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Kudos to BEC Recordings for this.

Take four guys with bubbly, sometimes wacky personalities, the ability to rock out with gut busting intensity on a nightly basis, and an unquenchable passion to serve the Lord and you've got Oregon newest exports Seven Places. Unlike most young bands bursting into the music business, the quartet is extremely ministry minded, taking opportunities to explain their moniker just as seriously as the music. "Our name's about the seven places Jesus Christ bleed from to save us from our sins," explains the front man Seth. "His hands cover the sinful things we've done with our hands. His feet cover the places of sin weíve walked. His back covers all the times weíve turned our back on Him, and His side, which is really from His heart, allows our hardened hearts to be softened. Itís all about His blood and the fact that we're being covered by it at all points."

Beyond that catalyst for getting fans saved on a nightly basis, perhaps you've already heard these no nonsense rockers on their BEC release The White Noise EP, or maybe youíve been exposed to their performance dynamism while touring with Kutless. There's something to be said about a band actually making an earnest effort to stand out in today's musical climate and Seven Places proves to be more than just the flavor of the week or the exploiters of a currently "hot scene." Instead, they bring a different taste to your palette, one that starts with a stinging guitar driven boldness that eventually melts in your mouth with flavorful vocal delight, only to wash itself down with impeccable rhythmic sweetness youíve been salivating to find for quite awhile.

Much of that can be explained in Seven Places' tight knit musical union that dates back to members' initial friendship while growing up in their local Calvary Church (a national institution born in response to the late 1960's hippie movement). Aside from their faith fervency, the guys shared the desire to hone their musical chops on a regular basis, eventually earning the chance to play in front of their youth group peers (thanks to some help from Sethís father in law, church head Chuck Smithís right hand man). In keeping with Calvary's approach, Seven Places sought to provide an outside of the box worship experience meeting kids exactly where they were at, a practice theyíve continued on the road. "We were excited about the opportunity to be a part of the ministry [which started] in front of about 100 people each week," recalls Seth. "But as time when on, those numbers grew and we were up to 1,000 kids consistently for the last two years."

The overwhelming response confirmed Seven Places' engaging chemistry and they soon recorded a demo in hopes of taking their craft to the next level. At one point, the guys were able to get their recording in the hands of Kutless, who unbeknown to them passed it on to Brandon Ebel, founder of the Tooth and Nail label group. "Out of the blue one day I got a call at church and it was Brandon on the end of the line offering us a record deal," exclaims Seth. "It was so amazing how that just happened and a sign that this is what we were supposed to be doing."

After much brooding consideration and discussion, the guys signed the dotted line and entered the BEC roster, proving that hard work, attention to detail, and networking does indeed pay off. "When the Lord puts the desire in your heart and you donít stop praying and going for it, either he'll give you a new desire and lead you there or he'll fulfill that original desire,"ponders Jeffrey. "It was just perfect timing for all four of us when the Lord just finally opened the door and it all came together."

And come together it did, as the group no sooner entered their contract then they headed in the studio to record their label debut Lonely For the Last Time (bowing May 20) with producer Aaron Sprinkle of Poor Old Lu fame. Besides being revered in the music community at large, Sprinkle was the all time favorite artist of both Gilbert brothers. "I'd been listening to his music and watching his videos since I was a kid, so it was really rewarding to be able to work with him on our project," Seth says gleefully. "I went home literally everyday after the session thinking about how crazy it was to be working with Aaron on a first name basis!"

Clearly, Sprinkle's indie rock meets power pop sensibilities gelled well with Seven Places' pre-existing pedigree on the disc's eleven choice cuts, which are loaded with electric urgency, towering crescendos, and a hint of the alternative underground, designated to please listeners of various genre interests. "Variety from a musical perspective is an important component of the record," concurs Seth. "Though I'd say quality songwriting is just as much if not more important."

Both he and Tyler split the writing duties, each of them pulling from personal experience and a wide range of human emotions, while tying them together under the scope deep and abiding faith. "I strive for honesty, and I realize a lot of other songwriters do the same thing, but sometimes they don't point to anything eternal in the end," Tyler observes. "It's fine to share your feelings in really emotional and expressive manners, but in the end thoughts have to be brought back to the Lord."

Air 1's Jenni Isaac says:

What is it with tour buses and vans breaking down on such a consistent basis? Chat with almost any Christian music artist and he or she will certainly have at least one story to relate concerning the inconvenience of vehicular failure. Flat tires in the middle of the desert, broken radiators on one-lane country back roads, blown speakers in the high altitudes of snowy mountains-it doesn't matter the predicament or the location. The point is that it happens to almost everyone. And an artist's reaction to the inevitable can be very revealing.

