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In the Midst 777

RIYL

P.O.D., Shinedown

Influences

P.O.D., Kutless, Third Day, Shinedown, 3 Doors Down, Rush, Metallica, Iron Maiden
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“Drugs used to do for me what a phone booth did for Superman,” says Gary Lee Ernst, singer and guitarist for Christian rockers In the Midst 777.

“I was in and out of jail about a dozen times for meth-ing around, until I was sentenced to a three-year prison sentence and sent off to Donovan prison.”

It was there the former Helix High stoner says he had his religious conversion. During a lengthy stint at a Vista rehab center where he took part in the Casa Bible study program, Ernst says, “I started sponsoring some of the men in the program. That’s where I met our drummer Anthony Valenzuela. The second person I sponsored also graduated and is now our lead guitarist, Greg Kappes.”

Three years later, along with guitarist Lyonel Padilla and bassist Bill Brubaker, the band has played over a hundred gigs.

Valenzuela says that his drug addiction started in high school. “After that, it was all downhill, without a clue. After countless times in and out of jail, and then prison, something needed to change. For me, the only thing good that came out of prison is that I got baptized.”

Kappes, whose convictions involved meth and probation violations, says, “In 1999 I was sent to Chuckawalla Valley State Prison for several years…I was released, but my issues with addiction were never properly addressed. I ended up back in prison in 2006.”

After meeting Ernst and deciding to form the band, Kappes says, “There were a lot of obstacles in the early going. As residents, we weren’t allowed to have instruments at the program.”

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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