10 Questions with ... 39 Stripes

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

BAND LINE-UP:

• Mike Wilson (vocals)
• Steve Henderlong (lead guitar, vocals)
• Joe Costa (drums)
• Ray Schurr (bass)
• Jason Bradley (rhythm guitar)

LABEL:

• Hollar Records

DISCOGRAPHY:

• Beyond Broken (2010)

1) Introduce the members of the band using musical background and/or personality traits (the quirkier the better).

Mike: My vocal influences include Geoff Tate, Otis Redding, Jeff Buckley, Myles Kennedy and Ray Charles, to name a few. I started out singing in church (son of a preacher) and was a band/chorus geek throughout high school playing saxophone. I'm self-taught on guitar and piano and studied classical voice in college. I'm also an "American Idol" veteran, which means I am extremely shy.

Steve: I come from a family of guitar players and was always mesmerized by my dad's old guitar leaning up against his dresser when I was a kid. He later gave it to me; I still have it. I have had the honor of playing with many of my musical heroes including the late, great Les Paul a few times in Times Square. The band and I played with Petra on their farewell tour, and I now own and record with two of Bob Hartman's main guitars that he used during his huge Christian music career.

Ray: I was a studio bass player and played for years in church doing praise and worship. The guys call me "Raydar" because I know the weather conditions anywhere I am at any given time.

Jason: I was in the middle of recording a guitar instrumental CD when Steve called and said they were thinking of adding another guitarist to the line-up. The album "Beyond Broken" was already recorded, but we jumped right into shooting the video for the title track.

Joe: I actually started out playing guitar but decided one day I really just wanted to play the drums instead, so I taught myself. The first kit I put together was made of any drum pieces that I could find and even used bicycle parts for the hardware. My tom stand was made from the actual handlebars with lots of duct tape! I used that until my dad came home one day and surprised me with a chrome Slingerland drum kit. From that day on, I knew what I was meant to do. My musical influences are mostly from the metal genre. I also like Steve Vai, Jeff Beck and Stryper among others. Drummer influences would be Scott Rockenfield, Neil Peart and John Bonham.

2) What's the story behind the debut Rock single "Mustard Seed" and the A.C. single "My Desire"?

Steve: "Mustard Seed" is a song about absolute faith. I wanted the lyrics to be almost superhero in nature about overcoming incredible circumstances. I wrote the main guitar riff in an RV while the band was on the road in North Carolina. It took me a long time to finish the song because the chorus was never how I envisioned it. Mike and I worked on it for five minutes one day and just nailed it! It's one of my favorites on the CD.

Steve: "My Desire" was written by Todd Lord and myself. The rock version was a big song for us live. We thought it was the perfect song to record with a more praise and worship-type feel, and it came out great. The line in the chorus "I want them to see Jesus when they look at me" pretty much sums up the entire message of the song. We are hoping for big things with this song at radio.

3) What is the message you hope to convey on the album "Beyond Broken"?

Mike: God's timing is ALWAYS perfect and sometimes you have to break and have the faith to see how HE can put you back together perfectly.

4) Do you have any humorous or interesting or inspiring stories from any visits or interviews with radio stations yet?

Mike: Not yet. The new CD just came out October 26, but we will soon! [smile]

5) Do you have a favorite song from the album?

Mike: "Perfect World," "Beyond Broken," "Mustard Seed." Come to think of it, they all pretty much ROCK!

Steve: "Saving Me A Place," "Mustard Seed," "Perfect World" but I have to agree with Mike that I love the entire CD.

Jason: "Saving Me A Place," "Beyond Broken" and "Blind"

Joe: "Wake Up"

6) Other than a T-shirt or CD, what do you hope people leave one of your shows with?

Mike: A new appreciation for Christian music. A desire for a relationship with Christ. Awesome live shots that they can send to us later!

Steve: Making an impression on the kids is always the big thing for me at shows. I love to see the smiles on their faces and their eyes light up when you give them a 39 Stripes guitar pick. I can't tell you how many times someone has come up to thank me and say that they took up playing guitar and now lead or play in a church praise and worship band all because I gave them a guitar pick that cost me a whole 18 cents!

7) Where is your favorite place to play? Do you have a favorite city/venue?

Mike: Anywhere there are people! We are an equal opportunity band!

Steve: Favorite place for me to play has been right here in our hometown (New Port Richey, FL). We did a huge show here with Out of the Grey and The Joy FM and had more than 5,000 people come out. We met with hundreds of kids and signed autographs for three hours after the show!

8) If you weren't doing music, what would you be doing?

Mike: I would be in the culinary field.

Steve: I would open a recording studio maybe. I love comic books and would probably go back to the comic industry.

Ray: I would be a high school athletic coach.

Jason: I would be a short novel writer.

Joe: I would probably open some kind of drum super store.

9) What song (any song) do you wish you had written?

Mike: "Happy Birthday"

Steve: "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey

Jason: "More Than A Woman" by the Bee Gees (Don't laugh at me!)

Joe: "For the Love of God" by Steve Vai

10) Do you have much time to check out other artists' music? What are you listening to right now?

Mike: Red, Disciple, Thousand Foot Krutch, Alter Bridge, Sanctus Real, Journey, Johnny Cash and I promised Ray I would say Dokken. LOL!

Steve: I stopped listening to everything while we were writing and recording the album, but now listening to: U2, the "new" newsboys, Switchfoot, Jeff Beck, Decyfer Down and King's X.

Jason: Pretty much just listening to 39 Stripes and the Bee Gees (quit laughing at me!) at the moment.