Taking the curves
Take Seven Places, for instance. Though young and relatively new to the Christian music industry, the four guys in the group have already seen the ups and downs that come with having a career based on the sporadic popularity of radio singles, new albums and concerts and the collective short attention span of Americans. Discouraged and disheartened? No. Seth Gilbert (vocals), Tyler Jones (guitar, vocals), Donnie Vizzini (bass) and Jeffrey Gilbert (drums) see the challenges of their ministry as lessons to be learned, character to be built and fun to be had. Even when they are eating Funyuns out of a vending machine in a greasy mechanic's shop in the middle of nowhere.

Grabbing the wheel
Originating from the Medford, Ore., Seven Places began as a youth group worship band. The guys were mostly still in their teens at the time when they gave themselves the name, "Seven Places," which is a reference to the seven places Christ bled from when he died for our sins. They witnessed huge growth in worship service attendance as they continued to add evangelistic songs to their repertoire.

Exploring unmapped territory
And at the same time they were leading their church in worship, Jones, Vizzini and Seth and Jeffrey Gilbert were sending their demo tapes to record labels, hoping to be signed. A year and a half later, the band finally got an offer. Poised to sign a record deal, Seth Gilbert received a phone call, seemingly out of the blue.
"I was checking my voice mail at the church where I worked as a youth pastor," Seth Gilbert says. "It was mostly parents saying, 'Hey, I want to sign my kid up for your Mexico trip.' And I was like, 'Ah, same ol' same ol'.' And then the next thing I know, it's, 'Hey, this is Brandon Ebel. I own a record label called BEC and I want to sign you guys. Bye.'"
Unbeknownst to the group, fellow Oregon band and friends, Kutless, had given Seven Places' demo to Ebel. Impressed by their heart for ministry and ability to create fun, yet meaningful music, Ebel immediately wanted to sign Seven Places.
"At that point we went back to the drawing board," Seth Gilbert says. "We were like, 'All right, do we go with this other label or do we go with this (BEC)?' We got together and talked and prayed about it. We all felt like BEC was the way to go, so we called them up and took them up on it."

Traveling a new road takes faith
Since being signed, the guys' lives have changed tremendously, according to Seth Gilbert.
"I'm learning just to trust the Lord more," he explains. "Before, if you broke down in a church van on a church trip, you'd just call the church and they would send help for you. But now when it's your own van and you break down in the middle of nowhere and it's all coming out of your pocket, you really start to cry out to the Lord in a different, more real way." Besides relying more fully on God, the guys have also been working on building their self-discipline. It's well known that many artists struggle with the fact that they are not always able to attend regular church services. Members of Seven Places do consider it a valid concern, but have also put a plan into action to make sure it doesn't have a negative effect on them. Keeping in touch with their home pastor on a regular basis has helped, as has spending time in the Word together. But most important are each of the members' personal walks with God.
"As far as what we do as a ministry, we really want it to be one of those things where kids can come in, leave their burdens at the door and just laugh, have fun and know that they're forgiven and that God loves them no matter who they are and where they've been," Seth Gilbert says. "But in order to maintain our ministry goals, it all starts in our own lives. So we'll meet with the Lord as a band and we'll meet with the Lord personally." Leading fans to God
So far, the group has been surprised at how faithful God has been to their ministry. Audience response has far exceeded the guys' expectations. Seth Gilbert most vividly recalls two instances in which God used the band to touch listeners' lives:
"We were in Kentucky and a kid walked up to me after a concert and said, 'Hey, can I talk to you?' So we went and sat down and he said, 'I'm thinking about committing suicide tonight.' And he just started to tell me his story. His whole life was rough. His parents never cared where he was and his girlfriend had cheated on him that week. He said, 'I don't even know why I'm here (at the concert). I was planning on doing it (committing suicide) earlier.'
"I just had the chance to say, 'It's not an accident that you're here. God brought you here because the Lord has plans for you and loves you and wants to do powerful things through you. And He wants you alive to do that.' And he just starts crying. So I got to pray with him.
"And then we got an e-mail from a girl who was listening to a secular station and our single came on. She didn't know how our single had made it on there, but she said, 'I had been struggling all week. Somebody had been witnessing to me and I didn't want to accept the Lord.' And our song came on the radio and right there, she pulled her car over and gave her life to the Lord. Just from hearing the song!"

God is always pointing in the right direction
All that not to glorify Seven Places. In the same way the band rejoices in the lessons God has to teach them through the breakdowns and disasters, the group also thanks the Lord for using them for His glory.
"We're just four idiots from Southern Oregon," Seth Gilbert says. "We just realize that God loves us and has called us to talk about His love and to share His forgiveness with people. That's just what happens when you say, 'Okay Lord, I'm just an idiot that wants to be used.' That's what God does."