusting that the Lord has this thing. INO has been so gracious to us. Jeff Moseley must have heard the voice of God audibly to take us under his wing. The last three years have been a big surprise and we are amazed that there is a sophomore album already. Everyday just flies by. We were thankful for the first release and are very excited and enthusiastic about this brand new project. I pray that God really uses "One Life" in a special way in the lives of people.

3) What's the story behind the current single "One Life to Love"?

Collin: The song tells two stories of a man on his deathbed and a woman who has just left her family to pursue her own dreams. Both of them look regretfully at the past wishing they had spent more time with their families and made the most of every opportunity the Lord gave them. The song challenges us to look at the time we're given and seize the moment because we only have "one life to love."

Jason: The story is that of 33Miles. Live life to the fullest! Make the most of your "miles." Don't take anything for granted. When you get to the end of your life, don't look back with regrets. Love God and those around you passionately cause you only get "one life to love!"

Chris: This has become the anthem of 33Miles -- make the most of your miles. This is our one chance to live it right. Do not waste a second!

4) What do you hope people leave with after a night featuring the music of 33Miles?

Chris: A heart and a mind transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is all that matters. I hope they have lots of fun, feel much love and come away knowing Christ the King.

Collin: A peace that passes all understanding that only the Lord can give -- and lots of 33Miles merchandise.

Jason: Hopefully they had a good time but ultimately we hope they leave encouraged and closer to Christ!

5) What is your favorite city/venue to play?

Collin: Rock the Light, Kansas City

Chris: Wherever I am at the moment. Every night is a highlight for me. NYC or Boston would be cool though.

Jason: Home. The drive is short and my kids and wife are always able to be there.

6) What are your plans for this fall?

Chris: Travel, play, and drive. Travel, play, and drive. Travel, play, and drive. Then Christmas vacation. Everything that we can do to promote and enjoy this new CD, that's what we're gonna be doing.

Jason: We are doing our own thing this fall. We will be on the road every weekend doing our own shows or playing every once and a while with friends like Caedmon's Call or Casting Crowns.

Collin: To have a birthday and eat at Red Robin

7) Was there a moment in the studio, working on the album "One Life," that you thought, "Ah-ha! There it is! Now we have a record"?

Collin: Yes, when we were waiting for the last song and we heard the single, "One Life to Love." That was it.

Chris: When I went to hear the final mix in Nashville of "Jesus Calling," that's when I thought we had something special.

Jason: That moment came when we recorded "One Life to Love." It was the last song and completely finished the project off perfectly! It put a nice little bow on top, as if to say, "Open, I am a great present!"

8) What's your favorite song to perform live?

Collin: "Gone." The energy is great! People actually think we're leaving, too. It's pretty funny.

Jason: My fav song to perform live is "Just One of Those Days." It's fun and everyone can relate to it.

Chris: I still love "Thank You." It's just fun loving and I have enjoyed the direction that it takes in concert.

9) The bio says, "Ask Chris about the car that crashed into their dressing room and started a gas leak." So?

Chris: We had just stepped into our "green room" when there was a loud boom outside our wall. There was an outside door by our room so we walked out and a car slammed right into the wall outside our room. Just then we heard gas and noticed that it hit the gas line, which was also right outside our room. So we all just yelled, "RUN!!!" The building was evacuated and the fire department came and fixed everything. The concert went on and we had a great night with those sweet people. We are so blessed that the place didn't go up in a mushroom cloud now that I think about it. There was a gas station RIGHT across the street too, which could've made matters worse.

Jason: The video on YouTube explains it best.

10) The bio says, "Ask Collin about that landing during a tornado watch?" So?

Collin: Even though Nashville doesn't seem like a tornado hotspot, the wind that hits the airplane during every landing into Nashville proves otherwise. On one specific landing, all I remember while the plane pitched and turned through the air as the plane plummeted toward the runway was praying that my impending death wouldn't hurt too much and that my wife Jenna would be able to pack up our belongings and move back home to Colorado without too much trouble. After we skidded to a halt on the runway, I looked behind us at the looming dark cloud we had just outrun and I contemplated becoming a monk.

Jason: Collin is naturally afraid of most things. Just kidding. It was really bad! I thought that we were going to become one with the Target that's near the airport. NOT fun! But hey "what could be better" than seeing Jesus?

1) What artist would you like to record with (any genre)?

Collin: Sara Evans

Chris: Sting. He's amazing and the roster of musicians that he typically works with would be the hook-up!

2) Favorite city to visit:

Collin: Washington, D.C.

Chris: Boston or NYC

3) Favorite meal while you're on the road:

Collin: Red Robin

Chris: Chicken 'n' dumplins, green beans (or fried okra) and corn from Cracker Barrel.

4) If you could be in any band from any time, which one would you join?

Collin: The Bee Gees

Chris: The Beatles. I can't imagine being a part of the START of rock 'n' roll.