The Blah Blah

A Hundred Miles is Michael Blair’s new name for the Michael Blair Project, which was Michael Blair’s new project after Madison Greene, which was… never mind.  Just read this interview with him all about music, God, life, and slothfulness.  And head on over here for my thoughts on everything.  Yeah, everything.

The Blah Blah: Who are you, in as many words and descriptives as you’d like to use?

Michael Blair: A Hundred Miles is an original alternative modern folk rock band. The sound has remained the same as it was in Michael Blair Project,but the name has changed.

TBB: What have you been doing since the days of Madison Greene?

MB: Musically speaking I have been practicing/developing the sound of A Hundred Miles (called Michael Blair Project until earlier this year). I also lead worship in the grade school age class at one of the churches that I attend.

TBB: Is Madison Greene still going?

MB: Good question. In a practical sense the band is not active at this point. The last show we played under the MG moniker was in 2006. We have never had an official “the band has finally retired” moment. There is still a possibility that MG will perform again, maybe at a festival of some sort. But nothing specific is planned at this time.

TBB: What do we have to look forward to from A Hundred Miles?

MB: Lord willing, A Hundred Miles would like to release a record sometime in the next twelve months. We would also like to begin playing regionally at some point.

TBB: What is the song “Dispensation” about? [Editor's note: this is where it gets annoying and I ask Michael what all my favorite songs are about.  Bear with me...]

MB: Dispensation was written around 2002/2003. A lot of topics were combined into one over-arching theme: letting go of what we hold dear so that God can bring something better into our lives, Himself through His Son.

My cousin went home to be with the Lord that year. He was in his early thirties and had a young faithful wife and two beautiful children. His physical body died of cancer, but he was given a season to prepare for his earthly death. I tried to see him as often as I could in those days, in between Madison Green trips.

It was an emotionally sad but spiritually encouraging time. He knows Jesus, and he was willing to let go of his mortality in a peaceful, trusting way. And his wife (my cousin in-law) was a genuine example of how those of us who know Christ “do not grieve as those who have not hope”.

We only have a rough live recording of that song. Did I sell that to you on a CD? You probably deserve a refund.

TBB: One of my favorite of your songs is “Little Pill”. What’s that song about?

MB: That song is a first-person perspective of something that I have never actually experienced myself, drug addiction. Ultimately the theme can be applied to any fallen person. We tend to become miserable slaves to the very things we think will make us happy. 

TBB: How about “Peace To You”?

MB: Peace to you began as a rebellious attitude on my part toward what God was leading me to do, but ended up being a redemptive realization that I had to turn away from a part of myself, the part that was clinging to this romantic notion of loneliness and depression. In the olden times acting on those attitudes would have been labeled “slothfullness”. Nowadays people are told that depression is not their fault and that all they really need is just more medication. Either way, the person who I am saying goodbye to in the song is that part of me that was keeping me from becoming what God wants me to be (someday).

TBB: While I’m on a roll, what about “The Other Side of May” and “Repentance in C”?

MB: Why not? “The Other Side of May” is about knowing when to let go of a person whom you love because you realize that it would be an un-loving act to remain in the same relationship with them. “Repentance in C” is a prayer of repentance put to music (the key of C). Ryan Evans (our bassist) wrote the arrangement for that song, along with the chord structure. He chose the key of C. Had he chosen the key of D, the song would probably be called “Repentance in D”.

TBB: For a little background on you as an artist, how did you get started making music?

MB: My mom first introduced me to the guitar when I was a kid. She would play it now and then, and that is where the interest began. I started to get serious about writing songs when I went on a mission trip to Russian in 1993. I was 16 years old and was made to perform everyday with the musical / drama group that I was traveling with. We would sing worship songs in public outdoor squares, engaging in activity that could have put people in prison just a few years before.

TBB: What do you do when you’re not making music?

MB: I am currently involved in two churches and work full-time managing an all-ages music venue near Detroit. 

