The name Mile 8 may have listeners confused with last year’s blockbuster movie, 8 Mile, but those who heard the band at Bulldog Bash know they are no Slim Shadies.
Mile 8, fresh from a performance at Bulldog Bash Sept. 26, will perform at Rick’s Caf Amricain Friday night. Mile 8 hails from Nashville, Tenn., where they have been making music together since 1999.
The group formed when several other bands dismantled, leaving six fellow musicians with a dream of delivering great music and a great stage show. The band’s style resembles that of a jam band, but lead vocalist and guitarist Randy Boen will be the first to tell you that they are not like Phish or Widespread Panic.
“It’s no disrespect to those bands, but we try to find a middle ground and let the crowd dictate how long we keep a song going,” Boen said.
The band’s six members all have different musical backgrounds that they say help them come together and deliver a unique sound.
“I would describe our sound as laid back and funky,” Boen said.
Mile 8’s other members include Neil Vance on bass guitar, Caleb Hickman on rhythm guitar, Robert Knowles banging out percussion, Curt Redding on drums and Adam Livingston playing the saxophone. Redding and Livingston also contribute backup vocals.
As for their live performances, Mile 8 has an ever changing stage show and a knack for fan interaction. Since 1999, the group has gained a loyal following of fans and hopes to gain some in Starkville.
“We got a great response at Bulldog Bash and everyone out there was really great and we show our gratitude to Starkville,” Boen said.
The band currently has 40 original songs completed and a CD out.
The group plans to head back into the studio within the next year to record some new material in addition to a live mix CD of their performances. As for a major-label record deal, the band is in no hurry to cross that bridge.
“We want to build an audience first so we have more say-so once we do get to that point,” Boen said.
This formula has worked for bands like Hootie and the Blowfish and Dave Matthews Band.
The band’s name may throw a few people off when first hearing about them, but Boen assures that is just a coincidence. Boen said the band’s name evolved from an unfortunate incident that happened to drummer Curt Redding.
“Our drummer’s favorite number is eight and he had lost his ticket to a concert we were going to, so we stopped on the side of the road on our way to the concert and grabbed mile marker 8 and took a picture with it. We wrote ‘We miss you’ on the picture and we had a name after that,” Boen said.
Travis Wolfe, assistant director of Music Makers, is a fan of Mile 8.
“I have watched them play and I think they are one of the bands that are about to make it,” Wolfe said.