TBB: Describe your process of writing songs. Where do most of your lyrics come from?

MB: I usually pray, and then the Holy Spirit graciously begins to bring experiences and his Word to my mind. Then I start to write down phrases that fit in with whatever chord progression I am playing at the time. 

TBB: Can you describe your journey with God, where you’ve come from, where you hope to head, etc.?

MB: I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was little. Since then I have been continually challenged with surrendering attitudes and perspectives to him all of the time. It is easy to surrender in the areas that seem the most obvious to us, or on the days when our circumstances suit our temperaments. But it is unnatural for us in our fleshly states to surrender when we start to get to the end of ourselves emotionally, spiritually, physically. I am hoping that God will perfect that submission to Him in me before I leave this earth.

TBB: I work with high school students, so I’m interested in this next question - what were you like in High School?

MB: In 10th grade I rededicated my life to Christ. I had the opportunity to share my faith with a number of people throughout high school. Some people were interested, others mocked me. It was a good introduction to experiencing, on a small scale in my mind, being persecuted for the gospel. I regret not being more disciplined in my studies…

TBB: What’s your goal as a musician?

MB: To honor Jesus Christ with the gift that he has given me.

TBB: If you could have any one of your songs heard throughout the world, which would you pick?

MB: Good question. Smart question. Has anyone ever told you that you’re smart, Jake? Answer: “Peace To You”

TBB: What artists are you currently listening to?

MB: Iron and Wine, David Crowder, Sufijan Stevens, Chris Tomlin, and (never too far from the rotation) Patty Griffin. To name a few.

TBB: Which artists are on your recommend listening list?

MB: Tree By Leaf, Kelly Jean Caldwell, Bad Faces Clan (all on myspace)

TBB: What books are you reading?

MB: Romans, 1 Thessalonians (from the Bible), the biography of George Mueller, and My Utmost For His Highest (Oswald Chambers).

TBB: What do you think of the MP3 downloading revolution? Bad for artists or good?

MB: Good.

TBB: I’ve been trying to make sense of this whole “Christian music” thing lately. What does the term mean to you? Like it, hate it, or don’t even think about it?

MB: This topic has challenged me in a good way over the years. I could write about this at length, but for the sake of the interview I would prefer to make it short: Attempting to identify music as “christian” or “not christian”, I personally believe, is a lot like trying to define an ocean as “christian” or a forest as “christian” or the moon on Christmas Eve as “christian”. The Bible, which I believe to be an absolutely trustworthy source of teaching from which we can formulate our beliefs concerning any topic that we ever consider, clearly teaches that all of these things, all of creation, all of music, all of our ability to express anything already belongs to God. In the case of those of us who are able to express ourselves through music we ultimately make one of two choices: either we use our abilities in a way that honors the Creator who gave us those abilities in the first place or we don’t. 

TBB: Any final thoughts?

MB: May the God of Peace bless those of you who read this interview with spiritual blessing that does not fade out or grow cold. Know that the gospel of God is simple; He sent His Son, His only Son, to die on the cross so that the sins of the people on earth would be paid for in full. To embrace His Son Jesus Christ with a repentant heart and to receive the forgiveness that He alone has won for you is to find eternal life. Even though your earthly body may die, your soul will be forever at peace in the presence of God together with all of His people.

To reject Jesus, the Son of God, is to reject the salvation that God has planned for you since the beginning of time. Know that Jesus Christ himself has warned us that to reject Him will result in your soul existing in eternal punishment, never at peace and never at rest.

Consider the salvation that God has given you in his Son Jesus. Repent of your sins, trust in Jesus Christ to forgive you and be saved forever. After this, ask God to direct you to the church that he wants you to be in community with. Then trust in him to train and direct you to go and tell other people of His glorious and merciful plan of salvation. Amen.

Amen.  Thank you, Michael Blair, for this interview, and may God continue to use you to transform lives for Him!